topic/theme: better together (unit 4) learning standards
TRANSCRIPT
Unit Learning Standards and Core Concepts
Major Concepts:
Phonemic Awareness - Phoneme Categorization; Phoneme Blending; Phoneme Identity; Phoneme Segmentation/Substitution
Phonics/Word Study - Vowel Diphthong ou, ow; oi, oy
Vocabulary - High Frequency Words - family, four, hear, above, color, song
Comprehension - Cause and Effect; Read Ahead; Use Illustrations
Fluency - Expression; Intonation
Grammar/Mechanics - Linking Verbs; Capitalization; Have as a helping verb; Quotation Marks
Writing - A Strong Paragraph; Persuasive Letter; A Strong Opening
Assessment - Review 3rd Six Weeks Fluency Goals; Unit Assessment
Performance Task:
Processes:
2.2A(iii) - Consonant digraphs (e.g., ng, ck, ph); and
2.2A(iv) vowel digraphs (e.g., ie, ue, ew) and diphthongs (e.g., oi, ou);
2.2B - Use common syllabication patterns to decode words including:
2.2B(vi) vowel digraphs and diphthongs (e.g., boy-hood, oat-meal);
English Language Arts and Reading Curriculum Overview 2nd Grade 4th Six Weeks - Week 1 and 2
Topic/Theme: Better Together (Unit 4)
Learning Standards
Reading
* Choose a narrative text that has been read independently. Organize and present to a small group a book talk on the selected
text. Using appropriate fluency and oral conventions, read a portion of the text aloud to the class or small group. Listen and
participate as other students present a book talk.
(1) Beginning
Reading Skills/Print
Awareness.
Students understand
how English is
written and printed.
(2) Beginning
Reading
Skills/Phonics.
Student use the
relationships
between letters and
sounds, spelling
patterns, and
morphological
analysis to decode
written English.
Students will
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater depth
in increasingly
more complex
* Choose a topic of interest. Follow oral and written directions to fold a sheet of paper into six sections to use as a graphic
organizer. Generate six questions about your topic using at least 4 of the following question words: Who, What, When,
Where, Why, and How. Write one question in each section. Read an expository text on your topic and refer to age-appropriate
reference works. Use text features and evidence from the text to write answers to your questions.
* Record multiple entries in a Word Study Notebook to demonstrate knowledge of spelling patterns and use of strategies to
determine word meanings. Use the notebook entries to support writing.
(3) Beginning
Reading/Strategies.
Students
comprehend a
variety of texts
drawing on useful
strategies as
needed.
2.2A - Decode multisyllabic words in context and independent of context by applying common letter-sound correspondences
including:
* Write multiple brief notebook entries to record thoughts, connections, and/or strategies that deepen understanding of text.
Provide textual evidence to support ideas.
2.2D - Read words with common prefixes (e.g., un-, dis-) and suffixes (e.g., -ly, -less, -ful)
2.2G - Identify and read at least 300 high-frequency words from a commonly used list; and
2.2H - Monitor accuracy of decoding.
2.3A - Use ideas (e.g., illustrations, titles, topic sentences, key words, and foreshadowing) to make and confirm predictions;
2.5A - Use prefixes and suffixes to determine the meaning of words (e.g., allow/disallow);
2.5B - Use context to determine the relevant meaning of unfamiliar words or multiple-meaning words;
2.9B - Describe main characters in works of fiction, including their traits, motivations, and feelings.
2.14A - Identify the main idea in a text and distinguish it from the topic;
2.14B - Locate the facts that are clearly stated in a text;
2.14C - Describe the order of events or ideas in a text
2.14D - Use text features (e.g., table of contents, index, headings) to locate specific information in text.
2.15B - Use common graphic features to assist in the interpretation of text (e.g., captions, illustrations).
2.16A - Recognize different purposes of media (e.g., informational, entertainment);
2.17A - Plan a first draft by generating ideas for writing (e.g., drawing, sharing ideas, listing key ideas);
2.17B - Develop drafts by sequencing ideas through writing sentences;
2.17C - Revise drafts by adding or deleting words, phrases, or sentences;
2.17D - Edit drafts for grammar, punctuation, and spelling using a teacher-developed rubric;
2.17E - Publish and share writing with others.
2.19A - Write brief compositions about topics of interest to the student;
2.19C - Write brief comments on literary or informational texts.
2.21A - Understand and use the following parts of speech in the context of reading, writing, and speaking:
2.21Ai - Verbs (past, present, and future);
2.21Avii - Time-order transition words;
2.21B - Use complete sentences with correct subject-verb agreement;
2.21C - Distinguish among declarative and interrogative sentences.
2.22A - Write legibly leaving appropriate margins for readability;
2.22C - Recognize and use punctuation marks, including:
(5) Vocabulary
Development.
Students understand
new vocabulary and
use it when reading
and writing.
(6) Comprehension
of Literary
Text/Theme and
Genre. Students
analyze, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
theme and genre in
different cultural,
historical, and
contemporary
contexts and
provide evidence
from the text to
support their
understanding.
(3) Beginning
Reading/Strategies.
Students
comprehend a
variety of texts
drawing on useful
strategies as
needed.
(4) Fluency.
Students read grade-
level text with
fluency and
comprehension.
2.3B - Ask relevant questions, seek clarification, and locate facts and details about stories and other texts and support answers
with evidence from text; and2.3C - Establish purpose for reading selected texts and monitor comprehension, making corrections and adjustments when
that understanding breaks down (e.g., identifying clues, using background knowledge, generating questions, re-reading a
portion aloud).
2.19B - Write short letters that put ideas in a chronological or logical sequence and use appropriate conventions (e.g., date,
salutation, closing);
2.22Ci - Ending punctuation in sentences;
2.22Cii - Apostrophes and contractions;
2.23A - Use phonological knowledge to match sounds to letters to construct unknown words;
2.23B - Spell words with common orthographic patterns and rules:
2.23Biv - Vowel digraphs (e.g., oo-book, fool, ee-feet), diphthongs (e.g., ou-out, ow-cow, oi-coil, oy-toy);
2.23C - Spell high-frequency words from a commonly used list;
2.23E - Spell simple contractions (e.g., isn't, aren't, can't);
2.23F - Use resources to find correct spellings.
2.24A - Generate a list of topics of class-wide interest and formulate open-ended questions about one or two of the topics;
2.24B - Decide what sources of information might be relevant to answer these questions.
2.25C - Record basic information in simple visual formats (e.g., notes, charts, picture graphs, diagrams).
2.28A - Listen attentively to speakers and ask relevant questions to clarify information;
2.28B - Follow, restate, and give oral instructions that involve a short related sequence of actions.
2.Fig19A Establish purposes for reading selected texts based upon content to enhance comprehension.
2.Fig19B Ask literal questions of text.
2.Fig19C
2.Fig19D Make inferences about text using textual evidence to support understanding.
2.Fig19F - Make connections to own experiences, to ideas in other texts, and to the larger community and discuss textual evidence.
Essential Question (s): Literature Connection (s)
Content-specific Questions: Week 1 Week 2
How is working together better than working alone? Giant Carrot (Preteach) Safety at School (Preteach)
What is a team? Head, Body, Legs (Main) Officer Buckle and Gloria (Main)
What kinds of teams do you know about? Watch It Move! (Paired) Fire Safety (Paired)
What lesson did you learn about friendship and Interactive Read Aloud Anthology (both weeks)
teamwork from the characters in the stories? Leveled Readers:
Why is it helpful to work together to finish a project?
Have you ever worked on a team?
How did your team overcome problems?
Describe ways people and animals can work togetherDecodable: Better Together
as a team? Approaching: Wasted Wishes, Road Safety
How will rereading help you understand another On Level: Three Wishes from a Fish, Road Safety
(6) Comprehension
of Literary
Text/Theme and
Genre. Students
analyze, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
theme and genre in
different cultural,
historical, and
contemporary
contexts and
provide evidence
from the text to
support their
understanding.
(11) Reading/Com
prehension of
Literary
Text/Sensory
Language. Students
understand, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
how an author's
sensory language
creates imagery in
literary text and
provide evidence
from text to support
their
understanding. Stud
ents are expected to
recognize that some
words and phrases
have literal and non-
literal meanings
(e.g., take steps).
2.25B - Use text features (e.g., table of contents, alphabetized index, headings) in age-appropriate reference works (e.g.,
picture dictionaries) to locate information;
Monitor and adjust comprehension (e.g., using background knowledge, creating sensory images, rereading a
portion aloud, generating questions).
(9) Comprehension
of Literary
Text/Fiction.
Students
understand, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
the structure and
elements of fiction
and provide
evidence from text
to support their
understanding.
Books to be matched with Students‘ appropriate level & targeted skills --
Recommend using small leveled books for Approaching level, On level
and Beyond level, Decodable Readers
selection? Beyond: Three Dog Wishes, Road Safety
What connection did you make with the characters ELL: Three Wishes, Street Safety
in the story? Teacher Selected Reading Classroom Library School Library
Media Connection (s) Instructional Resources
Texas Treasures (Macmillan/McGraw Hill) Teachers Edition
Texas Treasures (Macmillan/McGraw Hill) Student Edition
Texas Treasures Activity Book
Texas Treasures Practice Book
(11) Reading/Com
prehension of
Literary
Text/Sensory
Language. Students
understand, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
how an author's
sensory language
creates imagery in
literary text and
provide evidence
from text to support
their
understanding. Stud
ents are expected to
recognize that some
words and phrases
have literal and non-
literal meanings
(e.g., take steps).
(12) Reading/Com
prehension of
Text/Independent
Reading. Students
read independently
for sustained
periods of time and
produce evidence of
their reading.
Students are
expected to read
independently for a
sustained period of
time and paraphrase
what the reading
was about,
maintaining
(14) Reading/Com
prehension of
Informational
Text/Expository
Text. Students
analyze, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
and understand
expository text and
provide evidence
from text to support
their understanding.
Focus Lesson/Direct Instruction/Modeling
Whenever possible, teachers should try to help the students engage background knowledge before reading, and talking about a new
theme is just one way to do this. Activating prior knowledge puts the students in the right frame of mind to approach the text.
• Introducing the Theme: The theme, ―Better Together‖ allows students to discuss the complexities of working as a team,
in various forms - as classmates, as a family, at work, and in the community. While reading, thinking, discussing, and writing
about the texts, students will demonstrate mastery of the learning outcomes for the six weeks by: completing a Book Talk
about their favorite book, writing a persuasive letter, and by creating a persuasive article, a book report, and a descriptive
flyer. The projects will require that students use the metacognitive strategy - Determining Importance, and require that
students learn nonfiction text features. The unit begins by exposing students to examples of persuasive writing, and by
helping them generate ideas for persuasive writing they'd like to do. The goal during this early stage of the unit is for students
to write a lot, freely. One could say, the goal at the start of the unit is for children to try writing persuasive letters—and to do
so with enough independence that you can be free to study what they are doing and to teach in response. Students will be
given the direct instruction and repeated opportunities they need in order to become proficient at stating an opinion and
supplying supportive reason for that opinion. Specifically, they'll learn to write letters and a book report that aim to persuade.
• Connect and Engage: Introduce the theme, ―Teammates‖ by leading a discussion of the term through the use of a class-
sized Frayer Model. Prompt students to think about the word "team." Using the class-sized fryer model, guide students to
understand the meaning of the word team. Require students to define and characterize the word, think of examples, and
think of non-examples. As students answer, place their responses in the appropriate section. If students are having trouble
answering, prompt students with examples.
• Connect and Engage: Using Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel, conduct a Read Aloud of the selected text,
stopping periodically to reinforce recurring phrases, making personal connections, and making inferences through modeling,
thinking aloud, and interactive questioning. Explicitly model identifying textual evidence to support inferences. Review that
authors give clues or little bits of information to the reader and the reader has to make a logical guess to figure out what the
author means. Tell students that this is called an inference. Guide students ask they make inferences about the central
message or lesson of the story. Remind students that our unit theme is "better together". Ask, "How does this story make a
connection with our unit theme?" Discuss student responses. Ask, "What do you think the author would want us to know or
learn after reading this book?" Chart student responses on a class-sized chart. Discuss student responses and guide any
misconceptions. Remind students that good readers pay attention to what the author is trying to tell them. Have students
write a Response to Literature, using the sentence stem "The author wants me to know that _________________________."
Monitor student responses and conference with students who have misconceptions. Student Artifact: Response to
Literature
Please visit the WOCCISD LiveBinder for the
Media Connections related to this unit.
Metacognitive Strategies - Determining Importance
Link to SMART Exchange - Main Idea
http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=1a96d34c-9a3d-4815-b088-d8fd76c0ab23
Mini-Lesson: Determining Importance/What's Important to Me (Day 1)
Mini-Lesson: Determining Importance/What to Bring (Day 2)
Reminder: Before, during, and after reading strategies should be done with each read aloud. As students progress toward
mastering these routines, teachers may add to, subtract from, condense, and modify as needed. These routines will
consistently be listed in the curriculum, however mini-lesson will vary depending on which strategy is highlighted. These
mini-lesson are not listed sequentially. However, each mini-lesson is expected be taught and reviewed. Use your judgment
when determining sequence and timing of mini-lessons during Read Aloud. Using the daily Read Aloud, remember to review
reading metacognitive strategies before, during, and after reading.
* Determining Importance: As I read, I decide what the main ideas are and what the author's message is to help
me understand what I am reading.
* Have students bring in something to Show and Share . If you don't have this time already scheduled into your
weekly schedule (like me), your kiddos will be very excited to bring in something to Show and Share . Send home
a recording sheet for them to create a list of "Important Details" they wish to share about the item they selected.
Model the process for the class by bringing in something special to you. Share a few important details about it,
telling the class why you decided to share those details. After students are done sharing, connect the activity to the
act of writing and reading. Say, "Writers choose a topic. They decide what details they will share with their
audience. Some of the details are very important and are called the main ideas. Some are supporting details. They
are important but not the most important. Readers decide what the main ideas are and what the author's message in
the writing is."
(14) Reading/Com
prehension of
Informational
Text/Expository
Text. Students
analyze, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
and understand
expository text and
provide evidence
from text to support
their understanding.
Figure: 19
Reading/Comprehe
nsion Skills.
Students use a
flexible range of
metacognitive
reading skills in
both assigned and
independent
reading to
understand an
author's message.
Students will
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater depth
in increasingly
more complex texts
as they become self-
directed, critical
(15)
Comprehension of
Informational
Text/Procedural
Text. Students
understand how to
glean and use
information in
procedural texts and
documents.
• Connect and Engage: Using Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel, conduct a Read Aloud of the selected text,
stopping periodically to reinforce recurring phrases, making personal connections, and making inferences through modeling,
thinking aloud, and interactive questioning. Explicitly model identifying textual evidence to support inferences. Review that
authors give clues or little bits of information to the reader and the reader has to make a logical guess to figure out what the
author means. Tell students that this is called an inference. Guide students ask they make inferences about the central
message or lesson of the story. Remind students that our unit theme is "better together". Ask, "How does this story make a
connection with our unit theme?" Discuss student responses. Ask, "What do you think the author would want us to know or
learn after reading this book?" Chart student responses on a class-sized chart. Discuss student responses and guide any
misconceptions. Remind students that good readers pay attention to what the author is trying to tell them. Have students
write a Response to Literature, using the sentence stem "The author wants me to know that _________________________."
Monitor student responses and conference with students who have misconceptions. Student Artifact: Response to
Literature
* Have the class decide "what's important" to bring on:
a camping trip
a fishing vacation
a family picnic
a beach visit
a class field trip
Mini-Lesson: Determining Importance/What Teachers Look For (Day 3-4)
Mini-Lesson: Determining Importance/Pebbles and Sand (Day 5)
Mini-Lesson: Identifying Determining Importance Thinking Stems (Ongoing)
* Display the pebbles, sand, and funnel. Share with the class that, "When we read take in the details an author
writes. As we read we decide which details are the most important to remember. Some of the details are really
important. They help us understand the author's purpose for writing the story. Some details are less important.”
Demonstrate the difference between really important and less important details using the pebbles, sand, and funnel.
Conclude that readers' minds determine which details are important and hold onto them like the funnel is holding
the pebbles. The pebbles are like the important details and the sand is like the less important details. Encourage
students to be metacognitive today as they read. Challenge them to find important details in one of the books they
read and mark them with a Post-it Note.
* What do readers do while they are reading? Reiterate that readers THINK about their reading. Readers use their
schema, make connections, create mental images, and ask questions as they read. Model this for students. Read
aloud a book you are familiar with and use the ―think out loud‖ strategy DETERMINING IMPORTANCE. Use
the ―determining importance thinking stems‖ that you‘d like your students to begin using. When you have finished
reading and thinking out loud, ask students to make observations about you as a reader (what you were doing, what
words you used, etc.). Record their answers on the Determining Importance Anchor Chart. As you dismiss
students, encourage them to think about what they are reading, and to start using determining importance thinking
stems as they read and ask questions. Add to the chart as the unit progresses.
* Display a picture of one of the above and create a list of what would be important to bring along. Have students
decide what's important for each excursion and state their reason for why it's important. Remind students,
"Writers choose a topic. They decide what details they will share with their audience. Some of the details are very
important and are called the main ideas. Some are supporting details. They are important but not the most
important. Readers decide what the main ideas are and what the author's message in the writing is."
* It's always important for kids to know "what's important" for the tasks and skills they take on each day at school.
To extend the skill of deciding what's important, have your class share what's important for each skill/activity. The
chart example to the right gives an example for reading and writing. Share with students that when they are
reading/writing, these are the behaviors you determined to be most important to have when reading/writing. * Extend the activity to deciding what's most important from a child's perspective-- What's Important to Have in a
Friend? (or something similar). Encourage students to start thinking about the books they read. Encourage them to
ask themselves, "What's the most important thing the author wants me to know."
(17) Writing
Process. Students
use elements of the
writing process
(planning, drafting,
revising, editing,
and publishing) to
compose text.
(18) Literary Texts.
Students write
literary texts to
express their ideas
and feelings about
real or imagined
people, events, and
ideas.
(19) Expository and
Procedural Texts.
Students write
expository and
procedural or work-
related texts to
communicate ideas
and information to
specific audiences
for specific
purposes.
Writing
Figure: 19
Reading/Comprehe
nsion Skills.
Students use a
flexible range of
metacognitive
reading skills in
both assigned and
independent
reading to
understand an
author's message.
Students will
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater depth
in increasingly
more complex texts
as they become self-
directed, critical
Determining Important Thinking Stems
* Continue to add to the chart as the unit progresses.
* It's interesting that….
* I want to remember….
* I noticed….
* What matters….
* What's important here….
Mini-Lesson: Fiction….What's Important (Ongoing)
Whole Group - Read Aloud
Mentor Text During Read Aloud (see also LiveBinder) - Stories, pictures, poems about teams.
Week 1
Week 2
* What do readers do while they are reading? Reiterate that readers THINK about their reading. Readers use their
schema, make connections, create mental images, and ask questions as they read. Model this for students. Read
aloud a book you are familiar with and use the ―think out loud‖ strategy DETERMINING IMPORTANCE. Use
the ―determining importance thinking stems‖ that you‘d like your students to begin using. When you have finished
reading and thinking out loud, ask students to make observations about you as a reader (what you were doing, what
words you used, etc.). Record their answers on the Determining Importance Anchor Chart. As you dismiss
students, encourage them to think about what they are reading, and to start using determining importance thinking
stems as they read and ask questions. Add to the chart as the unit progresses.
* Readers make choices about what information is important to remember when they read. They use the trait of
Determining Importance to summarize. Understanding how the text is organized is an important part of the
process of determining importance. As you read fiction texts to/with your students, talk about how they are
organized. During modeled, guided, and shared reading, discuss plot, setting, characters, and problem/solution.
Discuss author's purpose. (see FICTION Reading Skills Chart)* Encourage students to transfer the skills you are working on to their own independent reading time at school and
home. Encourage/praise the use of special words such as plot, setting, characters, and problem/solution. Choose
fictional text related to our unit theme: teamwork. Practice using the determining importance thinking stems with
each text.
Oral and Written
Conventions
(21) Conventions.
Students understand
the function of and
use the conventions
of academic
language when
speaking and
writing. Students
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater
complexity. M
(22) Handwriting,
Capitalization, and
Punctuation.
Students write
legibly and use
appropriate
capitalization and
punctuation
conventions in their
compositions.
(19) Expository and
Procedural Texts.
Students write
expository and
procedural or work-
related texts to
communicate ideas
and information to
specific audiences
for specific
purposes.
Fiction/Folktale: "Head, Body, Legs: A Story from Liberia (p. 10-37)" - Unit 4 p. 9J, 37A (Strategy: Reread, Skill: Cause
and Effect, Determine Importance, Vocabulary: Context Clues, Draw Conclusions) Use Practice Book p. 176, Informational: "Watch It Move! (p. 38-39)" - Unit 4 p. 37W (Text Feature: Drop-Down Menu, Vocabulary, Reread for
Comprehension)
Fiction: "Officer Buckle and Gloria (p. 46-71)" - Unit 4 p. 45K, 71A, 71N (Strategy: Read Ahead, Skill: Use Illustrations,
Determine Importance, Vocabulary: Context Clues)Informational: "Fire Safety (p. 72-75)" - Unit 4 p. 71X-75A (Text Feature: Diagram, Retell Events in Order, Determine
Importance, Author's Purpose)
Before Reading
During Reading
Focus Strategies for During Reading:
* Using Fix-Up Strategies
* Determine Importance (see above)
* Predictions - Explain that trying to figure out what comes next can help us understand better.
* Choral-Read - Have students choral-read (and Echo-Read) as you track the print.
After Reading
Focus Strategies After Reading
* Determine Importance (see above)
* Using Text Evidence to Support Responses to Stems
* Make Text-to-Self and Text-to-Text Connections
Mini-Lesson: Practicing Determining Importance (Fiction)
Routine: Review Concepts of Print. Read the title of the book and show the front cover. Establish prior knowledge,
purpose, and predictions: Provide background information or allow students to share ideas that they have based on the title or
the picture. Invite students to make predictions or pose questions about the book based on their knowledge of the author,
title, topic, or picture. Remind students to think about their predictions as you read aloud. Introduce and/or review
vocabulary. Introduce words found in the text and important words to students' comprehension. Provide opportunities for
students to use the words, either in a quick activity, or in sentences. Introduce and/or review the focus strategy. Explain to
students how to use the strategy.
Routine: Read the story. Stop occasionally to model a Think Aloud. Model and practice the focus strategy. Stop at
predetermined points to invite students to react or reflect on thinking with a partner; write a note in their journal, share
thinking using "CAFE" Comprehension Strategies, such as prediction and differencing. Using sample Read Aloud
Questions/Prompts, hold students accountable for the knowledge in the text and accountable for rigorous thinking. (See
* Using Metacognitive Strategies - Schema, Visualizing, Making Connections, Inferring and Asking Questions to
Understand Text
Routine: Follow-up to focus strategy. Ask students to respond to reading by sharing their reflections and reactions. Have
students demonstrate comprehension by retelling, summarizing, discussing ideas, answering questions, or other after reading
activities. Determine an indicator of mastery for focus strategy. At a minimum, mastery should indicate a satisfactory
understanding of focus strategy, text, concepts, and enduring understandings.
* Students complete story maps which include story elements such as plot, beginning, middle and end, sequence
of events, and problem and solution. Students continue to practice comprehension strategies including making
connections to text, describing characters, and making inferences. Student Artifact: Story Map
(23) Spelling.
Students spell
correctly.
(22) Handwriting,
Capitalization, and
Punctuation.
Students write
legibly and use
appropriate
capitalization and
punctuation
conventions in their
compositions.
Listening and
Speaking
Research
(24) Research/Rese
arch Plan. Students
ask open-ended
research questions
and develop a plan
for answering them.
(25) Research/Gath
ering Sources.
Students determine,
locate, and explore
the full range of
relevant sources
addressing a
research question
and systematically
record the
information they
gather.
(28) Listening.
Students use
comprehension
skills to listen
attentively to others
in formal and
informal settings.
Students continue
to apply earlier
standards with
greater complexity.
M
Whole Group - Phonemic Awareness/Phonics/Word Study
Vowel Diphthong ou, ow Vowel Diphthong oi, oy
Phoneme Identity - Unit 4 p. 7B, Phoneme Segmentation - Unit 4 p. 43B, 71S
Blend Words - Unit 4 p. 7C, 37E, 37F, Blend Words - Unit 4 p. 43C, 45G, 71F, 71G, 71T
Practice Book - p. 173, 178, Practice Book - p. 184,
Spelling - Unit 4 p. 7E Spelling - Unit 4 p. 43E,
Spelling Practice Book - p. 61, p. 62, p. 64, Spelling Practice Book - p. 65, p. 68
Decodable Reader 1 - The Missing String Beans Decodable Reader 1 - Let's Join Joy's Show!
Phoneme Categorization - Unit 4 p. 9F, 37S, Phoneme Blending - Unit 4 p. 45F,
Build Words - Unit 4 p. 9G, 37T, Word Automaticity - Unit 4 p. 45H,
Word Sort - Unit 4 p. 9H, 37H, Word Sort - Unit 4 p. 45I, 71H
see additional lessons and links in LiveBinder Phoneme Substitution - Unit 4 p. 71E,
see additional lessons and links in LiveBinder
Whole Group - Fluency Skill: Prosody
Teaching Resources for Fluency
Unit 4 - p. 71L
Decodable Readers 1 and 2
Fluency Transparency 17,
Practice Book p. 191
Whole Group - Vocabulary
The purpose of the familiar reading is for students to have opportunities to reread text to strengthen their phrasing, fluency
and practice using their reading strategies. After guided reading lessons, books are placed in students‘ individual reading
containers. Books may be stored in cereal boxes, plastic bags, baskets, etc. These books become the student‘s familiar reading
text. Students should also have ―just right‖ text in their individual reading containers that they have selected from the
classroom library.
* Students complete story maps which include story elements such as plot, beginning, middle and end, sequence
of events, and problem and solution. Students continue to practice comprehension strategies including making
connections to text, describing characters, and making inferences. Student Artifact: Story Map
Oral Vocabulary Cards 1- "The Enormous Yucca", Unit 4 p. 7A, 9E, 37N (Read aloud for Robust Vocabulary lesson and
Comprehension lesson - Practice Asking Questions, Determining Importance, and Prediction)Fiction Read Aloud: "The Story of the Giant Carrot (p. 8-9)" - Unit 4 p. 7G-9B (Read aloud for Vocabulary, Strategy:
Context Clues, Monitor Comprehension - Skill: Cause and Effect, Determine Importance Practice) Use Practice Book p. 174Read Aloud Anthology - Fiction: "The Storytelling Stone (p. 54-56)" - Unit 4 p. 37D (Vocabulary Routine, Respond to the
Folktale)
(28) Listening.
Students use
comprehension
skills to listen
attentively to others
in formal and
informal settings.
Students continue
to apply earlier
standards with
greater complexity.
M(29) Speaking.
Students speak
clearly and to the
point, using the
conventions of
language. Students
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater
complexity. M
(30) Teamwork.
Students work
productively with
others in teams.
Students continue
to apply earlier
standards with
greater complexity.
M
Week 2
Oral Vocabulary Cards 1 - "Tikki Tikki Tembo", Unit 4 p. 43A, 45E, (Vocabulary Routine, Comprehension)
Mini-Lesson: High-Frequency Word Practice
Mentor Text: The Missing String Beans
Mentor Text: Better Together
Unit 4 - p. 37I, 71I
Mini-Lesson: Strategy - Words in Context
Vocabulary Transparency 31, 32
Whole Group - Shared Writing
Week 1
Mini-Lesson: Writing Persuasive Letters
Read Aloud Anthology - Expository: "Police Patrol (p. 58-62)"- Unit 4 p. 71D (Read aloud for Robust Vocabulary lesson
and Comprehension lesson - Practice Determining Importance, Respond to the Nonfiction Selection)
Review high-frequency words: family, four, hear. (Week 2 - about, ) Review the words using the
Read/Spell/Write routine. Use decodable readers as a source to help student practice reading high-frequency words.
Have partners reread the book together. Add these words to the Word Wall. Use high-frequency words during
Morning Message, Shared Writing, and Writing Workshop.
Review the meanings of the vocabulary words. Display Transparency 31 to model how to use word meanings
and context clues to fill in the first missing words. Using a think aloud, model how to think through how to find
the meanings of the words. Have students use context clues to write missing words 2-5 on their papers. Ask
partners to check each other's answers and explain which context clues they used. During independent work time,
have students write sentences in their Writer's Notebook using their vocabulary words. Review last week's words
in context. (Continue to help students practice this skill. Additional resources can be found in the LiveBinder and:
Unit 4 p. 37J, Practice Book p. 179, Unit 4 p. 45J,
Mentor Text: First Years Letters by Julie Danneberg, Sincerely Yours: Writing Your Own Letter by Nancy
Loewen, I Wanna Iguana and I Wanna New Room by Karen Kaufman Orloff* Read Aloud the mentor text. After discussing story elements, explain to students that they will learn about
persuasive letters. Explain to the class that the purpose of a persuasive letter is to express your opinion about a
particular matter, to persuade your reader that your opinion is correct and hopefully to bring about some change.
Create a Persuasive Writing Anchor Chart add important information as you teach each component to students.
Tell students they during this unit, they will be writing persuasive letters to a friend to recommend their favorite
movie. Say, "First we will practice as a class." Read examples of persuasive letters to the children and point out
that every persuasive letter has a clearly stated purpose.
Read Aloud Anthology - Fiction: "The Storytelling Stone (p. 54-56)" - Unit 4 p. 37D (Vocabulary Routine, Respond to the
Folktale)
Fiction Read Aloud: "Safety at School", Unit 4 p. 43G-45B (Vocabulary Strategy: Use Context Clues - Synonyms, Monitor
Comprehension - Read Ahead, Skill: Use Illustrations) Use Practice Book p. 185 and GO Transparency 5
Class Artifact: Class Persuasive Letter (Movie)
Grammar Mini-Lesson: Linking ( and helping) Verbs be
* Revise and proofread your letter together with the class. Ask for feedback from the children as you reread the
letter for flow. Check that you and they used clear, descriptive language throughout the letter.
* Rewrite the letter on a sheet of standard writing paper. Use a standard sign-off, such as, "Sincerely, Mrs. Smith's
First-Graders." Enclose your letter in an addressed envelope, send it and wait patiently for a reply.
* Read Aloud the mentor text. After discussing story elements, explain to students that they will learn about
persuasive letters. Explain to the class that the purpose of a persuasive letter is to express your opinion about a
particular matter, to persuade your reader that your opinion is correct and hopefully to bring about some change.
Create a Persuasive Writing Anchor Chart add important information as you teach each component to students.
Tell students they during this unit, they will be writing persuasive letters to a friend to recommend their favorite
movie. Say, "First we will practice as a class." Read examples of persuasive letters to the children and point out
that every persuasive letter has a clearly stated purpose.* Use an overhead projector and a basic persuasive letter template to help children visualize the basic components
of such a letter. Alternatively, prepare a large piece of chart paper on which to write your letter. Input the address
of your recipient in the top right-hand corner of the template or chart paper. Follow the contact information with a
formal greeting, such as "Dear Mr. Peters."
* Write a good lead. Ask for suggestions from the class, but guide their thinking. Remind the children that the
point of the letter is to express their opinion and to convince their reader to take a particular action that will result
in change. Prompt the children to formulate a clear statement of their purpose for writing the letter. For example, if
the class wants to persuade the principal to purchase more balls for the playground, ask the class to "Explain what
we believe" or ask, "What words should we write to explain what we are thinking?" Write the statement of opinion
in the first section on your template or chart paper.* Support the class opinion in the body of your letter. Brainstorm with the class and list three or more facts or
interesting points to support the position you stated in your introduction. For example, write that several balls are
missing from the playground or are damaged, that there is too much fighting over the few remaining balls and that
the climbing equipment would be less crowded if there were more balls for children to play with instead. Teach the
children to introduce every fact with a word such as "first," "additionally" and "furthermore."
* Conclude your letter with a clear restatement of the class opinion. Demonstrate how to begin the final statement
with a phrase such as, "In conclusion."
Present-Tense Forms of Be: Tell students that a linking verb is a verb that does not show action. Say, "The verb
be is a linking verb (e.g. When will you be six?)". Tell them that the verb be has special forms in the present
tense. If the subject is I, use am. (e.g. I am on the baseball team.) Explain that if the subject is singular (such as
he or she), use is. (e.g. She is in our car. He is at summer camp.) Tell children if the subject is you, we, or they,
use are. (e.g. We are sad to leave. You are my friend. They are a the zoo.) Write is, are, and am on the board.
Model using each linking verb in a sentence. Write the sentences on the board. Have students chorally read each
sentence and pick out the linking verb. Use Grammar Transparency 76 to model how to complete sentence with
the linking verbs is, are, or am. Explain that each linking verb links the subject with the rest of the sentence.
Past-Tense Forms of Be: Continue to practice the linking verb be. Use Grammar Transparency 77 to model how
to select the correct past-tense form of be to complete a sentence. (Continue practicing using linking verbs
throughout week 1 of this unit. Additional teaching resources can be found in the LiveBinder and on: Unit 4 p.
39B, 71B, Transparency 79 and 82, Grammar Practice book p. 79 and 82.
Week 2
Mini-Lesson: Writing Persuasive Letters (Part II)
Mentor Text: See List Above
* Read Aloud another mentor text about letters. Facilitate a discussion about:
What letters are
What do letters look like (date, heading, body, closing, signature)
Who writes letters
Why do people send letters
Who receives letters
Grammar Mini-Lesson: Have as a Helping Verb
Writing Workshop
Mini-Lesson: Book Talks - Part I
Tell students that a helping verb helps another verb to show an action. Have and has are helping verbs that tell
about actions that have already happened. Use has when the subject is singular (e.g. My mom has given her a lot
of help.) and have when the subject is plural or I or you (e.g. I have given her two dollars.). Write sentences on
the board that show the variety of ways to use have and has. Practice by using modeling and think alouds to guide
students toward correctly using these helping verbs. Using Grammar Transparency 81, model how to use the
helping verbs with other verbs. Identify the other verbs. Continue to work with students during this week.
Additional instructional resources for helping verbs can be found in the LiveBinder.
* Remind students that they will be writing "persuasive letters." Show students the class letter you composed last
week during Shared Writing. Share the Persuasive Writing Anchor Chart. Review the parts of the letter. Tell
students that today, they will be helping to write a new letter. Introduce the prompt: Write a persuasive letter to a
* Working with students, compose a class letter recommending a toy, for example a doll, a game, etc. As you
work with students, keep in mind the format of a letter. Class Artifact: Persuasive Letter (Toy)
* These writing workshop lessons are modified in order to provide students an opportunity to plan and practice
Book Talks. Book Talks serve as a preparation for writing Persuasive Book Reports in Week 3-6 of this six weeks.
To incorporate some writing, consider requiring students to write a friendly letter recommending their favorite
book. The lesson is included below.
Present-Tense Forms of Be: Tell students that a linking verb is a verb that does not show action. Say, "The verb
be is a linking verb (e.g. When will you be six?)". Tell them that the verb be has special forms in the present
tense. If the subject is I, use am. (e.g. I am on the baseball team.) Explain that if the subject is singular (such as
he or she), use is. (e.g. She is in our car. He is at summer camp.) Tell children if the subject is you, we, or they,
use are. (e.g. We are sad to leave. You are my friend. They are a the zoo.) Write is, are, and am on the board.
Model using each linking verb in a sentence. Write the sentences on the board. Have students chorally read each
sentence and pick out the linking verb. Use Grammar Transparency 76 to model how to complete sentence with
the linking verbs is, are, or am. Explain that each linking verb links the subject with the rest of the sentence.
Past-Tense Forms of Be: Continue to practice the linking verb be. Use Grammar Transparency 77 to model how
to select the correct past-tense form of be to complete a sentence. (Continue practicing using linking verbs
throughout week 1 of this unit. Additional teaching resources can be found in the LiveBinder and on: Unit 4 p.
39B, 71B, Transparency 79 and 82, Grammar Practice book p. 79 and 82.
Mentor Text: Teacher-selected book
Advanced Preparation:
1. Prepare to display visuals as appropriate.
2. Prepare two Book Talks to model for students.
3. Create an Anchor Chart: Effective Book Talks that lists the criteria for a successful Book Talk.
4. Model a complete Book Talk with the following components:
* State the title and author.
* List two reasons why you like the book.
* Read your story (or part of your story) out loud, monitoring accuracy and reading with good oral fluency.
* Close the Book Talk with a persuasive statement or question.
* Speak clearly, at an appropriate pace.
5. Ask: What was better about the second Book Talk? Discuss responses.
6. Display the chart with the criteria for Book Talks. Ask the students if they have any questions about the criteria.
7. Review the criteria for an effective Book Talk.
Mini-Lesson: Book Talks - Part IIExplain to students that they have been studying how to give an effective Book Talk. Review the Effective Book
Talk Anchor Chart to ensure student's understanding of the process. Remind students that the anchor charts
remind us what the speaker does in a Book Talk. Explain that today they will discuss what the audience does
during a Book Talk.1. Ask: How and why do readers recommend books to others? How can speakers communicate
ideas and opinions clearly? What does it mean to listen effectively? Discuss responses.2. Discuss with the students what it means to be a good listener and how to participate in a discussion
with relevant questions and comments.
Explain to students that today they will be learning how to conduct a "book talk." Explain that Book Talks are
used to promote reading, collaboration and communication. Book Talks are Students will select a favorite book
and write a Book Talk script that they will use to practice sharing their book. Create a Book Talk Anchor Chart
with student, as you discuss the criteria -or- show students the previously created anchor chart.1. Tell students that you are going be giving a Book Talk. Inform them that you have selected a book that you
love. Tell them to listen carefully and think of questions and comments.2. Begin by modeling a ―poor‖ Book Talk. Be sure to mumble, not make eye contact, speak too fast/slow, and
read a part of the book out loud, making mistakes and using poor fluency.3. Discuss student comments and questions. Tell students you would like to try again. Ask them pay attention to
the difference in the two Book Talks.
8. Show and discuss the Book Talk Rubric to help students understand how they will be assessed. (see
LiveBinder -or- create your own rubric)
3. Add information discussed to the Book Talk Anchor Chart, as needed.
3. After practicing on their own, students will practice their Book Talk with a partner.
Mini-Lesson: Book Talks - Part III
* Both Whole Group Reading and Independent Reading will be used for students to conduct their Book Talks.
After each Book Talk, allow a couple of comments and questions.
Mini-Lesson: Persuasive Letter (Recommending My Favorite Book)
Mentor Text: See List Above
* A brief ―Why I recommend this book‖ statement, and an illustration about the book.
* Have students give specific reasons for why they like the books and why they should read them.
Student Artifact: My Favorite Book Persuasive Letter
Small Group - With Teacher - Guided Reading
Inform students that they are going to look over their Reader‘s Notebooks to see all the books they have read so far
this school year. Tell them to choose one for a Book Talk and one that they would recommend to other students.
Alternatively, you may choose for students to choose a new book and conduct a Book Talk. Use your judgment
when determining the best course for introducing this skill.
1. Students record in their Reader‘s Notebook two reasons why they like their book and why they would
recommend it to others.2. Independently, students practice going through their Book Talk from the beginning, including all the
criteria listed on the chart. Students use their Reader‘s Notebook for notes. This includes practicing
reading the book aloud with accuracy in decoding and with appropriate fluency.
* Books to be matched with Students‘ appropriate level & targeted skills -- Recommend using small leveled
books for Approaching level, On level and Beyond level and Decodable Readers.
* You may consider allowing students to write a sample Book Talk script to use during their
presentation.
In Whole Group, students will conduct their Book Talks. Allow each student a 2-3 minute time span to present
their Book Talk. In order to get through all students‘ Book Talks, limit them to a 2-3 minute time span or have them present in small
groups.
* Remind students that you have been working on persuasive letters. Remind students that you have also been
learning about Book Talks. Say, "Today, we will combine what we learned about persuasive letter writing and
book talks. Your task is to write a persuasive letter recommending your favorite book to a friend." Review the
Persuasive Writing Anchor Chart. Also review the letter writing format and correct any misconceptions. Show
students the Opinion Writing Rubric see LiveBinder. Explain that their persuasive letter should have:
Guided Reading, Guided Writing, Assessing, Conferring
Ensure Guided reading is targeted by assessing progress of individual students within each group. Quick 100 word Running
Records are a good way to see if you are reading with students on their instructional level.
GR Mini-Lessons to complete during this term:
* Using Fix-It Strategies When Reading
* Determining Importance
* Read High-Frequency Words
* Phonemic Awareness
Small Group - Guided Writing
GW Mini-Lesson to complete during this term:
Small Group - Word Work
Vowel Diphthong - ou, ow, oi, oy
Possible Activities:
Word Sorts
Creating Words
Handwriting Practice
Phonemic Awareness/Phonics Practice
See LiveBinder for other activities
Small Group - Work on Writing
* Response to Literature
* Writing to a Prompt
* Writing Persuasive Letters
* Grammar/Mechanics proofreading practice book
* Books to be matched with Students‘ appropriate level & targeted skills -- Recommend using small leveled
books for Approaching level, On level and Beyond level and Decodable Readers.
* Using Metacognitive Strategies - Schema, Visualizing, Ask Questions, Infer (before, during, and after reading),
Determining Importance
Small group mini-lessons are based on a common need. Talk to students before/during/after a piece. Ask probing questions.
Two positive comments and one improvement (tactful/specific/focused). Make an action plan (goal setting). Use rubrics and
check list before, during, and after.
Meet with students who are having difficulty putting their ideas down on paper. Assistance with generating ideas
for writing persuasive letters and using resources to assist with spelling, should be modeled during this time.
Work on Writing can be merged with Writing Workshop. Alternatively, Work on Writing can be used as a vehicle for
practicing writing fluency. Work on Writing can include an number of activities to promote writing, such as:
Small Group - Read to Self -or- Listening to Reading
Collaboration 1 - Read to Someone
Using Leveled Readers: Book Talk Practice High Frequency Word Practice
Writing: Response to Literature The basic principles of writing conferences:
• Listening (to what writer is trying to say)
Phonics/Phonemic Awareness Activities • Affirming (what writer has done well)
• Reinforcing (the writer‘s strength, attempts)
Vocabulary Practice • Assessing (confusions, strength, next steps)
Writing: Persuasive Letters
Book Talk (See Rubric for Scoring)
Story Map
Grammar Practice
Sustained silent reading is a period of uninterrupted silent reading. Depending on independence and stamina, provide
adequate minutes for students to enjoy independent reading.
Independent Practice with Conferring
Practice Task (s) Student/Teacher Conferring
• Teaching (what‘s most important for writer to move forward and only
what the writer is ready for)
• Scaffolding (helping the writer say, write, and do what she can‘t quite
do yet without help)
• Setting goals with students‘ input (for the writer to attempt to meet on
his own, with minimal guidance and support).
Suggestions: Include small predictable books that have been read aloud in class, poetry binders, read-around the room, or
pocket charts. Also include Level Library Readers, stories related to theme, and the Treasures Listening Library CD.Accountability: When students are reading independently, ask students to complete Story Maps or other graphic organizers
to show mastery of Determining Importance lessons.
Collaborative Learning
Collaboration 2 Collaboration 3
Have students work with a partner. Choose
one of the 3 ways to read a book. Students
will take turns reading a text to each other
and asking questions about the story. Direct
students to ask each other questions about
the text, such as what was the story about?
Who are the characters? Etc.
Work with a partner to develop a script for
your Book Talk. Use this script to
practice your Book Talk with each other.
Use the Book Talk Rubric to help your
partner improve. After both of you have
practiced your Book Talk, discuss areas of
improvement. Practice again, as needed.
With a partner, define each high
frequency words. Create original
sentences for each word. Create a frayer
model for each word (definition,
synonym, example, and non-example).
Instructional Extensions and Modification
Extension Supporting ELL Suggestions for Interventions
Content Extension (less challenging)
Acrostic Poems
Review and Assess the weekly skills reviewed/learned:
Phonemic Awareness/Phonics - ou, ow, oi, oy
Vocabulary - High Frequency Words, Selection Vocabulary
Writing - Book Talks, Persuasive Letters
Comprehension - Determine Importance - Fiction
Spiral Review: Summarize
Unit Learning Standards and Core Concepts
Major Concepts:
Phonics/Word Study - Vowel Digraphs: oo, ui, eu, ue, u, ou, oe;
Reading
(1) Beginning
Reading Skills/Print
Awareness.
Students understand
how English is
written and printed.
* Use the Visual Vocabulary Resource
book for vocabulary introduction and the
ELL Resource Book. For writing, use the
Picture Prompt Lessons.
Week 1 - See Tier 2 (Approaching Level)
and ELL Instruction, Unit 4 p. 41K-41JJ
– choose component(s) of reading
(phonemic awareness, phonics,
comprehension, fluency, vocabulary) to
re-teach and practice based on student
needs.
Write your own acrostic poems! An acrostic
poem uses each letter in a word to start a
new line of poetry. The text always
describes the word. Create an acrostic poem
of the word "TEAM." Work together to
come up with words or short phrases, related
to the TEAM , that begin with each letter of
that word. Brainstorm a variety of ideas to
decide which ones best fit your poem. Write
each word or phrase next to the theme word
letter.
* Use Main Selection to pre-teach selected
vocabulary and have students make
predictions about the text. Preview and
Predict. Explain that all stories have a
structure. Good readers pay attention to how
a story is put together to help them
understand the story and the sequence of
events. Pay attention to and use words like
first, next, and then to help you retell the
sequence of events in the correct order.
Week 2 - See Tier 2 (Approaching Level)
and ELL Instruction, Unit 4 p. 77K-77JJ –
choose component(s) of reading
(phonemic awareness, phonics,
comprehension, fluency, vocabulary) to re-
teach and practice based on student needs.
Key: Lessons for Metacognitive Strategies are RED, Lessons for Read Aloud are GREEN, Lessons for Phonemic Awareness/Phonics/Word
Study are ORANGE, Lessons for Vocabulary are BLUE, Lessons for Writing are PURPLE.
English Language Arts and Reading Curriculum Overview 2nd Grade 4th Six Weeks - Week 3 and 4
Topic/Theme: Better Together (Unit 4)
Learning Standards
Assessment
Formative Summative
Observe students throughout the week as they complete assignments,
respond orally in class, and read aloud:
To check student understanding of the concepts
taught this week, the end of the week assessment
can be administered. This should be used to guide
your instruction and to re-teach the concepts that
were not mastered.
Phonemic Awareness - Phoneme Isolation; Phoneme Blending; Identify Syllable; Phoneme Categorization;
Vocabulary - Dictionary/Homophones; Context Clues/Antonyms
Comprehension - Fiction vs. Nonfiction; Sequence of Events; Use Illustrations/Photos
Fluency - Pronunciation; Intonation
Grammar/Mechanics: Irregular Verbs; Book Titles; Letter Punctuation
Writing - Persuasive Writing
Assessment - Three Week Assessment - Fluency Probe
Performance Task:
Processes:
2.2A(iii) - Consonant digraphs (e.g., ng, ck, ph); and
2.2A(iv) vowel digraphs (e.g., ie, ue, ew) and diphthongs (e.g., oi, ou);
2.2B - Use common syllabication patterns to decode words including:
2.2B(vi) vowel digraphs and diphthongs (e.g., boy-hood, oat-meal);
2.2D - Read words with common prefixes (e.g., un-, dis-) and suffixes (e.g., -ly, -less, -ful)
2.2G - Identify and read at least 300 high-frequency words from a commonly used list; and
2.2H - Monitor accuracy of decoding.
2.3A - Use ideas (e.g., illustrations, titles, topic sentences, key words, and foreshadowing) to make and confirm predictions;
(1) Beginning
Reading Skills/Print
Awareness.
Students understand
how English is
written and printed.
(2) Beginning
Reading
Skills/Phonics.
Student use the
relationships
between letters and
sounds, spelling
patterns, and
morphological
analysis to decode
written English.
Students will
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater depth
in increasingly
more complex
(3) Beginning
Reading/Strategies.
Students
comprehend a
variety of texts
drawing on useful
strategies as
needed.
(4) Fluency.
Students read grade-
level text with
fluency and
comprehension.
2.3B - Ask relevant questions, seek clarification, and locate facts and details about stories and other texts and support answers
with evidence from text; and
* Students use text features, such as the table of contents and headers, to identify relevant sections and locate information
relevant to a given topic quickly and efficiently.
* Read an informational text. In a small group, discuss the purpose for reading the text and identify topics and details.
Individually, complete a graphic organizer to identify important facts from the text. Speak using complete sentences to tell
others about your graphic organizer.
* Read another expository text on your previously selected topic of interest. Complete a teacher-provided graphic organizer
to identify the topic, main idea, and facts from the text. In a small group, use the completed graphic organizer to share about
your topic and explain how you used text features to locate information in the text.
* Write multiple brief notebook entries to record thoughts, connections, and/or strategies that deepen understanding of text.
Provide textual evidence to support ideas.
2.2A - Decode multisyllabic words in context and independent of context by applying common letter-sound correspondences
including:
* Record multiple entries in a Word Study Notebook to demonstrate knowledge of spelling patterns and use of strategies to
determine word meanings. Use the notebook entries to support writing.
2.5A - Use prefixes and suffixes to determine the meaning of words (e.g., allow/disallow);
2.5B - Use context to determine the relevant meaning of unfamiliar words or multiple-meaning words;
2.9B - Describe main characters in works of fiction, including their traits, motivations, and feelings.
2.14A - Identify the main idea in a text and distinguish it from the topic;
2.14B - Locate the facts that are clearly stated in a text;
2.14C - Describe the order of events or ideas in a text
2.14D - Use text features (e.g., table of contents, index, headings) to locate specific information in text.
2.15B - Use common graphic features to assist in the interpretation of text (e.g., captions, illustrations).
2.16A - Recognize different purposes of media (e.g., informational, entertainment);
2.17A - Plan a first draft by generating ideas for writing (e.g., drawing, sharing ideas, listing key ideas);
2.17B - Develop drafts by sequencing ideas through writing sentences;
2.17C - Revise drafts by adding or deleting words, phrases, or sentences;
2.17D - Edit drafts for grammar, punctuation, and spelling using a teacher-developed rubric;
2.17E - Publish and share writing with others.
2.19A - Write brief compositions about topics of interest to the student;
2.19C - Write brief comments on literary or informational texts.
2.21A - Understand and use the following parts of speech in the context of reading, writing, and speaking:
2.21Ai - Verbs (past, present, and future);
2.21Avii - Time-order transition words;
2.21B - Use complete sentences with correct subject-verb agreement;
2.21C - Distinguish among declarative and interrogative sentences.
2.22A - Write legibly leaving appropriate margins for readability;
2.22C - Recognize and use punctuation marks, including:
2.22Ci - Ending punctuation in sentences;
2.22Cii - Apostrophes and contractions;
2.23A - Use phonological knowledge to match sounds to letters to construct unknown words;
2.23B - Spell words with common orthographic patterns and rules:
2.23Biv - Vowel digraphs (e.g., oo-book, fool, ee-feet), diphthongs (e.g., ou-out, ow-cow, oi-coil, oy-toy);
2.23C - Spell high-frequency words from a commonly used list;
(4) Fluency.
Students read grade-
level text with
fluency and
comprehension.
(5) Vocabulary
Development.
Students understand
new vocabulary and
use it when reading
and writing.
(6) Comprehension
of Literary
Text/Theme and
Genre. Students
analyze, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
theme and genre in
different cultural,
historical, and
contemporary
contexts and
provide evidence
from the text to
support their
understanding.
(9) Comprehension
of Literary
Text/Fiction.
Students
understand, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
the structure and
elements of fiction
and provide
evidence from text
to support their
understanding.
2.19B - Write short letters that put ideas in a chronological or logical sequence and use appropriate conventions (e.g., date,
salutation, closing);
2.3C - Establish purpose for reading selected texts and monitor comprehension, making corrections and adjustments when
that understanding breaks down (e.g., identifying clues, using background knowledge, generating questions, re-reading a
portion aloud).
2.23E - Spell simple contractions (e.g., isn't, aren't, can't);
2.23F - Use resources to find correct spellings.
2.24A - Generate a list of topics of class-wide interest and formulate open-ended questions about one or two of the topics;
2.24B - Decide what sources of information might be relevant to answer these questions.
2.25C - Record basic information in simple visual formats (e.g., notes, charts, picture graphs, diagrams).
2.28A - Listen attentively to speakers and ask relevant questions to clarify information;
2.28B - Follow, restate, and give oral instructions that involve a short related sequence of actions.
2.Fig19A Establish purposes for reading selected texts based upon content to enhance comprehension.
2.Fig19B Ask literal questions of text.
2.Fig19C
2.Fig19D Make inferences about text using textual evidence to support understanding.
2.Fig19F - Make connections to own experiences, to ideas in other texts, and to the larger community and discuss textual evidence.
Essential Question (s): Literature Connection (s)
Content Questions: Week 1 Week 2
Describe some jobs that require adults to work A Ride for Help (Preteach) A Whale is Saved! (Preteach)
together. A Trip to the Emergency Room (Main) A Harbor Seal Pup (Main)
How can analyzing text structure help you read and A Visit to the Dentist (Paired) The Puppy (Paired)
understand another selection? Read Aloud Anthology (both weeks)
How do different people in your town work Leveled Readers:
together to accomplish a goal?
How is working together better than working alone?
What is a team?
What kinds of teams do you know about? Decodable: Better Together
What lesson did you learn about friendship and Approaching: People at Work, Bald Eagle Alert
teamwork from the characters in the stories? On Level: People at Work, Bald Eagle Alert
Why is it helpful to work together to finish a project?Beyond: People at Work, Bald Eagle Alert
Have you ever worked on a team? ELL: People Work, Bald Eagles
How did your team overcome problems? Teacher Selected Reading Classroom Library School Library
Media Connection (s) Instructional Resources
Texas Treasures (Macmillan/McGraw Hill) Teachers Edition
(9) Comprehension
of Literary
Text/Fiction.
Students
understand, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
the structure and
elements of fiction
and provide
evidence from text
to support their
understanding.
(11) Reading/Com
prehension of
Literary
Text/Sensory
Language. Students
understand, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
how an author's
sensory language
creates imagery in
literary text and
provide evidence
from text to support
their
understanding. Stud
ents are expected to
recognize that some
words and phrases
have literal and non-
literal meanings
(e.g., take steps).
2.25B - Use text features (e.g., table of contents, alphabetized index, headings) in age-appropriate reference works (e.g.,
picture dictionaries) to locate information;
Monitor and adjust comprehension (e.g., using background knowledge, creating sensory images, rereading a
portion aloud, generating questions).
Books to be matched with Students‘ appropriate level & targeted skills --
Recommend using small leveled books for Approaching level, On level
and Beyond level, Decodable Readers
Please visit the WOCCISD LiveBinder for the
Media Connections related to this unit.
Texas Treasures (Macmillan/McGraw Hill) Student Edition
Daily Five
iStation
Week 2
Metacognitive Strategies - Determining Importance
(11) Reading/Com
prehension of
Literary
Text/Sensory
Language. Students
understand, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
how an author's
sensory language
creates imagery in
literary text and
provide evidence
from text to support
their
understanding. Stud
ents are expected to
recognize that some
words and phrases
have literal and non-
literal meanings
(e.g., take steps).
(12) Reading/Com
prehension of
Text/Independent
Reading. Students
read independently
for sustained
periods of time and
produce evidence of
their reading.
Students are
expected to read
independently for a
sustained period of
time and paraphrase
what the reading
was about,
maintaining
meaning.
(14) Reading/Com
prehension of
Informational
Text/Expository
Text. Students
analyze, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
and understand
expository text and
provide evidence
from text to support
their understanding.
• Connect and Engage: with the theme "Worker Teams" by asking students to describe some jobs that groups of people need
to work together. As a classroom, create a list of worker teams, such as firemen, police officers, hospital workers, etc. Write
or print Mr. Rogers quote on chart paper: ―When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say
to me, ‗Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.‘ To this day, especially in times of ‗disaster,‘ I
remember my mother‘s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring
people in this world.‖ — Mister Rogers As a class, discuss what this quote means. Discuss how worker teams respond in
times of great need. Consider listing examples of how these "worker teams" responded as a team when the community need
was great. Note: Please monitor conversations regarding sensitive topics (school tragedies, national tragedies, etc.) Read
Aloud a Nonfiction story regarding one of the worker teams: police, firefighters, etc. See LiveBinder for a link to the online
scholastic book. Facilitate a further discussion about how these worker teams. Class Artifact: Worker Teams List
Reminder: Before, during, and after reading strategies should be done with each read aloud. As students progress toward
mastering these routines, teachers may add to, subtract from, condense, and modify as needed. These routines will
consistently be listed in the curriculum, however mini-lesson will vary depending on which strategy is highlighted. These
mini-lesson are not listed sequentially. However, each mini-lesson is expected be taught and reviewed. Use your judgment
when determining sequence and timing of mini-lessons during Read Aloud. Using the daily Read Aloud, remember to review
reading metacognitive strategies before, during, and after reading.
Please visit the WOCCISD LiveBinder for the
Media Connections related to this unit.
Focus Lesson/Direct Instruction/Modeling
Whenever possible, teachers should try to help the students engage background knowledge before reading, and talking about a new
theme is just one way to do this. Activating prior knowledge puts the students in the right frame of mind to approach the text.
• Connect and Engage: Introduce the theme, ―Community Teams‖ by reading aloud a story about a "community team."
(consider community teams that help people and community helpers that help animals. The scholastic online book "Panda
Helpers - Level B" is a viable option) Ask, "How do different people in your town work together to accomplish a goal?"
Discuss and chart the student responses. What are some groups that help make communities around the world better places
to live? (e.g., Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, etc.) What do those groups do? Ask each community team
is discussed, students should take notes on a two-column chart. Have student's label the first column "Group" and the second
column "Ways They Help the Community." Collaborate with students as they identify and discuss community teams that
help their community. Guide misconceptions as they arise. Student Artifact: Two-Column Community Team Chart
Mini-Lesson: Nonfiction - What's Important #1 (Day 1)
Mini-Lesson: Nonfiction - What's Important #2 (Day 2)
Student Artifact: Nonfiction Feature Poster
Mini-Lesson: Finding Nonfiction Features (Multiple Days)
(14) Reading/Com
prehension of
Informational
Text/Expository
Text. Students
analyze, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
and understand
expository text and
provide evidence
from text to support
their understanding.
(15)
Comprehension of
Informational
Text/Procedural
Text. Students
understand how to
glean and use
information in
procedural texts and
documents.
Figure: 19
Reading/Comprehe
nsion Skills.
Students use a
flexible range of
metacognitive
reading skills in
both assigned and
independent
reading to
understand an
author's message.
Students will
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater depth
in increasingly
more complex texts
as they become self-
directed, critical
Reminder: Before, during, and after reading strategies should be done with each read aloud. As students progress toward
mastering these routines, teachers may add to, subtract from, condense, and modify as needed. These routines will
consistently be listed in the curriculum, however mini-lesson will vary depending on which strategy is highlighted. These
mini-lesson are not listed sequentially. However, each mini-lesson is expected be taught and reviewed. Use your judgment
when determining sequence and timing of mini-lessons during Read Aloud. Using the daily Read Aloud, remember to review
reading metacognitive strategies before, during, and after reading.
* Readers make choices about what information is important to remember when they read. They use the trait of
Determining Importance to summarize. Understanding how the text is organized is an important part of the
process of determining importance. As you read nonfiction texts to/with your students, talk about how they are
organized. During modeled, guided, and shared reading, discuss the text and special features of nonfiction texts,
their purpose, and how they help readers better understand the text. Discuss author's purpose. Encourage students
to transfer the skills you are working on to their own independent reading time at school and home. Encourage the
use of special words such as topics, main ideas, details, fact/true, nonfiction text features (and terms related to
them...see next lesson!), and author's purpose. see NONFICTION Reading Skills Chart in Live Binder
* Readers make choices about what information is important to remember when they read. They use the trait of
Determining Importance to summarize.
* Understanding how the text is organized is an important part of the process of determining importance. As you
read nonfiction texts to/with your students, talk about how they are organized. During modeled, guided, and shared
reading, discuss the special features of nonfiction texts, their purpose, and how they help readers better understand
the text. Discuss author's purpose.* Encourage students to transfer the skills you are working on to their own independent reading time at school and
home. Encourage the use of special words such as heading, caption, graph, comparison, map, label, table of
contents, index, glossary, photograph, map, sketch, illustration, cutaway, close-up, etc. Create posters featuring
examples of nonfiction text features. see Nonfiction Text Conventions Chart in Live Binder* Locate and read multiple texts on a topic of personal interest. Use text features to locate important information.
On a poster, sort and categorize the information gathered from the texts. Include 2 or more relevant text features on
the display.
Preparation: Gather lots of nonfiction books from your own library or school library. Try to make them diverse in
topic, reading level, and writing style. Make a T-chart with the left side heading being Feature Name and the right
side heading being Purpose. (or use the Nonfiction Text Conventions Chart in LiveBinder) Make or gather
notebooks for the students to record the name, purpose, and an example of each feature.* Students will observe the differences between a nonfiction book and a fiction book. Students will discover the
11 features found in many nonfiction books and evaluate whether a book is fiction or nonfiction.* Gather the students on the carpet or in a group area. Ask them if they have noticed or know where to find
nonfiction books within your classroom library. Ask what they think the difference is between fiction and
nonfiction. They should already have an understanding that nonfiction is real information.
Labels help the reader understand the small parts of a picture.
Photographs help the reader see what the real topic looks like.
Captions help the reader understand what they are looking at in a picture.
Comparisons help the reader compare the item to something they are already familiar with.
Cross Sections help the reader see what something looks like from the inside.
Maps help the reader know where something is located in the world.
Types of Print help the reader know that the word or words are important.
Close-Ups help the reader see what something looks like from up close.
Tables of Contents help the reader know how the book is organized.
Indexes help the reader find specific information in a book.
Glossaries help the reader understand the definitions of important words in the book.
* Introduce the name of the feature.
* Discuss and record on the class chart what the class thinks is the purpose of each feature.
Mini-Lesson: Finding Nonfiction Features #2 (Multiple Days)
* Review Nonfiction Features, by referring to the Nonfiction Text Conventions Chart.
Writing
(17) Writing
Process. Students
use elements of the
writing process
(planning, drafting,
revising, editing,
and publishing) to
compose text.
(18) Literary Texts.
Students write
literary texts to
express their ideas
and feelings about
real or imagined
people, events, and
ideas.
(19) Expository and
Procedural Texts.
Students write
expository and
procedural or work-
related texts to
communicate ideas
and information to
specific audiences
for specific
purposes.
* Each feature should be taught individually even if you are teaching more than one a day. The same applies to
making the chart and sharing notebook findings. Make sure the students really have a grasp on the vocabulary of
the different features.
* On the final day of features, hand out the Nonfiction Feature Find (PDF). Tell the students that now that they are
experts, they must find all the different conventions and record their findings on the worksheet.
* Gather the students on the carpet or in a group area. Ask them if they have noticed or know where to find
nonfiction books within your classroom library. Ask what they think the difference is between fiction and
nonfiction. They should already have an understanding that nonfiction is real information.
* Discuss what makes a story nonfiction or fiction. Is it real (true) that Cinderella's godmother turned a pumpkin
into a carriage? Is it possible that Jack really climbed a beanstalk and met a giant? We know these things are
fictional because they can't happen. Nonfiction teaches us real, factual information. It is important to notice
whether a book is nonfiction or fiction when reading because you need to know if the information is accurate or * Inform them that for the next few days they are going to be finding different types of features or conventions
within nonfiction.
* The following is a list of all the features and their purposes. You can decide the number and order in which you
will teach them each day.
* Prior to the lesson, decide how many features per day and which ones you will be teaching. Use the following
routine for the introduction of each feature.
* Show many different examples of the feature in nonfiction books. (The use of real literature helps students
understand the importance of each one.)
* Have students write the name and purpose of the feature in their notebooks. Then have them hunt through
nonfiction books to find their own example of the feature and record it in their notebook.
Student Artifact: Nonfiction Feature Find
Mini-Lesson: What's the Difference?
Class Artifact: Fiction vs. Nonfiction Venn Diagram
Whole Group - Read Aloud
Week 1
Test Practice: "Time for Kids: A Visit to the Dentist (p. 86-87)" - Unit 4 p. 85Z-87 (Answering Questions)
Week 2
Before Reading
Expository: "A Harbor Seal Pup Grows Up (p. 94-115)” - Unit 4 p. 93K-115A (Analyze Text Structure, Skill: Sequence of
Events, Determine Importance: Nonfiction, Text Feature: Use Illustrations/Photographs, Vocabulary: Context Clues)
Oral and Written
Conventions
(21) Conventions.
Students understand
the function of and
use the conventions
of academic
language when
speaking and
writing. Students
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater
complexity. M
(22) Handwriting,
Capitalization, and
Punctuation.
Students write
legibly and use
appropriate
capitalization and
punctuation
conventions in their
compositions.
Fiction: Read Aloud Anthology - "A Special Trade (p. 43-44) Unit 4 p. 85D (Skill: Vocabulary, Determine Importance:
Fiction)
* Compare the differences and similarities between how fiction and nonfiction texts are organized. Draw a large
Venn Diagram on chart/butcher paper. After you've discussed how fiction and nonfiction texts are organized, and
after students are beginning to notice and use key words for each (see previous three lessons), take time to compare
and contrast fiction and nonfiction text organization. see Fiction vs. Nonfiction Venn Diagram in LiveBinder In
addition, Unit 4 p. 85N contains a lesson on distinguishing between fiction and nonfiction.
(23) Spelling.
Students spell
correctly.
Mentor Text During Read Aloud (see also LiveBinder) - Stories, pictures, poems about worker and community teams
and/or individuals working as a team.
Expository: "Time for Kids: A Trip to the Emergency Room (p. 82-85)" Unit 4 p. 81K-85A (Comprehension Strategy:
Analyze Text Structure, Skill: Sequence of Events, Text Features: Subheads) Use Practice Book p. 198, 199
Poetry: "The Puppy (p. 116-117)" Unit 4 p. 115W-117A (Literary Element: Similes, Rhyme; Write Poetry) Use Practice
Book p. 214.
Routine: Review Concepts of Print. Read the title of the book and show the front cover. Establish prior knowledge,
purpose, and predictions: Provide background information or allow students to share ideas that they have based on the title or
the picture. Invite students to make predictions or pose questions about the book based on their knowledge of the author,
title, topic, or picture. Remind students to think about their predictions as you read aloud. Introduce and/or review
vocabulary. Introduce words found in the text and important words to students' comprehension. Provide opportunities for
students to use the words, either in a quick activity, or in sentences. Introduce and/or review the focus strategy. Explain to
students how to use the strategy.
* As a culminating point of features, allow them to share their findings and add them to the class chart. Hang the
chart the class created and keep it up through the next lessons and until you are done teaching nonfiction. It will
prove to be a valuable resource when the students are reading or writing nonfiction.
* Always take into consideration your students' personalities and learning styles. When they are off hunting
through books, check in with the ones who may need more assistance. Also, have some books in mind that have
each of the features in them, so that you can guide some of the struggling learners to the right books. Some features
are definitely harder to find than others. Make sure you have resources for all the features.
During Reading
Focus Strategies for During Reading:
* Using Fix-Up Strategies
* Summarize
* Determining Importance
* Choral-Read - Have students choral-read (and Echo-Read) as you track the print.
After Reading
Mini-Lesson: Summarizing Fiction and Non-fiction Text
Research
(24) Research/Rese
arch Plan. Students
ask open-ended
research questions
and develop a plan
for answering them.
(25) Research/Gath
ering Sources.
Students determine,
locate, and explore
the full range of
relevant sources
addressing a
research question
and systematically
record the
information they
gather.
Listening and
Speaking
(28) Listening.
Students use
comprehension
skills to listen
attentively to others
in formal and
informal settings.
Students continue
to apply earlier
standards with
greater complexity.
M
Routine: Follow-up to focus strategy. Ask students to respond to reading by sharing their reflections and reactions. Have
students demonstrate comprehension by retelling, summarizing, discussing ideas, answering questions, or other after reading
activities. Determine an indicator of mastery for focus strategy. At a minimum, mastery should indicate a satisfactory
understanding of focus strategy, text, concepts, and enduring understandings.
Discuss with Students: Summary is a difficult skill for students for a variety of reasons. First, the student must
identify the genre — generating a summary of narrative text is different from summarizing expository text. Second,
the student must be able to discriminate between trivial details and important ideas. Good summaries do not have
many trivial details. Finally, if the passage being summarized is narrative, then the student must identify
information that is important to the plot (character, setting, conflict, etc.). And if the passage is expository, the
student must identify information that is important to the topic (main idea and supporting details). Practice with
students using a Fiction text and a Non-Fiction text of the same topic/theme. (for example frogs) Practice
summarizing both the fiction text and the nonfiction text. You may consider using a graphic organizer to help
students organize their thoughts. Class Artifact: Fiction Summary Graphic Organizer, Nonfiction Summary
Graphic Organizer
Routine: Review Concepts of Print. Read the title of the book and show the front cover. Establish prior knowledge,
purpose, and predictions: Provide background information or allow students to share ideas that they have based on the title or
the picture. Invite students to make predictions or pose questions about the book based on their knowledge of the author,
title, topic, or picture. Remind students to think about their predictions as you read aloud. Introduce and/or review
vocabulary. Introduce words found in the text and important words to students' comprehension. Provide opportunities for
students to use the words, either in a quick activity, or in sentences. Introduce and/or review the focus strategy. Explain to
students how to use the strategy.
Routine: Read the story. Stop occasionally to model a Think Aloud. Model and practice the focus strategy. Stop at
predetermined points to invite students to react or reflect on thinking with a partner; write a note in their journal, share
thinking using "CAFE" Comprehension Strategies, such as prediction and differencing. Using sample Read Aloud
Questions/Prompts, hold students accountable for the knowledge in the text and accountable for rigorous thinking. (See
* Using Metacognitive Strategies - Schema, Visualizing, Making Connections, Asking Questions, and Inferring to
Understand Text
Whole Group - Phonemic Awareness/Phonics/Word Study
Vowel Digraphs: oo, ui, eu, ue, u, ou, oe; Vowel Digraphs: oo, ou
Generate Rhyme - Unit 4 p. 79B Phoneme Segmentation - Unit 4 p. 91B
Phonemic Blending - Unit 4 p. 79C, 81G, 85E, 85F, 85V Phonemic Blending - Unit 4 p. 91C, 93F, 93G, 115F
Practice Book - Unit 4 p. 195, 200 Practice Book - p. 206, 211
Phonics Transparency 35 Spelling Practice - Unit 4 p. 91E, 93I
Spelling Practice - Unit 4 p. 79E, 89I Spelling Practice Book - p. SP73, SP74
Spelling Practice Book - p. SP69, SP71 Decodable Reader 1 - Flip and Spots
Decodable Reader 1 - Soon the North Wind Blew Word Automaticity - Unit 4 p. 93H
Initial Sound Substitution - Unit 4 p. 81F, 85U Build Words - Unit 4 p. 93H
Build Words - Unit 4 p. 81H, 85W Word Sort - Unit 4 p. 93I, 115H
Word Automaticity - Unit 4 p. 81H Identify Syllables - Unit 4 p. 115E
Word Sort - Unit 4 p. 81I, 85H see additional lessons and links in LiveBinder
see additional lessons and links in LiveBinder
Whole Group - Fluency Skill: Prosody
Teaching Resources for Fluency
Unit 4 pg. 85L, 85M, 115L, 115M
Fluency Transparency 18,
Practice Book p. 202, p. 212
Whole Group - Vocabulary
Week 2
(30) Teamwork.
Students work
productively with
others in teams.
Students continue
to apply earlier
standards with
greater complexity.
M
(28) Listening.
Students use
comprehension
skills to listen
attentively to others
in formal and
informal settings.
Students continue
to apply earlier
standards with
greater complexity.
M
(29) Speaking.
Students speak
clearly and to the
point, using the
conventions of
language. Students
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater
complexity. M
The purpose of the familiar reading is for students to have opportunities to reread text to strengthen their phrasing, fluency
and practice using their reading strategies. After guided reading lessons, books are placed in students‘ individual reading
containers. Books may be stored in cereal boxes, plastic bags, baskets, etc. These books become the student‘s familiar reading
text. Students should also have ―just right‖ text in their individual reading containers that they have selected from the
classroom library.
Fiction: Oral Vocabulary Card 1 - "Little Red Riding Hood " - Unit 4 p. 79E (Vocabulary Routine, Ask Questions, Retell)
Use Teaching Chart 100 for retelling.
Fiction: Oral Vocabulary Cards – “The Woman, The Tiger, and the Jackal” Unit 4 p. 91A (Read aloud for Robust
Vocabulary lesson and Comprehension lesson)
Expository: “A Ride to Help" "Time for an X-ray (p. 80-81)" Unit 4 p. 79G-81D (Vocabulary, Strategy: Use a Dictionary -
Homophones, Sequence of Events, Determining Importance) Use Graphic Organizer Transparency 11 for Sequence
Mini-Lesson: High-Frequency Word Practice
Mentor Text: Soon the North Wind Blew
Mentor Text: Flip and Spots
Mini-Lesson: Use a Dictionary: Homophones
Whole Group - Shared Writing
* Shared Writing Activities are Incorporated During Writing Workshop - see below.
Grammar Mini-Lesson: Irregular Verbs
Writing Workshop - Persuasive Essay Writing (Theme: Better Together: Worker and Community Teams)
Fiction/Narrative: Read-Aloud Anthology - "A Thousand Pails of Water (p. 39-40)” - Unit 4 p. 115D (Read aloud for
Robust Vocabulary lesson and Comprehension lesson – Guided Retelling, Response to Fiction)
Review high-frequency words: follow, near, paper, below, city, and own. Review the words using the
Read/Spell/Write routine. Use decodable readers as a source to help student practice reading high-frequency words.
Have partners reread the book together. Use high-frequency words during Morning Message, Shared Writing, and
Writing Workshop.
Preparation and Handouts: See Opinion Writing Lesson Plans in LiveBinder for copies of appropriate
documents, student writing exemplars and samples, rubrics, and handouts.
Fiction: Oral Vocabulary Cards – “The Woman, The Tiger, and the Jackal” Unit 4 p. 91A (Read aloud for Robust
Vocabulary lesson and Comprehension lesson)Expository: "A Whale is Saved (p. 92-93)" Unit 4 p. 91G-93B (Vocabulary Routine, Use Context Clues, Determine
Importance: Nonfiction) Use Graphic Organizer Transparency 10 for Sequence of Events
* Use Vocabulary Transparency 36 to identify homophones. Explain that a dictionary list the different meanings
words can have and may include sentences that show how they can be used. Review each vocabulary word and
write a sentence using each word. Review the homophones for the vocabulary words. (words that sound the same
but have different meanings) Use the following resources in addition to resources found in LiveBinder: Unit 4 p.
85J
* Tell students that some verbs are irregular. Say, "That means that you do not add -ed to form the past tense.
(e.g. fell, grave, had, sent, sent) The verbs go and do have special forms in the past tense. The past tense of go is
went. The past tense of do is did. During this lesson, write several sentences using irregular verbs. Ask students
to identify the verb in the sentences. Ask whether the verb is present-tense or past-tense. Use Grammar
Transparency 86 to model how to select the correct tense of each irregular verb. Guide students through sentences
1-2. Have students complete sentences 3-5 independently. Continue to work with students during week 1 to
practice irregular verbs. In addition to the resources found in LiveBinder , you can find resources at: Unit 4 p.
85B, 93C, 115B, 117B, Grammar Transparency 89-94, Grammar Practice Book p. 89-94.
Mentor Text: See list of appropriate persuasive text in the Opinion Writing Unit
Lesson #1: Brainstorming Persuasive Topics
Lesson #2: Planning My Persuasive Writing
* Model the chosen graphic organizer with one of the ideas from the class list. (see example - Oreo)
Note: Due to the sensitive nature of this topic and because of the recent tragedies that occurred in schools,
please be cautious regarding sensitive topics. I have provided a link to an article on how to approach sensitive
topics with students: http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/23/10-ways-to-talk-to-students-about-sensitive-
issues-in-the-news/
* Tell students that you are continuing your persuasive writing unit. Review the Persuasive Writing Anchor
Chart to remind students of the characteristics of persuasive writing. Tell students that they will be learning more
about persuasive writing. Ask students what they have learned so far about working together. Discuss responses.
Remind students that a writer creates a persuasive essay to explain an idea or opinion. The writer uses details and
facts to support his or her opinion. The writer's goal is to persuade readers to act or think a certain way. The essay
is written in first person, using I and my. Use Writing Transparency 97 to show students an example of a
persuasive piece. Ask, "What are specific actions people can take to stay safe in our school?" "How can we stay
safe in our school or community?" Facilitate a discussion about the two questions. Explain that this week, they
will write a persuasive essay about safety in school or community. (See Student Book p. 76 and "Time for School
Safety [online Scholastic nonfiction book]) Tell students that today, they will brainstorm ideas about things your
family and friends can do to stay safe. Using a think aloud, model creating a two-column class list titled, "Actions
People Can Take to Stay Safe/Things People Can Do To Stay Safe." Explain to students that during this lesson,
their job is to persuade your family and friends to take action to remain safe. Tell students that the action can be
something big like school security, or something small like creating a club who walk home together. As a class,
brainstorm a list of persuasive topics. Write down ideas on a poster. Guide students if they are having trouble
coming up with ideas. You may consider having a pre-created list for this lesson. Individually, ask students to
brainstorm a list if actions to make their school and community safer. Class Artifact: Brainstorm List Student
Preparation: Choose a graphic organizer that students are comfortable with (e.g. webs, main idea and details,
four square, etc.) or use Writing Transparency 98. Unit 4 p. 71C* Remind students that yesterday they brainstormed a list of possible actions that they could persuade their friends
and/or family could take to keep their school or community safe. Tell students that they will be choosing one of
their topics to write an actual persuasive essay. Get them excited about writing to their choses audience. (for
example: principal, parents, teachers, the mayor, the governor, the president) * Discuss irregular verbs with students. Create an irregular verb chart with students. Model the use of these
words during lessons. Place the chart in a visible place for students to refer to during writing. (see example - Oreo
and four square in LiveBinder)
* Choose another topic from the list. Work on a graphic organizer as a class. (see example)
Lesson #3: Writing Persuasive Essays
Lesson #4: Revising and Editing Persuasive Essays
* Students choose their own topic from their individual list. Students complete their own graphic organizer.
Remind students to include a clear main idea with strong supporting details. Direct students to keep their purpose
and audience in mind as they work on their graphic organizer. Student Artifact: Persuasive Graphic Organizer
* Discuss persuasive essays using the anchor chart. Remind students that we will write persuasively, like they did
when they recommended their favorite book but this time instead of a letter they will write an essay. Explain to
students that good writers create a strong opening to catch the readers' attention. A strong opening should state the
selection's main idea in an interesting or engaging way. In an essay, a strong opening should introduce the essay's
topic. Using Writing Transparency 99, to help students identify which sentence is the strongest opening for the
paragraph. Using a think aloud, explain a possible reason for choosing one sentence over the other. Guide
students as they read the second set of sentences and paragraph and determine which is stronger. * Use Writing Transparency 100, to help students identify the features of a persuasive essay in the model. Point
out how the writer includes a main idea with details that support the main idea. Point out how the writer uses
different kinds of sentences to make the essay interesting and to get his message across to readers. * Students use their graphic organizer to draft their persuasive essays. Remind them to keep their purpose and
audience in mind as they write. Remind students to maintain a consistent focus on their main ideas. Direct them
to only include details that support their main idea or topic. Tell them to organize their ideas in a logical sequence.
Remind students to choose to write strong openings for their essays. Direct them to use the correct form of linking,
helping, and irregular verbs. Provide ample time for students to draft their essays. Student Artifact: Rough Draft
Persuasive Essay (Unit 4 p. 71Q)
* Read aloud the persuasive essay on page 76 in the Student Book (and callouts). Remind students that good
writers include a strong opening at the beginning of their writing. Using a think aloud, explain how the writer
includes a strong opening, a main idea, and details. Display the draft of an essay on Writing Transparency 100.
Model revising the persuasive essay by using a think aloud and asking students to collaborate with you. Ask,
"How can we improve this essay?" Display Writing Transparency 101. Notice how the writer added words to
the sentence to make the reader better understand. Guide any misconceptions. Consider teaching this lesson
multiple times throughout this lesson.* Have students read their essays aloud to a partner and make changes when it doesn't make sense. Remind
students to be very considerate when reading other's papers. Offer only constructive help.
* After students have had a chance to revise their essays, explain that good writers proofread their work to correct
spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. Display Writing Transparency 102, Discuss the spelling and
punctuation errors that the writer fixed in the model. Instruct students to work with a partner to proofread their
own essays. Student Artifact: Revised/Edited Persuasive Essay (Unit 4 p. 75D)
Lesson #5: Using the Editing Checklist
Lesson #6: Publishing My Persuasive Essay
Lesson #8: Celebrating our Writing
Small Group - With Teacher
Guided Reading
GR Mini-Lessons to complete during this term:
* Using Fix-It Strategies When Reading
* Determining Importance
* Read High-Frequency Words
* Phonemic Awareness
Small Group - Guided Writing
GW Mini-Lesson to complete during this term:
* Using Metacognitive Strategies - Schema, Visualizing, Ask Questions, Infer (before, during, and after reading),
Determining Importance
Small group mini-lessons are based on a common need. Talk to students before/during/after a piece. Ask probing questions.
Two positive comments and one improvement (tactful/specific/focused). Make an action plan (goal setting). Use rubrics and
check list before, during, and after.
* As you teach each editing mini-lesson, track the expectations on an anchor chart. Students can also use an
editing checklist of their own.
* Show students the revised and edited persuasive essay. Using a think aloud, reread the "corrected" essay.
Remind students that when you publish, you make sure you correct any errors you found during revising and
editing. Model rewriting the persuasive essay, correcting any errors and writing very neatly. Ask students if you
forgot to correct any errors. Students will write a final, neat copy of their persuasive essay. As students are
writing, circulate to assist any student who is in need of guidance. Student Artifact: Published Persuasive Essay
* Consider how students will celebrate their persuasive essays. Consider allowing students to read aloud their
persuasive essays to the class. If you will require students to present their essay, please use Unit 4 p. 77J as a guide
for speaking, listening, and viewing. Guided Reading, Guided Writing, Assessing, Conferring
Reminder: Visit each small group a minimum of twice weekly. Tier III must be visited daily. Rearrange groups as students
master skills.* Books to be matched with Students‘ appropriate level & targeted skills -- Recommend using small leveled
books for Approaching level, On level and Beyond level and Pre-Decodable Readers.
* After students have had a chance to revise their essays, explain that good writers proofread their work to correct
spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. Display Writing Transparency 102, Discuss the spelling and
punctuation errors that the writer fixed in the model. Instruct students to work with a partner to proofread their
own essays. Student Artifact: Revised/Edited Persuasive Essay (Unit 4 p. 75D)
Small Group - Word Work
Words with Vowel Digraphs - oo, ui, eu, ue, u, ou, oe;
Possible Activities:
Word Sort
Create Words using High Frequency Words
Handwriting Practice
Building Words
Small Group - Read to Self -and/or- Listening to Reading
Collaboration 1 - Read to SomeoneUsing Nonfiction Books: Partner Revising and Editing
Nonfiction Feature Poster Conferencing Table
Confer with students during class as they work on their writing.
Meet with students who are having difficulty putting their ideas down on paper. Explicitly teach how to write
persuasively, writing conventions, writing and punctuating complete sentences.
Students will get their book bags (full of good-fit books of their choice) or choose from our classroom library, find a
comfortable spot in the classroom, and will read to themselves.
Suggestions: Include small predictable books that have been read aloud in class, poetry binders, read-around the room, or
pocket charts. Also include Level Library Readers and stories related to theme.Accountability: When students are reading independently, ask students to use an appropriate graphic organizer to determine
importance - fiction and nonfiction.
Independent Practice with Conferring
Practice Task (s) Student/Teacher Conferring
Collaborative Learning
Collaboration 2 Collaboration 3
With a partner, read aloud a decodable book
that includes spelling and syllable patterns
taught in this unit. * On a teacher-provided
spelling pattern chart, record at least 10
words from the book under the correct
spelling/syllable pattern headings. *
Alphabetize the words written on the note
cards. * Choose two words and locate
homophones in the dictionary.
Partner Spelling and Vocabulary
PracticeHave students work with a partner and
read a non-fiction text. Students will
identify text features. Working together,
students will create posters featuring at
least three-to-five examples of
nonfiction text features that they find in
the chosen books. Read another non-
fiction text(s). Find three different
nonfiction text features. Add them to the
poster.
Create opportunities for students to
practice revising and editing each other's
persuasive essays during this unit study.
Make sure that students reference the
How to Revise anchor chart and the
Editing checklist, and use editing
symbols.
Nonfiction Feature Find * Sit side-by-side with students with his/her writing in front of you.
Fiction/Nonfiction Summary Graphic Organizer
Phonemic Awareness/Phonics Practice
* Prompt the student to tell you what he/she need help with.
Vocabulary/High Frequency Word Practice
Writing: Persuasive Essay (Full Processed Steps) * Discuss a revision/editing plan with students.
(Five to Seven minutes with each student)
Scaffolds for ELL
Orange Police Department * Check comprehension frequently.
Attn: Chief Lane Martin * Use outlines to scaffold comprehension.
201 8th Street,
Orange TX, 77630
* Teach students how to decode words.
Orange Fire Department * Give students practice with new words.
Attn: Chief David Frenzel
501 7th St
Orange TX, 77630 * Use anchor charts to reinforce concepts.
Instructional Extensions and Modification
Extension Supporting ELL Suggestions for Interventions
Week 1 - See Tier 2 (Approaching Level)
and ELL Instruction, Unit 4 p. 89O-
89NN – choose component(s) of reading
(phonemic awareness, phonics,
comprehension, fluency, vocabulary) to
re-teach and practice based on student
needs.
* Scaffold instruction using components of
Balanced Literacy
* Use graphic organizers to scaffold
comprehension, reading, and writing.
* Use questioning strategies to
accommodate English language acquisition.
* Write a friendly letter to your local
police and fire departments. Express
appreciation to them for keeping your
neighborhood safe. Ask the question,
"What do you do to work as a team? or
How does working as a team help you?"
* Unit 4 p. 93D, Writing Transparency
* Teach students to actively engage with the
vocabulary.
* Use pictures from the internet to scaffold
comprehension.
Thank You Letters - Community
Teams (less challenging)
Assessment
Formative Summative
Observe students throughout the week as they complete assignments,
respond orally in class, and read aloud.
To check student understanding of the concepts
taught this week, the end of the week assessment
can be administered. This should be used to guide
your instruction and to re-teach the concepts that
were not mastered.
* Group students for optimal opportunities
to learn cooperatively. Week 2 - See Tier 2 (Approaching Level)
and ELL Instruction, Unit 4 p. 119K-
119JJ – choose component(s) of reading
(phonemic awareness, phonics,
comprehension, fluency, vocabulary) to
re-teach and practice based on student
needs.
* Converse with students. Ask questions about what they students are
writing. Compliment students on their successes, such as the integration
of lessons learned during mini-lessons, and teach a writing strategy or
technique.
* Prompt the student to describe how he/she will use the writing
technique you just taught.
Review and Assess the weekly skills reviewed/learned:
Phonics - Vowel Digraphs
Vocabulary - High-Frequency Words, Selection Vocabulary
Fluency - Prosody
Comprehension - Nonfiction Text Features and Structure
Spiral Review - Determining Importance (fiction)
Unit Learning Standards and Core Concepts
Major Concepts:
Phonics/Word Study - Vowel Digraphs, au, aw, a; Six Weeks Review
Phonemic Awareness - Identify and Work with Syllables, Phoneme Categorization, Phoneme Blending; Six Weeks Review
Vocabulary - High Frequency Words, Selection Vocabulary Word Parts/Inflection Words
Comprehension - Analyze Story Structure; Fantasy and Reality
Fluency - Expression; Six Weeks Fluency Goals
Grammar/Mechanics: Contractions; Apostrophes
Writing - Persuasive Book Review
Assessment - Six Weeks Assessment; Progress Monitoring
Performance Task:
Reading
(1) Beginning
Reading Skills/Print
Awareness.
Students understand
how English is
written and printed.
(2) Beginning
Reading
Skills/Phonics.
Student use the
relationships
between letters and
sounds, spelling
patterns, and
morphological
analysis to decode
written English.
Students will
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater depth
in increasingly
more complex
* Record multiple entries in a Word Study Notebook to demonstrate knowledge of spelling patterns and use of strategies to
determine word meanings. Use the notebook entries to support writing.
Topic/Theme: Better Together (Unit 4)
Learning Standards
* Choose a topic of interest and select a text on the topic. Identify important facts or details about your topic by reading the text
and using text features to locate specific information. Complete a teacher-provided graphic organizer to record the topic, author‘s
purpose, and important facts and details. Using your graphic organizer and your text, tell others about your topic and how you
used text features to locate facts and details.* Using the writing process, write a persuasive book review to convince someone to read a book of your choosing. Include
important facts and details you learned from reading the text. Publish your piece in a class book.
To check student understanding of the concepts
taught this week, the end of the week assessment
can be administered. This should be used to guide
your instruction and to re-teach the concepts that
were not mastered.
Key: Lessons for Metacognitive Strategies are RED, Lessons for Read Aloud are GREEN, Lessons for Phonemic Awareness/Phonics/Word
Study are ORANGE, Lessons for Vocabulary are BLUE, Lessons for Writing are PURPLE.
* Write multiple brief notebook entries to record thoughts, connections, and/or strategies that deepen understanding of text.
Provide textual evidence to support ideas.
English Language Arts and Reading Curriculum Overview 2nd Grade 4th Six Weeks - Week 5 and 6
Processes:
2.2A(iii) - Consonant digraphs (e.g., ng, ck, ph); and
2.2A(iv) vowel digraphs (e.g., ie, ue, ew) and diphthongs (e.g., oi, ou);
2.2B - Use common syllabication patterns to decode words including:
2.2B(vi) vowel digraphs and diphthongs (e.g., boy-hood, oat-meal);
2.2D - Read words with common prefixes (e.g., un-, dis-) and suffixes (e.g., -ly, -less, -ful)
2.2G - Identify and read at least 300 high-frequency words from a commonly used list; and
2.2H - Monitor accuracy of decoding.
2.3A - Use ideas (e.g., illustrations, titles, topic sentences, key words, and foreshadowing) to make and confirm predictions;
2.5A - Use prefixes and suffixes to determine the meaning of words (e.g., allow/disallow);
2.5B - Use context to determine the relevant meaning of unfamiliar words or multiple-meaning words;
2.9B - Describe main characters in works of fiction, including their traits, motivations, and feelings.
2.14A - Identify the main idea in a text and distinguish it from the topic;
2.14B - Locate the facts that are clearly stated in a text;
2.14C - Describe the order of events or ideas in a text
2.14D - Use text features (e.g., table of contents, index, headings) to locate specific information in text.
2.15B - Use common graphic features to assist in the interpretation of text (e.g., captions, illustrations).
2.16A - Recognize different purposes of media (e.g., informational, entertainment);
2.17A - Plan a first draft by generating ideas for writing (e.g., drawing, sharing ideas, listing key ideas);
2.17B - Develop drafts by sequencing ideas through writing sentences;
2.17C - Revise drafts by adding or deleting words, phrases, or sentences;
2.17D - Edit drafts for grammar, punctuation, and spelling using a teacher-developed rubric;
2.17E - Publish and share writing with others.
2.19A - Write brief compositions about topics of interest to the student;
(2) Beginning
Reading
Skills/Phonics.
Student use the
relationships
between letters and
sounds, spelling
patterns, and
morphological
analysis to decode
written English.
Students will
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater depth
in increasingly
more complex
(3) Beginning
Reading/Strategies.
Students
comprehend a
variety of texts
drawing on useful
strategies as
needed.
(4) Fluency.
Students read grade-
level text with
fluency and
comprehension.
(5) Vocabulary
Development.
Students understand
new vocabulary and
use it when reading
and writing.
(6) Comprehension
of Literary
Text/Theme and
Genre. Students
analyze, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
theme and genre in
different cultural,
historical, and
contemporary
contexts and
provide evidence
from the text to
support their
understanding.
2.3C - Establish purpose for reading selected texts and monitor comprehension, making corrections and adjustments when
that understanding breaks down (e.g., identifying clues, using background knowledge, generating questions, re-reading a
portion aloud).
2.2A - Decode multisyllabic words in context and independent of context by applying common letter-sound correspondences
including:
2.3B - Ask relevant questions, seek clarification, and locate facts and details about stories and other texts and support answers
with evidence from text; and
2.19B - Write short letters that put ideas in a chronological or logical sequence and use appropriate conventions (e.g., date,
salutation, closing);
2.19C - Write brief comments on literary or informational texts.
2.21A - Understand and use the following parts of speech in the context of reading, writing, and speaking:
2.21Ai - Verbs (past, present, and future);
2.21Avii - Time-order transition words;
2.21B - Use complete sentences with correct subject-verb agreement;
2.21C - Distinguish among declarative and interrogative sentences.
2.22A - Write legibly leaving appropriate margins for readability;
2.22C - Recognize and use punctuation marks, including:
2.22Ci - Ending punctuation in sentences;
2.22Cii - Apostrophes and contractions;
2.23A - Use phonological knowledge to match sounds to letters to construct unknown words;
2.23B - Spell words with common orthographic patterns and rules:
2.23Biv - Vowel digraphs (e.g., oo-book, fool, ee-feet), diphthongs (e.g., ou-out, ow-cow, oi-coil, oy-toy);
2.23C - Spell high-frequency words from a commonly used list;
2.23E - Spell simple contractions (e.g., isn't, aren't, can't);
2.23F - Use resources to find correct spellings.
2.24A - Generate a list of topics of class-wide interest and formulate open-ended questions about one or two of the topics;
2.24B - Decide what sources of information might be relevant to answer these questions.
2.25C - Record basic information in simple visual formats (e.g., notes, charts, picture graphs, diagrams).
2.28A - Listen attentively to speakers and ask relevant questions to clarify information;
2.28B - Follow, restate, and give oral instructions that involve a short related sequence of actions.
2.Fig19A Establish purposes for reading selected texts based upon content to enhance comprehension.
2.Fig19B Ask literal questions of text.
2.Fig19C
2.Fig19D Make inferences about text using textual evidence to support understanding.
2.Fig19F - Make connections to own experiences, to ideas in other texts, and to the larger community and discuss textual evidence.
Essential Question (s): Literature Connection (s)
Content Questions: Bobo's Celebration (Preteach) 6-week Review Selections
When have you seen people work together in a Mice and Beans (Main) Chicken Little (Fiction)
surprising or unusual way? Rosa Maria's Rice and Beans (Paired) Foolish, Timid Rabbit (Fiction)
What parts of the story could not happen in real life?Read Aloud Anthology
(6) Comprehension
of Literary
Text/Theme and
Genre. Students
analyze, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
theme and genre in
different cultural,
historical, and
contemporary
contexts and
provide evidence
from the text to
support their
understanding.
(9) Comprehension
of Literary
Text/Fiction.
Students
understand, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
the structure and
elements of fiction
and provide
evidence from text
to support their
understanding.
(11) Reading/Com
prehension of
Literary
Text/Sensory
Language. Students
understand, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
how an author's
sensory language
creates imagery in
literary text and
provide evidence
from text to support
their
understanding. Stud
ents are expected to
recognize that some
words and phrases
have literal and non-
literal meanings
2.25B - Use text features (e.g., table of contents, alphabetized index, headings) in age-appropriate reference works (e.g.,
picture dictionaries) to locate information;
Monitor and adjust comprehension (e.g., using background knowledge, creating sensory images, rereading a
portion aloud, generating questions).
How do you know this story is fantasy? Leveled Readers:
How did the illustrations show that this story was a
fantasy?
How will analyzing the story structure help you read
and understand another selection? Decodable: Better Together
What do you think is the author's purpose of Approaching: Saving Sophia
writing this selection? On Level: A Party and a Half
What are the most important details in this selection?Beyond: A Lucky New Year
What are some features of nonfiction text? ELL: The Summer Party
What are some features of fiction text? Teacher Selected Reading Classroom Library School Library
Media Connection (s) Instructional Resources
Texas Treasures (Macmillan/McGraw Hill) Teachers Edition
Texas Treasures (Macmillan/McGraw Hill) Student Edition
Daily Five
iStation
• Connect and Engage: Introduce the Theme - Surprising Teamwork by revisiting what it means to work as a team.
Students will recognize the importance of working together for the common good. As students are learning, they will identify
the opportunity cost of helping others. Students will brainstorm examples of ways to help others by sharing talents. Ask
students, "What have you learned so far about working together as a team?" Discuss student responses. Ask students, "How
could we help someone else who is down - feeling sad, without a friend, trouble with school work, etc." Discuss student
responses. Read Aloud the Mentor Text: The Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahy. Tell the class that this is an old
tall tale from China. On a map, identify where China is located. Tell students that the story takes place during the reign of
the powerful Emperor Ch'in Shih Huang, between the years of 259-210 B.C. Explain briefly how long ago in the past this is.
This emperor was responsible for having the Great Wall of China built. Read aloud the story. Ask the students to identify
the tall tale elements of the story (ears that hear a fly sneeze from a hundred miles away, bones like iron, etc.) While reading,
stop to talk about the metaphors that describe the emperor. Ask the students to visualize the metaphors and decide whether
they could really be accurate. Talk about what the metaphors tell us about the emperor. After reading, discuss why the
brothers chose to help the workers with the wall. Did the brothers share their time, talent, or treasure for the common good?
Discuss the opportunity cost to the brothers for helping the workers. Do the students think the brothers might help again if
given the chance or was the cost of helping too great? Ask students, "When have you seen people work together in a
surprising or unusual way? In this story, the brothers worked well together. Each talent alone was great, but in the story,
none of them could have survived alone without the talents of others. Discuss this concept and ask students to relate it to
(11) Reading/Com
prehension of
Literary
Text/Sensory
Language. Students
understand, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
how an author's
sensory language
creates imagery in
literary text and
provide evidence
from text to support
their
understanding. Stud
ents are expected to
recognize that some
words and phrases
have literal and non-
literal meanings
(12) Reading/Com
prehension of
Text/Independent
Reading. Students
read independently
for sustained
periods of time and
produce evidence of
their reading.
Students are
expected to read
independently for a
sustained period of
time and paraphrase
what the reading
was about,
maintaining
meaning.
Books to be matched with Students‘ appropriate level & targeted skills --
Recommend using small leveled books for Approaching level, On level
and Beyond level, Decodable Readers
Please visit the WOCCISD LiveBinder for the
Media Connections related to this unit.
Focus Lesson/Direct Instruction/Modeling
Whenever possible, teachers should try to help the students engage background knowledge before reading, and talking about a new
theme is just one way to do this. Activating prior knowledge puts the students in the right frame of mind to approach the text.
Metacognitive Strategies - Determining Importance
Mini-Lesson: Mixed Bags: Fiction and Nonfiction
* Gather students on the carpet and discuss what you already know about nonfiction.
• Connect and Engage: Introduce the Theme - Surprising Teamwork by revisiting what it means to work as a team.
Students will recognize the importance of working together for the common good. As students are learning, they will identify
the opportunity cost of helping others. Students will brainstorm examples of ways to help others by sharing talents. Ask
students, "What have you learned so far about working together as a team?" Discuss student responses. Ask students, "How
could we help someone else who is down - feeling sad, without a friend, trouble with school work, etc." Discuss student
responses. Read Aloud the Mentor Text: The Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahy. Tell the class that this is an old
tall tale from China. On a map, identify where China is located. Tell students that the story takes place during the reign of
the powerful Emperor Ch'in Shih Huang, between the years of 259-210 B.C. Explain briefly how long ago in the past this is.
This emperor was responsible for having the Great Wall of China built. Read aloud the story. Ask the students to identify
the tall tale elements of the story (ears that hear a fly sneeze from a hundred miles away, bones like iron, etc.) While reading,
stop to talk about the metaphors that describe the emperor. Ask the students to visualize the metaphors and decide whether
they could really be accurate. Talk about what the metaphors tell us about the emperor. After reading, discuss why the
brothers chose to help the workers with the wall. Did the brothers share their time, talent, or treasure for the common good?
Discuss the opportunity cost to the brothers for helping the workers. Do the students think the brothers might help again if
given the chance or was the cost of helping too great? Ask students, "When have you seen people work together in a
surprising or unusual way? In this story, the brothers worked well together. Each talent alone was great, but in the story,
none of them could have survived alone without the talents of others. Discuss this concept and ask students to relate it to
(12) Reading/Com
prehension of
Text/Independent
Reading. Students
read independently
for sustained
periods of time and
produce evidence of
their reading.
Students are
expected to read
independently for a
sustained period of
time and paraphrase
what the reading
was about,
maintaining
meaning.
(14) Reading/Com
prehension of
Informational
Text/Expository
Text. Students
analyze, make
inferences and draw
conclusions about
and understand
expository text and
provide evidence
from text to support
their understanding.
(15)
Comprehension of
Informational
Text/Procedural
Text. Students
understand how to
glean and use
information in
procedural texts and
documents.
Figure: 19
Reading/Comprehe
nsion Skills.
Students use a
flexible range of
metacognitive
reading skills in
both assigned and
independent
reading to
understand an
author's message.
Students will
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater depth
in increasingly
more complex texts
as they become self-
directed, critical
* In order to understand nonfiction as a genre, it is useful to compare and contrast it to fiction. This lesson uses
bags (paper or cloth) filled with matching fiction and nonfiction books to help the students discover the
differences. Students will explore the contents of their "mixed bags" - nonfiction and fiction books. Student will
determine the differences and similarities between fiction and nonfiction. Students will share their findings with
the class to create a classroom resource. This activity should be completed together, as a whole group, using
teacher modeling and a think aloud. Create a class-sized Book Bag T-Chart on the board or on chart paper. see
Book Bag T-Chart in the LiveBinder
* Introduce the idea of book bags as sets of books on the same topic. Explain that one book is fiction and one book
is nonfiction. It is their job to tell the difference between the two books and make observations.* Using teacher modeling and a think aloud, identify basic similarities and differences between two texts on the
same topic (e.g. illustrations, descriptions, etc.) * With prompting and support, complete the class-sized Book Bag T-Chart with the basic similarities and
differences between the two books. Share findings with the class and list the findings on the T-Chart.
* Match the students with their partners and hand out the Book Bags T-Chart worksheet. They are to record
whatever observations they make on the sheet to share later. Hand each partnership one book bag.
Reminder: Before, during, and after reading strategies should be done with each read aloud. As students progress toward
mastering these routines, teachers may add to, subtract from, condense, and modify as needed. These routines will
consistently be listed in the curriculum, however mini-lesson will vary depending on which strategy is highlighted. These
mini-lesson are not listed sequentially. However, each mini-lesson is expected be taught and reviewed. Use your judgment
when determining sequence and timing of mini-lessons during Read Aloud. Using the daily Read Aloud, remember to review
reading metacognitive strategies before, during, and after reading.
Preparation: Create multiple book bags containing one fiction and one nonfiction book on the same topic.
Prepare one bag for every two students. Books will vary according to grade level. (Examples of some good pairs
include:
Days With Frog and Toad paired with From Tadpole to Frog, Gregory the Terrible Eater paired with Eating
Right , The Adventure of Spider paired with Insects and Spiders, Little Polar Bear and the Brave Little Hare
paired with Polar Mammals. You will be surprised at how many matches you can find in your own library and
Literacy Library!
* Post the chart somewhere in the room for the students to use as a resource. This is a GREAT Anchor of Support.
Mini-Lesson: Determining What's Important
* Record the students‘ comments on the chart paper or board.
* Explain the meaning of identifying details.
* Illustrate this point with a made-up example.
* Tell students how they might have already used identifying important details strategies.
* Read the first part of the book, pausing at appropriate places to comment on important information.
* Encourage these students to explain how each detail supports the main idea.
Figure: 19
Reading/Comprehe
nsion Skills.
Students use a
flexible range of
metacognitive
reading skills in
both assigned and
independent
reading to
understand an
author's message.
Students will
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater depth
in increasingly
more complex texts
as they become self-
directed, critical
Writing
(17) Writing
Process. Students
use elements of the
writing process
(planning, drafting,
revising, editing,
and publishing) to
compose text.
(18) Literary Texts.
Students write
literary texts to
express their ideas
and feelings about
real or imagined
people, events, and
ideas.
* Match the students with their partners and hand out the Book Bags T-Chart worksheet. They are to record
whatever observations they make on the sheet to share later. Hand each partnership one book bag.* Allow the students to work with their partner and record their observations on the T-chart. Allow about 15-20
minutes of work.* Regroup on the carpet and share the findings from the partners. Record any interesting observations on the chart
labeled: "What we noticed about nonfiction books."* The next day, go through the same lesson, but with different book bags for different groups. At the end, record
any new observations on T-charts. Repeat another day if you find it necessary or helpful. Or, if you have enough
book bags, allow the students to try to complete the T-chart independently and share their findings.
* Show students the book (the front cover, back cover, and some of the pages) and ask them to predict what the
book will be about. This will prepare them for the substance of the book and aid their comprehension as you read.
* Say, "Today we are going to read a book entitled _____________________ by _________________. What do
you think this book is about? What do you think we will learn from this book?"
* Say, "Today, we are going to work on finding the most important details in this book. Everything you read has a
main idea. It is the most important thought or piece of information from the book. It tells the overall idea of the
book. Important details are used to support the main idea.
* Finish reading the book. Say, ―Let‘s talk about what we have learned from this book and see if we can identify
the most important details. Remember that the details will support the main idea. The details should give important
information. What happened in the book? Who did what? Why? What does it look like?‖ Record students‘
comments on the chart paper or board.* Determine the most important details using the information from the chart paper or board. Say, ―Now let‘s look
at our list. It looks like we were able to gather some good information about our topic. Let‘s look at each detail on
our list. Let‘s figure out which are the three most important details. When you identify the most important details,
you are able to understand the book better.‖* Ask each student to choose the three details they think are the most important. They should be able to explain
why they chose each one. Encourage students to use textual evidence to support their findings. You may choose to
have students share with a partner; otherwise, call on students to share their ideas with the class.
Class Artifact: Main Idea and Details Graphic Organizer
Mini-Lesson: Web What's Important
Student Artifact: Nonfiction Web Graphic Organizer
Whole Group - Read Aloud
Mentor Text During Read Aloud (see also LiveBinder) - Stories, pictures, poems about teams and working together.
Week 1
Week 2
Fiction: "Chicken Little (p. 162-162)" Unit 4 p. 162C-163 Use Practice Book p. TP13-TP14
Fiction: "Foolish, Timid Rabbit (p. 164-165)" Unit 4 p. 163A-165 Use Practice Book p. TP15-TP16
Show What You Know: Monitor and Adjust Comprehension, Write a Friendly Letter, Phonics, Spelling (Unit 4 p. 166-167)
Before Reading
(22) Handwriting,
Capitalization, and
Punctuation.
Students write
legibly and use
appropriate
capitalization and
punctuation
conventions in their
compositions.
Informational/Procedural: "Rosa Maria's Rice and Beans (p. 156-159)" Unit 4 p. 155X-159A (Text Feature: Written
Directions, Science Content Vocabulary, Monitor and Clarify through Rereading) Use Practice Book p. 225
(18) Literary Texts.
Students write
literary texts to
express their ideas
and feelings about
real or imagined
people, events, and
ideas.
(19) Expository and
Procedural Texts.
Students write
expository and
procedural or work-
related texts to
communicate ideas
and information to
specific audiences
for specific
purposes.
Oral and Written
Conventions(21) Conventions.
Students understand
the function of and
use the conventions
of academic
language when
speaking and
writing. Students
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater
complexity. M
Preparation: Select a fiction or nonfiction text. Use a graphic organizer to record "What's Important" as you read.
Do this several times for both fiction and nonfiction texts.* Model for students by writing your thoughts. Think out loud as you write, explaining why you decided to
include it on the chart. End by using the chart to summarize the book.
* Guide the class as they share their thoughts while you read. Have them explain why they decided the detail was
important and why it should be included on the chart. End by using the chart to summarize the book.* Encourage independent practice. Provide a copy of the graphic organizer chart for students to use as they read
independently.
Fiction/Fantasy: "Mice and Beans (p. 124-154)" Unit 4 p. 123J-155A (Strategy: Analyze Story Structure, Retell, Determine
Importance, Distinguish Between Fantasy and Reality, Vocabulary) Use Practice Book p. 220-221Fiction/Narrative: Read-Aloud Anthology - "When Elephants Goes to a Party (p. 129-131)" Unit 4 p. 155D (Vocabulary,
Respond to the Fiction Narrative)
* For the review week there are two stories - one fiction, one nonfiction - that the students will be expected to read on their
own. The Show What You Know selections spiral reviews comprehension and vocabulary skills and strategies previously
taught. After reading the two selections, students will answer questions that assess reading comprehension and vocabulary.
Consider adding task that also test the metacognitive strategies learned during this six weeks.
Routine: Review Concepts of Print. Read the title of the book and show the front cover. Establish prior knowledge,
purpose, and predictions: Provide background information or allow students to share ideas that they have based on the title or
the picture. Invite students to make predictions or pose questions about the book based on their knowledge of the author,
title, topic, or picture. Remind students to think about their predictions as you read aloud. Introduce and/or review
vocabulary. Introduce words found in the text and important words to students' comprehension. Provide opportunities for
students to use the words, either in a quick activity, or in sentences. Introduce and/or review the focus strategy. Explain to
students how to use the strategy.
During Reading
Focus Strategies for During Reading:
* Using Fix-Up Strategies
* Summarize
* Determining Importance
* Choral-Read - Have students choral-read (and Echo-Read) as you track the print.
After Reading
Whole Group - Phonemic Awareness/Phonics/Word Study
Vowel Digraphs; au, aw, a
Identify and Work with Syllables - Unit 4 p. 121B
Blend Words - Unit 4 p. 121C, p. 155E, 155F, 155T
Practice Book - p. 217, p. 222
Phonics/Spelling - Unit 4 p. 121E, 155V
Spelling Practice Book - SP77-78, SP80
Decodable Reader 1 - Paul Saw Artic Foxes
Phoneme Categorization - Unit 4 p. 123F, 155S,
Build Words - Unit 4 p. 123G
Word Sort - Unit 4 p. 123H, 155H
(22) Handwriting,
Capitalization, and
Punctuation.
Students write
legibly and use
appropriate
capitalization and
punctuation
conventions in their
compositions.
(23) Spelling.
Students spell
correctly.
Research
(24) Research/Rese
arch Plan. Students
ask open-ended
research questions
and develop a plan
for answering them.
(25) Research/Gath
ering Sources.
Students determine,
locate, and explore
the full range of
relevant sources
addressing a
research question
and systematically
record the
information they
gather.
* Using Metacognitive Strategies - Schema, Visualizing, Making Connections, Asking Questions, and Inferring to
Understand Text
Routine: Follow-up to focus strategy. Ask students to respond to reading by sharing their reflections and reactions. Have
students demonstrate comprehension by retelling, summarizing, discussing ideas, answering questions, or other after reading
activities. Determine an indicator of mastery for focus strategy. At a minimum, mastery should indicate a satisfactory
understanding of focus strategy, text, concepts, and enduring understandings.
Routine: Review Concepts of Print. Read the title of the book and show the front cover. Establish prior knowledge,
purpose, and predictions: Provide background information or allow students to share ideas that they have based on the title or
the picture. Invite students to make predictions or pose questions about the book based on their knowledge of the author,
title, topic, or picture. Remind students to think about their predictions as you read aloud. Introduce and/or review
vocabulary. Introduce words found in the text and important words to students' comprehension. Provide opportunities for
students to use the words, either in a quick activity, or in sentences. Introduce and/or review the focus strategy. Explain to
students how to use the strategy.
Routine: Read the story. Stop occasionally to model a Think Aloud. Model and practice the focus strategy. Stop at
predetermined points to invite students to react or reflect on thinking with a partner; write a note in their journal, share
thinking using "CAFE" Comprehension Strategies, such as prediction and differencing. Using sample Read Aloud
Questions/Prompts, hold students accountable for the knowledge in the text and accountable for rigorous thinking. (See
Whole Group - Fluency Skill: Prosody
Whole Group - Vocabulary
Mini-Lesson: High-Frequency Word Practice
Mentor Text: Bobo's Celebration ( p. 122-123), Unit4
Unit 4 p. 155I
Mini-Lesson: Use Word Parts: Inflected Verbs -ing, -ed, -s
Unit 4, p. 155J,
Practice Book, p. 223,
Whole Group - Shared Writing
Mini-Lesson #1: Persuasive Book Review Practice
Exemplar: Student Essay - Alexandra: Horrible Harry (see LiveBinder)
(25) Research/Gath
ering Sources.
Students determine,
locate, and explore
the full range of
relevant sources
addressing a
research question
and systematically
record the
information they
gather.
Listening and
Speaking
(28) Listening.
Students use
comprehension
skills to listen
attentively to others
in formal and
informal settings.
Students continue
to apply earlier
standards with
greater complexity.
M
(29) Speaking.
Students speak
clearly and to the
point, using the
conventions of
language. Students
continue to apply
earlier standards
with greater
complexity. M
Fiction: Oral Vocabulary Cards - "The Emperor's New Clothes" Unit 4 p. 11A (Read aloud for Robust Vocabulary lesson
and Comprehension lesson)Fiction: "Bobo's Celebration (p. 122-123) Unit 4 p. 121G-123B (Read Aloud for Vocabulary and High-Frequency Words:
Inflected Verbs, Analyze Story Structure, Distinguish Between Fantasy and Reality) Use Practice Book p. 212
Review high-frequency words: among, brought, and decided. Review the words using the Read/Spell/Write
routine. Use decodable readers as a source to help student practice reading high-frequency words. Have partners
reread the book together. Use high-frequency words during Morning Message, Shared Writing, and Writing
Please complete one shared writing lesson prior to completing the Writing Workshop lessons. The Shared Writing
lessons allow students to practice the skills. Writing Workshop allows students to independently complete the
skills.
The purpose of the familiar reading is for students to have opportunities to reread text to strengthen their phrasing, fluency
and practice using their reading strategies. After guided reading lessons, books are placed in students‘ individual reading
containers. Books may be stored in cereal boxes, plastic bags, baskets, etc. These books become the student‘s familiar reading
text. Students should also have ―just right‖ text in their individual reading containers that they have selected from the
classroom library. Unit 4 p. 155L, Practice Book p. 224,
* Remind students that a report gives facts about a topic. It uses words that give correct information. Remind
students that during this unit, they have been learning about a specific type of writing - persuasive writing. Tell
students that the culminating writing project is a Persuasive Book Review. Tell students that a persuasive book
report is a report written to convince others to read a book. Write this information on a piece of chart paper titled,
Persuasive Book Review Anchor Chart. Write, "Begins with a little description of the book." Discuss with
students. Next write, "Write specific details about characters that were pleasing or displeasing." Track the words
as you write each sentence. Discuss what this means. Provide examples from the read aloud, if needed. Write,
"Don't try to tell everything that happened in the book. Choose a few events that will make the reader want to read
the book." Discuss what this means. Write, "Use persuasive words to encourage others to read the book." Write,
"Finally end the review with your opinion and consider the circumstance in which a person might want to read the
particular book." Tell students that you will read aloud a sample of a persuasive book report. Tell students that
their job as listeners is to listen to see if the author has features of a persuasive book report. As you read aloud the
persuasive book review, "Alexandra-Horrible Harry" , ask students to listen for:
* what the writer thinks about the book;
* the reasons for the writers opinion;
* persuasive words like favorite and great;
* the writer's feelings.
* After reading the persuasive book review, "Alexandra-Horrible Harry, discuss the following questions with students:
* What does the writer think about the book?
* What reasons support the writer's opinion?
* What persuasive words does the writer use?
* Save the word web for additional activities related to this unit.
Class Artifact: Persuasive Book Review Word Web or another teacher-selected graphic organizer
Mini-Lesson #2: Persuasive Book Review
(30) Teamwork.
Students work
productively with
others in teams.
Students continue
to apply earlier
standards with
greater complexity.
M
* Tell students that you are going to write a short book review together. Pull two or three books your class has
read from the current unit. Ask, "Which one of these books is your favorite?" Discuss and vote on the class's
favorite book. Ask, "What book do we want to write about? Why do you like it? What parts are the most
interesting? Who else might enjoy the book?" Chart the responses on a piece of chart paper as students respond.
Reread the book aloud if necessary. Using a Word Web Graphic Organizer, help the class plan out the class
persuasive book review. Write the title of the book in the center circle of the web.
* Working with students, write what you know about the book in the smaller circles. By adding additional circles,
make other webs to list the things you like about the book and the reasons you think others should read it.
* Review the Persuasive Book Review Anchor Chart. Using the word web created during Shared Writing,
work with students to write a short persuasive book review. Review the graphic organizer. Remind students of the
features of a persuasive book review. Tell students that the first sentence should tell what they think about the
book. Collaborate with students to write the first sentence (for example, My favorite book is The Very Hungry
Caterpillar by Eric Carle.). Next, remind students the next few sentences should list several reasons that will
persuade the reader. Collaborate to write several sentences listing the reasons why they like the book. Refer back
to the word web created during Shared Writing. Next, remind students that we would use persuasive words and try
to list events that would make someone what to read the book. Collaborate with students to write these sentences.
Use the sample or sentence frames to help guide students. Ask students if we included our feelings. If you have
not, write a sentence that expresses how you feel about the book - make sure to use persuasive words. Finally,
include a concluding sentence to finish your persuasive book review. Class Artifact: Class Persuasive Book
* Remind students that a report gives facts about a topic. It uses words that give correct information. Remind
students that during this unit, they have been learning about a specific type of writing - persuasive writing. Tell
students that the culminating writing project is a Persuasive Book Review. Tell students that a persuasive book
report is a report written to convince others to read a book. Write this information on a piece of chart paper titled,
Persuasive Book Review Anchor Chart. Write, "Begins with a little description of the book." Discuss with
students. Next write, "Write specific details about characters that were pleasing or displeasing." Track the words
as you write each sentence. Discuss what this means. Provide examples from the read aloud, if needed. Write,
"Don't try to tell everything that happened in the book. Choose a few events that will make the reader want to read
the book." Discuss what this means. Write, "Use persuasive words to encourage others to read the book." Write,
"Finally end the review with your opinion and consider the circumstance in which a person might want to read the
particular book." Tell students that you will read aloud a sample of a persuasive book report. Tell students that
their job as listeners is to listen to see if the author has features of a persuasive book report. As you read aloud the
persuasive book review, "Alexandra-Horrible Harry" , ask students to listen for:
Mini-Lesson #3: Revising and Editing our Class Persuasive Book Review
Focus and Coherence: Did we tell enough interesting details to make readers want to read our book?
Development of Ideas: Did we tell how we really feel and why? Did we use persuasive words?
Organization: Does the first sentence of our review name the book and the author?
Conventions/Sentence Fluency: When we read our review aloud, does it sound natural, as if we were
talking to a friend?
Mini-Lesson #4: Publishing and Sharing our Class Persuasive Book Review
* With student help, write a neat, error-free copy of the class persuasive book review, making sure letters are
correctly formed for beginning and ending sounds. Make sure to model spacing between words and sentences.
Grammar Mini-Lesson: Contractions
Remind students that a contraction is a short form of two words. An apostrophe replaces the letters left out when
two words form a contraction. (e.g. is not = isn't ; do not = don't ) Write can and not on the board. Model forming
the contraction can't. Tell students to pay attention to where the apostrophe goes in the new word. Use Grammar
Transparency 98 to model how to identify and correct apostrophe mistakes in contractions. Using a think aloud,
collaborate with students to rewrite the remaining contractions correctly. Write the correct contraction on the
transparency for students to check their work. Remind them to use apostrophes correctly when they include
contractions in their own writing. Have students practice reading contractions in the main selection Mice and
Beans. Additional activities to support this grammar lesson can be found at: Unit 4 p. 159B, Grammar Practice
pg. GR98-100, Grammar Transparency 99-100
* Show students the class-created Persuasive Book Review. Read aloud, tracking each word as the class follows
along. Display the persuasive book review rubric or another teacher-created rubric that you will use to score
student's reviews. Model for students how to use the rubric as they revise and edit the class persuasive book
review. Remind students that they should focus on their ideas only during revising - they will edit afterward. Say,
"We wrote our draft quickly to get our ideas on paper. In the revision stage of the writing process, we have the
chance to make our persuasive book reviews better." Guide students to think about the following writing elements
as they help to evaluate and revise the class persuasive book review:
* Work with students to revise the review as needed, pointing out areas where you can improve. It may also help
to show students Book Review Checklist as a model for revision before revising the class review.
* Review the proofreading/editing marks with students. Display Grammar Transparency 84 to point out how to
edit. Have students use the rubric you develop to edit the class persuasive book review. (see example in
* Celebrate as a whole class the completed book review. Remind students that individually, they will choose their
favorite book and complete the entire process of writing their own persuasive book review. Encourage students to
pick their favorite book, not just a book read during this unit.
* Review the Persuasive Book Review Anchor Chart. Using the word web created during Shared Writing,
work with students to write a short persuasive book review. Review the graphic organizer. Remind students of the
features of a persuasive book review. Tell students that the first sentence should tell what they think about the
book. Collaborate with students to write the first sentence (for example, My favorite book is The Very Hungry
Caterpillar by Eric Carle.). Next, remind students the next few sentences should list several reasons that will
persuade the reader. Collaborate to write several sentences listing the reasons why they like the book. Refer back
to the word web created during Shared Writing. Next, remind students that we would use persuasive words and try
to list events that would make someone what to read the book. Collaborate with students to write these sentences.
Use the sample or sentence frames to help guide students. Ask students if we included our feelings. If you have
not, write a sentence that expresses how you feel about the book - make sure to use persuasive words. Finally,
include a concluding sentence to finish your persuasive book review. Class Artifact: Class Persuasive Book
Writing Workshop - Persuasive Book Review
Mentor Text: See LiveBinder for a list of mentor text related to the unit theme.
Anchor Papers: Alexandra-Horrible Harry
Rubric: see example in LiveBinder
Lesson #1: Planning our Persuasive Book Review
Please complete the Shared Writing mini-lesson #1 prior to this Lesson.
Lesson #2: Planning our Persuasive Book Review
Materials: Class-created Word Web
Please complete the Shared Writing mini-lesson #1 prior to this Lesson.
Lesson #3: Drafting our Persuasive Book Review
Remind students that a contraction is a short form of two words. An apostrophe replaces the letters left out when
two words form a contraction. (e.g. is not = isn't ; do not = don't ) Write can and not on the board. Model forming
the contraction can't. Tell students to pay attention to where the apostrophe goes in the new word. Use Grammar
Transparency 98 to model how to identify and correct apostrophe mistakes in contractions. Using a think aloud,
collaborate with students to rewrite the remaining contractions correctly. Write the correct contraction on the
transparency for students to check their work. Remind them to use apostrophes correctly when they include
contractions in their own writing. Have students practice reading contractions in the main selection Mice and
Beans. Additional activities to support this grammar lesson can be found at: Unit 4 p. 159B, Grammar Practice
pg. GR98-100, Grammar Transparency 99-100
* Remind students that persuasive book review tell the writer's opinion. Tell student to focus on what they want
to persuade the reader of in their review. Say, "The purpose of a persuasive book review is to convince readers to
read the book. It tells what you think about a book and the reasons why you like it. A persuasive book review also
uses words like favorite and great and expresses your feelings. Know the Audience: Ask students to think about
who will read their persuasive book review. Ask, "Who are the people you want to convince? What reasons are
most likely to convince your readers to read the book?" Discuss response and guide any misconceptions. Choose
a Topic: Help students brainstorm ideas about favorite books and plan the information to include in their book
review. Tell students that they do not have to choose a book from our current unit. They may write their
persuasive book review about any book that is their favorite. Consider allowing students independent reading
time to reread their favorite book - especially if they have not read the book in some time. Ask, "What book will
you write about? Why do you like it? What parts are the most interesting? Who else might enjoy the book?
Provide ample time for students to make their selections. Afterwards, have students write the following sentence:
The book I am writing about for my persuasive book review is ____________________ by
______________________. Save the sentence for the next lesson. Student Artifact: Sentence
* Use the class-created word web to review the process of creating a word web to help students plan their
persuasive book review. Allow ample time for students to complete the word web for their book selection. Peer
Review: Have students share their word webs with a partner and ask which ideas partners think are the best (or
most convincing). Then have partners read their first sentences and their most convincing statements to the class.
Assist students, through writing conferences, where needed. Student Artifact: Persuasive Book Review Word
Web or other teacher-created graphic organizer
Materials: Class-created Draft
Please complete the Shared Writing mini-lesson #2 prior to this Lesson.
Lesson #4: Evaluate and Revise our Persuasive Book Review
Materials: Class-created Book Review
Please complete Shared Writing mini-lesson #3 prior to this lesson.
Lesson #5: Proofread/Edit our Persuasive Book Review
Materials: Class-created Book Review
Please complete Shared Writing mini-lesson #3 prior to this lesson.
Lesson #6: Publish and Share our Persuasive Book Review
Materials: Class-created Persuasive Book Review
Please complete Shared Writing mini-lesson #3 prior to this lesson.
* Use the class-created draft to review the process of drafting a persuasive book review. After rereading the
selections, review the Persuasive Book Review Anchor Chart. Keep it posted, along with the class-created draft,
as students are released to begin writing their own drafts. Remind students not to take time to correct spelling or
grammar errors at this point. Allocate ample time for students to complete drafts. Assist students, through guided
writing and writing conferences, where needed. Student Artifact: Draft Persuasive Book Review
* Use the class-created draft review the process of revising a persuasive book review. After reviewing the
process, pair students with a partner to conduct a peer review. Remind students of the rules regarding peer revising
- be polite, offer constructive feedback, ask questions, etc. You may consider having a student model an example
and non-example of the process to further guide students. Tell partners to take turns reading their book reviews
aloud to each other. Have them listed for words that tell how the writer feels about the book. Afterward, allow
ample time for students to revise their drafts. Assist partners through guided writing and writing conferences,
where needed. Student Artifact: Revised Student Draft
* Use the class-created draft review the proofreading/editing process. Have students work with a partner to read
each other's persuasive book reviews. Suggest that they focus on end punctuation marks for all their sentence
types. Have students use the editing checklist as a guide to editing. Remind students that all Word Wall words
should be spelled correctly. You may remind students to capitalize proper nouns. Assist partners, through guided
writing and writing conferences, as needed. Student Artifact: Completed Editing Checklist for Persuasive Book
Reviews
* Use the class-created final draft to remind students of the process of publishing and sharing their persuasive
book review. Allow ample time for students to print a neat, error-free copy of their review. Consider allowing an
Author's Chair, inviting students to read their reports aloud. Have the class vote for each author's most convincing
sentence. Place reports in student's writing portfolio or hang them in a special place in the classroom. Student
Artifact: Final Persuasive Book Review
Small Group - With Teacher
Guided Reading
GR Mini-Lessons to complete during this term:
* Using Fix-It Strategies When Reading
* Determining Importance
* Read High-Frequency Words
* Phonemic Awareness
Small Group - Guided Writing
GW Mini-Lesson to complete during this term:
Small Group - Word Work
Words with Vowel Digraphs - au, aw, a; Six-Weeks Review
Possible Activities:
Word Sort
Create Words using High Frequency Words
Handwriting Practice
Building Words
Small Group - Read to Self -and/or- Listening to Reading
Reminder: Visit each small group a minimum of twice weekly. Tier III must be visited daily. Rearrange groups as students
master skills.* Books to be matched with Students‘ appropriate level & targeted skills -- Recommend using small
leveled books for Approaching level, On level and Beyond level and Pre-Decodable Readers.
* Using Metacognitive Strategies - Schema, Visualizing, Ask Questions, Infer (before, during, and after reading),
Determining Importance
Small group mini-lessons are based on a common need. Talk to students before/during/after a piece. Ask probing questions.
Two positive comments and one improvement (tactful/specific/focused). Make an action plan (goal setting). Use rubrics and
check list before, during, and after.
Meet with students who are having difficulty putting their ideas down on paper. Explicitly teach how to write
persuasive book review, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization rules studied during this unit.
Students will get their book bags (full of good-fit books of their choice) or choose from our classroom library, find a
comfortable spot in the classroom, and will read to themselves.
* Use the class-created final draft to remind students of the process of publishing and sharing their persuasive
book review. Allow ample time for students to print a neat, error-free copy of their review. Consider allowing an
Author's Chair, inviting students to read their reports aloud. Have the class vote for each author's most convincing
sentence. Place reports in student's writing portfolio or hang them in a special place in the classroom. Student
Artifact: Final Persuasive Book ReviewGuided Reading, Guided Writing, Assessing, Conferring
Collaboration 1 - Read to SomeoneUsing Leveled Readers: Partner Revising and Editing
Nonfiction Web Graphic Organizer The basic principles of writing conferences:
• Listening (to what writer is trying to say)
Six-Week Review Practice • Affirming (what writer has done well)
• Reinforcing (the writer‘s strength, attempts)
Phonemic Awareness/Phonics Practice • Assessing (confusions, strength, next steps)
Vocabulary Practice
Grammar Practice
Writing: Persuasive Book Review (Full Process)
Scaffolds for ELL
Independent Practice with Conferring
Practice Task (s) Student/Teacher Conferring
• Teaching (what‘s most important for writer to move forward and only
what the writer is ready for)
• Scaffolding (helping the writer say, write, and do what she can‘t quite
do yet without help)
• Setting goals with students‘ input (for the writer to attempt to meet on
his own, with minimal guidance and support).
Suggestions: Include small predictable books that have been read aloud in class, poetry binders, read-around the room, or
pocket charts. Also include Level Library Readers and stories related to theme.Accountability: When students are reading independently, ask students to determine the most important details from their
reading. Direct students to complete a graphic organizer or a Response to Literature sheet for each selection.
Collaborative Learning
Collaboration 2 Collaboration 3
Have students work with a partner to
practice determining importance, using a
fiction and a nonfiction text. Students
will take turns reading a text to each
other and asking questions about the
story. Direct students to work together
to complete a partner graphic organizer
that identifies the most important details
from each story.
Create opportunities for students to
practice revising and editing each others
reports and short stories during this unit
study. Make sure that students reference
the How to Revise anchor chart and the
Editing checklist, and use editing
symbols.
Partner Spelling and Vocabulary
Practice
With a partner, read aloud a decodable book
that includes spelling and syllable patterns
taught in this unit. * On a teacher-provided
spelling pattern chart, record at least 10
words from the book under the correct
spelling/syllable pattern headings. *
Alphabetize the words written on the note
cards. * Choose two words and locate
homophones in the dictionary.
Instructional Extensions and Modification
Extension Supporting ELL Suggestions for InterventionsSee Tier 2 (Approaching Level) and ELL
Instruction, Unit 4 pages 161K-161JJ –
choose component(s) of reading
(phonemic awareness, phonics,
comprehension, fluency, vocabulary) to
re-teach and practice based on student
needs.
(No extension activity prescribed during
this term due to review and six weeks
assessments)
* Scaffold instruction using components
of Balanced Literacy
TPRI Intervention Guide
* Check comprehension frequently.
* Use outlines to scaffold comprehension.
* Teach students how to decode words.
* Give students practice with new words.
Review and Assess the weekly skills reviewed/learned:
Phonics - Vowel Digraphs: au, aw, a
Vocabulary - High-Frequency Words, Selection Vocabulary
Fluency - Word Automaticity, Prosody
Grammar/Spelling - Contractions
Comprehension - Determining Importance
Writing: Persuasive
Spiral Review - Main Idea and Details; Character, Setting, Plot
See Tier 2 (Approaching Level) and ELL
Instruction, Unit 4 pages 161K-161JJ –
choose component(s) of reading
(phonemic awareness, phonics,
comprehension, fluency, vocabulary) to
re-teach and practice based on student
needs.
(No extension activity prescribed during
this term due to review and six weeks
assessments) * Use graphic organizers to scaffold
comprehension, reading, and writing.
* Use questioning strategies to
accommodate English language acquisition.
Assessment
Formative Summative
Observe students throughout the week as they complete assignments,
respond orally in class, and read aloud.
Multiple Unit Assessments should be administered
in the early part of the 6th week. (Unit Assessment,
Benchmark Assessment, Fluency Assessment
and/or Running Records) Assessments should be
corrected quickly and results analyzed to identify
Tier 2 students (0 – 21 correct on the assessment)
refer to Analyze the Data Unit 4 p. 167N. The later
part of the week should be utilized to further assess
those students to identify the individual
instructional needs. Key: Lessons for Metacognitive Strategies are RED, Lessons for Read Aloud are GREEN, Lessons for Phonemic Awareness/Phonics/Word
Study are ORANGE, Lessons for Vocabulary are BLUE, Lessons for Writing are PURPLE.
* Group students for optimal opportunities
to learn cooperatively.
* Teach students to actively engage with the
vocabulary.
Small group intervention is an excellent time
to implement fluency practice. Students need
time to reread familiar books.
* Use pictures from the internet to scaffold
comprehension.
* Use anchor charts to reinforce concepts.
Phonemic Awareness - Phoneme Categorization; Phoneme Blending; Phoneme Identity; Phoneme Segmentation/Substitution