Page 4th Grade ELA Curriculum Unit Map Weeks 13-18 Lesson Seeds Table of Contents Seed ~ Curriculum Standards Map 1 Unit Overview 3 4 5 7 8 9 11 #1 RI.4.6 Determine whether an informational text is firsthand or secondhand account. #2 RI.4.3 Explain events in a historical text. #3 RI.4.7 Interpret information presented quantitatively and visually, then explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text. #4 RL.4.2 Complete an organizer to organize details in a literary text. #5 RL.4.2 Use completed organizer in order to write a summary of a literary text. #6 RL.4.5 Explain the structural elements of a drama. #7 RL.4.9 Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics in stories. #8 RL.4.6 - COMING SOON! #9 RL.4.6 - COMING SOON! Resources Also utilize the Suggested Standards Map for English/Language Arts located in the Literacy Closet &/or Gheens Website.
Unit Title: Thinking, Talking, Reading and Writing about Informational and Literary Texts Overview: During this unit, students will think, talk and write about literary and informational texts. Students will read and summarize literary texts, compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics, and analyze literary texts for the point of view in which it is narrated. Students will also read informational texts, analyzing and comparing firsthand and secondhand accounts of the same event or topic. Students will also interpret information presented through text and through charts, graphs, time lines, etc. Focus Standards: RL.4.2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text. RL.4.6: Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations. RL.4.9: Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths and traditional literature from different cultures. RL.4.3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character s thoughts, words, or actions). RI.4.6: Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided. RI.4.7: Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears. Supporting Standards: RI.4.1, 4.2, 4.10; RL.4.1, 4.10; RF.4.4b; L.4.6; SL.4.1a, 4.1b, 4.2, 4.4, 4.6; W.4.8, 4.10 Read Aloud: The recommended read aloud is Bridge to Terabithia. This book can be used to reinforce characters, setting, and events, as well as theme and point of view. Bridge to Terabithia should be in most classroom libraries or school libraries. Reading Workshop is the recommended framework for standards-based reading instruction. The workshop framework is a cycle of differentiated support that begins with whole group instruction, narrows to small group and individual instruction based on student need, and concludes with whole group sharing. Assessment and intervention are embedded within the workshop framework. Classrooms that do not use a workshop framework are expected to implement research-based reading instruction daily. Research-based reading instruction provides daily opportunities for students to experience: interactive read aloud, shared reading, whole group mini-lesson, small group instruction, conferring with a teacher, independent reading practice, thinking, talking and writing in response to reading, and closure. Teachers meet with small groups of students on a rotating basis and meet with the lowest achieving students daily. Targeted interventions are provided for students who need more support. Whole group, small group, and individual instruction should be standards-based. This unit includes multiple lesson seeds. Lesson seeds include objectives, learning targets, sample activities, anchor charts, thinking stems, and formative assessment suggestions. Lesson seeds should be used to build or grow a learning experience, and are for the whole group mini-lesson. A learning experience includes standards, learning targets, materials, formative assessment opportunities, minilessons (e.g., teach/model/demonstrate, guided practice), daily work time (e.g., guided reading, focus 1
groups, and/or book clubs) and daily group sharing (reflection and evaluation of the learning). A learning experience and some lesson seeds are designed to take multiple days. For example, the mini-lesson might take one or two days, the guided practice would become the mini-lesson for the following day, and possibly extend to the next day. In addition, based on formative assessment, if the majority of students did not understand the mini-lesson concept, seeds may be repeated with different texts or excerpts. If some of the students did not understand the mini-lesson concepts, small group instruction and teacher led conferences are utilized to reteach, reinforce, and support students who need additional help. Although it may take more than one day to get through one seed, always remind readers of the focused learning target at the end of the daily mini-lesson. Then, send readers off to read on their own with a directive relating to the mini-lesson for their independent reading and writing. After work time, readers are gathered again to discuss and share the strategies and thinking they used while reading and writing and how they might have grown as readers. Interactive read alouds, as well as on-level shared reading experiences allowing students to see and hear fluent reading of the text, should be included daily in addition to the reading during the minilessons. Many seeds revisit texts that have been read in prior experiences of shared reading and/or read alouds. Word Study should occur daily within the context of reading. The purpose is to promote understanding of how words work and how to use them to effectively communicate ideas. This may occur as the workshop mini-lesson, as a focus group, during guided reading, during read aloud, during content area instruction, or as targeted word work instruction. Students will need the opportunity to apply the learning during authentic reading and writing. At the 4/5 level, Word Study should occur daily within the context of reading. The purpose is to promote understanding of the various ways we use words to effectively communicate ideas as well as how we use knowledge of roots and affixes to comprehend what we read. Writing Standards 1-6 and most Language Standards will be taught during Writing Workshop. However, these standards will reinforce and support the learning within these units. Handwriting Instruction During this six-week unit, students in fourth grade should receive cursive writing instruction on a daily basis as part of their word study and writing times. Appropriate letter and word formations are expected and reinforced as students engage in authentic writing tasks. The JCPS Handwriting Map, which includes a link to resources to support instruction in letter formation, can be found on our website. 2
Objective: Students will make comparisons between firsthand and secondhand accounts of the same event. Lesson Seed #1 - Informational Learning Target: I can determine whether an informational text is a firsthand or secondhand account. (RI.4.6) Note: RI.4.6 asks students to look at an informational text and determine whether the text is a firsthand or secondhand account. You will need to find examples of both. This lesson seed refers to Islands of Freedom (4 th grade CQ, volume 1) as the text to use for secondhand account. You may use this website (http://library.thinkquest.org/20619/past.html) to find a firsthand account from an immigrant that went through Ellis Island or Angel Island. This link takes you to multiple firsthand accounts. You will need to choose which ones to use with students. Keep in mind that some firsthand accounts may be written in third person. For example, reporters reporting on an event were there and saw the event, but they are writing from a third person point of view. This lesson seed only works on determining firsthand or secondhand accounts. This lesson seed does not meet the full intent of RI.4.6. The unit for weeks 19-24 will have another lesson seed that builds on this one. You may choose to wait and work on this lesson seed towards the end of the six weeks 13-18. Interactive Read Aloud: (must occur prior to the mini-lesson) Read aloud both of the texts you have chosen for this lesson seed. Islands of Freedom was referenced in a lesson seed about text structure so that shouldn t be new text. The firsthand account is what will need to be read aloud. As you read it aloud, be sure students have access to the text. Be sure to think aloud as you read, annotating your thinking on the text as you read. Students need to hear and see your thinking. Mini-Lesson(s): (RI.4.6, RI.4.1, 4.2, 4.10; L.4.6; SL.4.1a, 4.1b, 4.6; W.4.10) This seed is intended to span more than one mini-lesson. Explain to students that some texts may be written as a firsthand account or a secondhand account. Firsthand accounts are written or told by someone who was actually there during the experience. Secondhand accounts are written or told by someone who was not present during the experience they are writing about. ** This process should be followed for each passage. You may choose to focus on the firsthand account one day and the secondhand account the next day. Provide students with copies of the texts. Direct their attention to the anchor chart posted (see example). You may want to highlight only the first two sections of the chart since this seed is only for determining whether or not each text is a firsthand or secondhand account. Model for students how to read the text and think about the text specific to the chart. Ask students to take notes on their own copy of text (post-it notes, writing in margin) as you revisit the text. Model at first, gradually releasing the work to students. Guided practice: (this may occur during the next mini-lesson) Provide students the opportunity to work together to complete the first two sections of the chart for the text. Bring students back together. Ask students to share out the information they recorded for each text. Guide students through determining which text is a firsthand account and which text is a secondhand account. Write the titles of the texts over the appropriate column on the chart. Work Time: You may provide students with multiple examples of firsthand and secondhand accounts. Provide them with time to practice determining whether or not a text is a firsthand or secondhand account. 3
While students are working, circulate the room and listen to or confer with them on their reading, or pull small groups to provide focus group instruction for students needing additional support. Guided reading groups are also to be pulled at this time. Share Time: Bring students back together to share their work from work time. Clear up any misconceptions that come up during this time. Sample Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart: This chart will be completed when the second related lesson seed is taught in weeks 19-24. Firsthand Account Secondhand Account Pronouns Used I, me, my he, she, they, his, her Was the person telling about the experience present during the event or experience? Yes No. The person writing about Ellis Island had researched Ellis Island and used the information to write the text. Text Structure Focus Details from the Text Formative Assessment Opportunities: Exit slip: Provide students with a short text and direct them to determine whether or not the text is a firsthand or secondhand account. Students must support their answer based on details in the text. Objective: Students will explain concepts in a historical event including what happened and why. Lesson Seed #2 Informational Learning Target: I can explain events in a historical text. (RI.4.3) Note: This lesson seed is a repeat of seed #3 in the unit for weeks 7-12. There is no title listed. It may work best to work through this lesson seed with a historical text to support your social studies instruction. The idea behind this standard is cause and effect what happened and why. Interactive Read Aloud: (must occur prior to the mini-lesson) In Lesson Seeds #1-2 the focus of instruction is on reading and understanding informational texts. During this time you will want to read aloud a variety of informational texts while demonstrating how readers navigate through texts. Take this time to continue having discussions about the different text structures, adding to the anchor chart from weeks 1-6. You can also continue to practice determining main idea, and explaining how the key details support the main idea. Model how to make notes in the margins or on sticky notes about what is important to remember. It will be important to keep the read aloud interactive by inviting students to turn and talk or to stop and jot. Mini-Lesson(s): (RI.4.3; RI.4.1; L.4.6; SL.4.1a, 4.1b; W.4.8, 4.10) This seed is intended to span more than one mini-lesson. Explain to students that when we read historical text we want to think about the events that are happening and what caused those events to happen. Good readers stop and think about the cause and effect of events in history. 4
Using any historical text (social studies textbook, historical text from the Toolkit Texts, etc.), think aloud about the event being explained. Use language such as I wonder why or I wonder what caused when thinking aloud about the events. Model how you record your thinking on a chart similar to the one shown below. Guided Practice: (this may occur during the next mini-lesson) Students should have the opportunity to work together with your support to talk about why certain events in history happened and why. They may do this within the social studies text you used to model your thinking. Students should be asked to record their thinking on a chart, perhaps using post-it notes that could be posted on the class chart. This would allow for class discussion about the post-it notes. Work Time: Provide historical texts for students to read and think about what happened and why. It is important that students have multiple opportunities to practice this, not only with grade level historical text but also with historical text on their independent level. While students are working, circulate the room and listen to or confer with them on their reading, or pull small groups to provide focus group instruction for students needing additional support. Guided reading groups are also to be pulled at this time. Share Time: Bring students back together to share the thinking they did during work time. Note students who are able to convey accurate thinking in regards to events in a historical text and note the students who need additional support. Sample Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart: I read This happened because What happened? Why did this happen? What caused this event to happen? Formative Assessment Opportunities: Collect student notebooks. Are students able to explain the events read about in the historical text? Examine post-it notes from guided practice. Which students are on track with their thinking? Which students need additional support when discussing what happened and why in a historical text? Objective: Students will interpret information presented through texts, photographs, side bars and maps. Lesson Seed #3 - Informational Learning Target: I can interpret information presented quantitatively and visually, and then explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text. (RI.4.7) Note: This lesson seed is similar to seed #6 from weeks 7-12 unit. Please refer back to seed #6 in weeks 7-12 for more support. In the aforementioned lesson seed, students were taught how to look at information gained from pie charts and photographs, as well as text. This lesson seed will continue that process and is adding the component of explaining how that information all works together to contribute to the reader s understanding. 5
Interactive Read Aloud: (must occur prior to the mini-lesson) You may choose to continue using informational texts during this time or you may want to begin pulling in a new chapter book. Bridge to Terabithia is used in upcoming seeds for point of view so that may be what you choose to read. Mini-Lesson(s): (RI.4.7; RI.4.1, 4.10; SL.4.1a, 4.1b, 4.2; W.4.8, 4.10; L.4.6) This seed is intended to span more than one mini-lesson. Explain to students that sometimes informational texts contain different text features that help the reader better understand the topic or concept they are reading about. Remind them about the work they did in previous mini-lessons with looking at how information in pie graphs and charts helped better their understanding of the text. Provide students with an information text that contains information presented not only through text but also through visuals, etc. The article A Focus on Girls Education (Source Book of Short Text) is an example of a text that could be used. After reading the text with students, ask students what they notice about this text. Possible things they may notice would be the photographs with captions, the side bar of information on the first page, the website link at the bottom of the first page, and the fact that the second page of text is not a continuation of the first page but a separate box of information. Chart student responses as they share what they notice. Choose one or two things from the list of features they noticed and think aloud about how the information helps you understand the topic being presented in the text. For example, point out the photograph at the top of the first page. The caption tells the reader about a cartoon character who teaches boys and girls in Bangladesh that they are equal. This goes along with the text because the text talked about how in Bangladesh girls receive smaller portions of food than their brothers do. This helps the reader get a better idea of what conditions are like in Bangladesh for girls. Guided Practice: (this may occur during the next mini-lesson) Students should work with a partner or small group to chart the information they gain from the other photographs, sidebars, the map, etc. They can write on post-it notes that can be posted on a class chart or you may have reproduced the chart for them to put into their reader s notebooks. Students are to list the information gained as well as explain how the information contributes to their understanding of the text. Depending on how familiar your students are already with this standard, you may need to stop and model along the way. Work Time: Students should have informational texts at their independent reading level that they can practice this standard on. If not, you will want to provide various texts they can practice with. While students are working, you will want to either circulate the room, listening to their reading or pull small groups of students to provide focus group instruction for students who need additional support. This is also the time you would pull a guided reading group. Share Time: Allow students the opportunity to share the work they did during guided practice and/or work time. This provides you a brief amount of time to note which students are able to express their thinking in regards to this standard. 6
Sample Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart: Information from Text Information from Pie Chart, Graph, etc. Information from Photograph Explain how the information contributes to understanding of text. Formative Assessment: Performance Task: Provide students with a brief informational text that includes information presented visually and quantitatively. Students will answer teacher-created multiple choice questions that address RI.4.7. Objective: Students will determine important information in order to summarize a literary text. Lesson Seed #4 Literary Learning Target: I can complete an organizer to organize details in a literary text. (RL.4.2) Note: RL.4.2 asks students to not only determine the theme of a literary text but also to summarize the text. This lesson seed focuses on the summarization of a literary text. Any text can be used for this. A picture book, Freedom Summer, was chosen to introduce this to students because it is shorter than a chapter book yet it showcases two problems characters face. This lesson seed focuses on how to help students organize the information for a summary. The next lesson seed will show students how to take the information from the organizer and create a written summary. Interactive Read Aloud: (must occur prior to the mini-lesson) Read aloud the literary text you plan on using for the mini-lesson. If you are using a book that is familiar to students already, then you should be reading from whichever chapter book you have chosen for this period of time. Bridge to Terabithia is being used in upcoming seeds for point of view so that may be what you choose. Use the conversation prompts suggested in the unit for weeks 1-6 to facilitate discussion through this time. Mini-Lesson(s): (RL.4.2; RL.4.1, 4.10; W.4.8, 4.10; L.4.6; SL.4.2, 4.4, 4.6) This seed is intended to span more than one mini-lesson. Explain to students that when we write a summary of a literary text we want to include certain details from the story. A summary should include character s names, what the problem is and what the solution was. Some stories contain more than one problem so we want to include that into a summary. Using Freedom Summer (or any literary text), model how to work on the Somebody Wanted But So Then chart. Think aloud why you are including certain information on the chart. Students should be able to see the text as you work. You may choose to give students their personal copy of a chart to work on as you model your thinking. Only complete the first part of the chart. This should take them through the first problem in the book. Guided Practice: (this may occur during the next mini-lesson) Direct students to complete the chart with the rest of the text. Students may work together or independently to do this work. When finished, ask students to share their charts in order to complete the big chart for the rest of the text. 7
Work Time: This is a process students can follow with any literary text. Not all texts have more than one problem. When that happens, students would only fill out the first row of the organizer. While students are working, you will want to either circulate the room, listening to their reading or pull small groups of students to provide focus group instruction for students who need additional support. This is also the time you would pull a guided reading group. Share Time: Bring students back together and provide the opportunity for them to share what they did during work time in regards to Somebody Wanted But So Then. If students worked together, they can share to the rest of the group. Sample Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart: Somebody Wanted But So Joe his best friend John Henry to be able to go everywhere he could go and do everything he could do the laws required black people and white people to use different public facilities the laws changed and everyone, regardless of race, could use the same public facilities Then Somebody Wanted But So Joe and John Henry to swim in the town pool together when they got there, the pool was being filled in with tar They did not give up. They decided to go into a store together. Formative Assessment Opportunities: Performance Task: Given a short literary text, students will complete a Somebody Wanted But So Then organizer for that text. This text will be used for another task so they need to be kept. Objective: Students will create a written summary of a literary text. Lesson Seed #5 - Literary Learning Target: I can use my organizer to help me write a summary of a literary text. (RL.4.2) Note: This lesson seed should occur after the previous seed. In seed #3 students learned how to organize details from a literary text. This lesson seed will teach students how to take the information from the organizer and create a written summary. Interactive Read Aloud: (must occur prior to the mini-lesson) Continue to read aloud from the chapter book you have chosen for the upcoming point of view seeds. Remember the purpose of the interactive read aloud time is to facilitate conversation amongst the students. We want them talking about the text. The unit from weeks 1-6 includes conversation prompts that support student discussion. Mini-Lesson(s): (RL.4.2; RL.4.1, 4.10; L.4.6; SL.4.1b, 4.2, 4.4; W.4.8, 4.10) This seed is intended to span more than one mini-lesson. Explain to students that they have learned how to take important details from a literary text and organize them using the Somebody Wanted But So Then organizer. The next step is to take the thinking from the organizer and create a summary. You will want to be sure students can see your writing. Chart paper would work well. Another option would be the projector but you want to make sure it is big enough for students to see. 8
After reviewing the completed organizer, model how to take the details and create a summary. You will want to orally rehearse the summary first before putting it into writing. It might sound something like The book we read was Freedom Summer. In this book Joe wanted his best friend John Henry to be able to go everywhere he could go and do everything he could do. However the laws required black people and white people to use different public facilities so the laws changed and everyone, regardless of race, could use the same public facilities. Then Joe and John Henry wanted to swim in the town pool together but when they got to the pool the pool was being filled in with tar. They did not give up. They decided to go into the store together for the first time ever. After orally rehearsing, begin writing the summary. You only want to model a small part before having students practice. Guided Practice: (this may occur during the next mini-lesson) Have students work in pairs. Direct them to first take turns orally rehearsing the summary. After both partners have rehearsed the summary, direct them to complete the written summary. Bring students back together to share their summaries. Be sure to complete the written summary on the chart paper. Work Time: Students can practice using their completed organizers from previous work time to create summaries. Students could get with a partner to practice rehearsing the summary before creating a written summary. While students are working, you will want to either circulate the room, listening to their reading or pull small groups of students to provide focus group instruction for students who need additional support. This is also the time you would pull a guided reading group. Share: Allow time for students to come together and share any summaries they attempted to write during work time. This allows you the opportunity to jot notes as students share to assist in the formation of focus groups. Sample Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart: Completed Somebody Wanted But So Then organizer from previous lesson seed Formative Assessment: Performance Task: Given the same short literary task from a previous task, students will use their completed organizer in order to write a summary of the text. Objective: Students will explain the structural elements of a drama. Lesson Seed #6 - Literature Learning Target: I can explain the structural elements of drama. (RL.4.5) Note: RL.4.5 asks students to explain major differences between drama, poetry, and prose using the structural elements of each. The unit from weeks 7-12 contained two lesson seeds to support this standard, one which was specific to poetry. This lesson seed will be specific to drama. This lesson seed will refer to The Magical Pen (Toolkit Texts). If you used lesson seed #7 from weeks 7-12 students will be familiar with this drama. Any drama can be used and you will need multiple dramas available to students for practice. 9
Interactive Read Aloud: (must occur prior to the mini-lesson) Continue to read aloud from the chapter book you have chosen for the upcoming point of view seeds. Remember the purpose of the interactive read aloud time is to facilitate conversation amongst the students. We want them talking about the text. The unit from weeks 1-6 includes conversation prompts that support student discussion. Mini-Lesson(s): (RL.4.5; RL.4.10; RF.4.4b; W.4.8, W.4.10; L.4.6; SL.4.1b, 4.1c) This lesson seed may require more than one mini-lesson. Explain to students that dramas have certain structural elements that make dramas different from poetry and prose. Students should have the text in front of them. Think aloud about the structural elements you see when you analyze the drama. If you made an anchor chart with them previously you will want to refer back to it now. Depending on how much support your students need, students could highlight the elements they notice before you think aloud for them. The following is an example of a think aloud you could include. As I look at this drama, A Magical Pen, it looks different from stories I normally read. I notice in the upper left corner is a box with the cast, or characters, in this drama. Read the cast aloud to the class. I am going to keep reading. One evening, at Monticello, After you read the opening paragraph, continue with your think aloud. This paragraph is telling the reader a little about the setting of this drama. I visualize Thomas Jefferson sitting while grandchildren dance about. I can see the red curtains, tall windows and wood patterned floors. Continue to read, thinking aloud as you go. Make sure to point out any structural elements. For example, make sure you point out when a new character is speaking, or when you see stage directions (after the narrator speaks for the first time). Stage directions are important for anyone who is performing the drama because they tell the characters where on the stage they need to be. It will also be important to mention that in this drama, the narrator is providing background information as well as establishing setting. Guided Practice: (may occur during the next mini-lesson) Ask students to read with a partner Jefferson s second speaking part. What structural element do they notice within this part? They can mark this on their copy, you could have them post it on the anchor chart, or you can have them share out with the class. Support them as needed if they are unable to notice that the italicized writing in parentheses is a stage direction. You can have students act this out so that they can see the importance of the stage directions. Put them in groups of four to demonstrate what this part would look like on a stage. Students can continue to work together or independently to read the rest of the drama, noting any structural elements of drama as they work. Prepare them for the last page, where they will see a text box and a map. What is the purpose of these two features? This could be written into their reader s notebooks. Work Time: Students would benefit from having time to explore other dramas, looking for the different structural elements that exist within dramas. Students should not only be able to identify the different structural elements but explain them specific to the drama as well. While students are working, you will want to either circulate the room, listening to their reading or pull small groups of students to provide focus group instruction for students who need additional support. This is also the time you would pull a guided reading group. 10
Share: Bring students back together and allow time for students to share one of the dramas they read. Encourage them to use the structural elements in their language when discussing the dramas. An option for this time could be to allow students to turn to a partner for a quick share. Sample Thinking Stems/Anchor Charts: Anchor chart of structural elements of drama, either previously created or created during this lesson seed Formative Assessment Opportunities: Performance Task: Given a drama, students will label the different elements of drama. Students will create a t-chart with the structural element on the left and an explanation of the structural element specific to that drama. Objective: Students will make comparisons about the treatment of similar themes and topics in two different texts. Lesson Seed #7 - Literature Learning Target: I can compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics in stories. (RL.4.9) Note: In order to meet the full intent of RL.4.9, students must be exposed to many different texts that have similar topics and themes. This lesson seed focuses on two texts that share a similar theme and topic. The unit from weeks 7-12 had a lesson seed about determining the theme of a story. Included was a list of possible themes in children s literature. This will help in the selection of books used to support this standard. This seed will refer to Freedom Summer (4-5 text exemplar) and The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson. If this text isn t available in your school, choose another similar text. This seed uses two shorter picture books to introduce the concept of comparing the treatment of similar themes and topics. You will want to move into longer, more complex texts as students are ready. Interactive Read Aloud: (must occur prior to the mini-lesson) If you have not yet read your second choice of text for this lesson seed, now would be the time to read the text with your students. If you are using two familiar texts, then continue reading aloud the chosen chapter book for this six weeks. The purpose of the interactive read aloud time is to facilitate conversation amongst the students. We want them talking about the text. The unit from weeks 1-6 includes conversation prompts that support student discussion. Mini-Lesson(s): (RL.4.9; RL.4.1, 4.2, 4.10; L.4.6; SL.4.2, 4.4, 4.6; W.4.8, 4.9a) This seed is intended to span more than one mini-lesson. The two texts should be read prior to this mini-lesson, as well as determining what the theme is of each. Part 1: Choose one of the texts. Revisit the text by walking through it with students. Introduce the learning target and explain that in order to compare and contrast themes of stories, readers first must look closely at the text. Show them the organizer you will be using to help with the process of analyzing text (see sample organizer below). Students will need to have a personal copy of the organizer for this work. 11
Model how to begin completing the organizer. Since students don t have access to the entire text, you may want to model the two sections on what the characters say. You may also choose to model the section on the symbolism as well. The symbol in Freedom Summer would be the pool it is the continuing barrier even after the law is passed. In The Other Side the symbol is the fence. The fence is a symbol of segregation. Students should be able to go back and remember the 4 main events and work on this in groups. Part 2: Repeat the above process with the second text. Part 3: Now that both texts have been closely analyzed, focus solely on the characters. Compare how the authors developed the theme of friendship transcends barriers with characters words. Use these thinking stems to lead discussion: How did Deborah Wiles use thoughts, words and actions to help the reader understand how the characters in Freedom Summer felt about not being able to hang out together in public? How did Jacqueline Woodson use thoughts, words and actions to help the reader understand how the characters in The Other Side felt about being kept apart? Part 4: Focus solely on the events. Use the completed organizers to compare how the authors developed the theme of friendship transcends barriers with the events in the stories. Use these thinking stems to lead discussion: Explain how the characters in both books overcome obstacles. Guided practice: (may occur during the next mini-lesson) Part 5: Bring it all together. Pose this thinking stem to students: Explain how both authors treat the theme of friendship transcends barriers in both stories. Using the organizers, think aloud about how you would begin to address this thinking stem. This would be a good opportunity for interactive writing. Students can be an active part of the writing process, while still being closely guided by the teacher. Or you may choose to have students work in pairs to respond to this thinking stem. Students could then read each other s responses and provide feedback, ask questions, etc. Work Time: Students can work independently or in pairs to practice this process. You will want to make available different texts that address similar themes and topics. For example, Our Gracie Aunt by Jacqueline Woodson (K-1 exemplar) can be used with The Other Side to make comparisons between the themes of resilience. While students are working, you will want to either circulate the room, listening to their reading or pull small groups of students to provide focus group instruction for students who need additional support. This is also the time you would pull a guided reading group. Share: Bring students back together and allow the opportunity to share what they have worked on during work time. Students may share whole group, or you may choose to have them turn to a partner to share. 12
Sample Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart: Kentucky Core Academic Standards Curriculum Unit Formative Assessment Opportunities: Performance Task: Given two texts that share a similar theme, students will compare and contrast the treatment of the similar theme in the two stories, using details from the texts. 13
Suggested Instructional Texts: Rigby (R), Classroom Library (CL), Text Exemplar (E), Science (S), Social Studies (SS), Toolkit Texts(TT), Source Book of Short Text (SBST) Literary Bridge to Terabithia The Sign of the Beaver (E) The Magical Pen (TT) Freedom Summer (2-3 E) Informational A Focus on Girls Education (SBST) Islands of Freedom (R) Additional Professional Resources: Reading Units of Study, Lucy Calkins A Curricular Plan for The Reading Workshop Grade 4, Lucy Calkins The Comprehension Experience: Engaging Readers Through Effective Inquiry and Discussion, W. Dorsey Hammond & Denise D. Nessel The Comprehension Toolkit, Stephanie Harvey, Anna Goudvis, & Judy Wallis http://www.achievethecore.org Resources for Tier II & Tier III Interventions JCPS Response to Interventions website: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/departments/gheens/rti/rti.html Interventioncentral.org: http://www.interventioncentral.org/ Readworks.org (K-6 reading lessons and passages): http://www.readworks.org/ Literacyleader.com (lessons and resources): http://www.literacyleader.com/ 14