Grade: 1
Unit: 1, Week 2
Title: Alphabet Books and Children Who Read Them
Essential Question
Why is it important to ask
questions while you are reading?
Objectives
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Target Skills
Understand that ideas are processed through inquiry, thought, and conversation.
Help shape research question for class ABC book.
Perform shared research and work collaboratively to write class ABC book.
Learn about libraries and gather information on given topic at the library for class ABC book.
Listen to one another in conversations and speak one at a time.
Learn and use new vocabulary words. Add research, shared research, and topic.
Distinguish long and short vowels and sounds, produce single-syllable words by blending, isolating, and
segmenting sounds in single-syllable words.
Suggested Materials
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Dates of Instruction: _______________________
ABC books from last week.
Tomas and the Library Lady (Pat Mora and Raul Colon)
Our Library (Eve Bunting and Maggie Smith)
The Library (Sarah Stewart and David Small)
I Read Signs (Tana Hoban)
Look Book (Tana Hoban)
I Can Read With My Eyes Shut! (Dr. Seuss)
Resources
For ABC book ideas and additional activities:
http://www.readwritethink.org Search keywords “ABC books.” Option:
search “Book Sorting” and click on “Book Sorting: Using Observation and
Comprehension to Categorize Books” or search “Adventures in Nonfiction:
A Guided Inquiry Journey” for additional activities.
Possible Activities
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Have available and continue to examine a variety of ABC books including informational and literary texts.
Using the ABC books as a model, generate some ideas for writing a class ABC book. Allow the class to suggest
ideas (e.g., names, authors, animals, insects). After ideas have been shaped into a research question, have
children vote on a theme for the class ABC book. Once the theme is chosen, collect (and research using a variety
of texts and digital resources) ideas for each letter of the alphabet. Assign each student a letter in the book. Each
page should include an upper and lower case letter, the key word, an illustration, and a sentence using the key
word. Review proper punctuation and capitalization. This is a two-week project.
Read a variety of books about the library (see list or provide your own selection) and visit the library to learn more
about researching a topic. Give students an opportunity to research the topic for their assigned letter. Encourage
listening skills and collaboration during ABC class project.
Learn and appropriately use new vocabulary words in conversation and writing.
Teach mini-lessons on distinguishing long and short vowels and sounds, and give students opportunities to
practice producing and reading single-syllable words by blending, isolating, and segmenting sounds in singlesyllable words. Review capitalization and punctuation.
Give students an opportunity to practice decoding and fluency through shared and independent reading using a
variety of books. Draw attention to pictures, illustrations, and details in text to encourage students in discerning
and describing key ideas. Model predicting what will happen next in a story.
Questioning – use questions to gain,
process, clarify, and analyze information
Phonological Awareness/Phonics –
distinguish long and short vowels and
sounds
Research – use questioning and gather
information for researching class ABC book
Cooperative Learning – work with others
in order to learn collaboration and share
ideas
Unit Standards
Recurring
Standards
RL.1.1
RI.1.1
RF.1.1
RF.1.2
RF. 1.3
RF.1.4
W.1.7
SL.1.1
L.1.1
L.1.2
RL.1.6
RL.1.7
RL.1.10
RL.1.11
RI.1.4
RI.1.5
RI.1.7
W.1.8
SL.1.6
L1.6
Evidence of Learning
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Student asks questions that demonstrate forethought.
Student answers questions, makes comparisons, and interprets
information demonstrating forethought and understanding.
Student correctly uses beginning capitalization and ending
punctuation in writing sentences.
Student cooperatively contributes to class ABC book project and
researches topic for his/her designated letter.
Student participates in discussion, using appropriate discussion
etiquette.
Student appropriately decodes many first grade words and
recognizes sight words while reading.
Student uses new vocabulary words appropriately in discussion.