Unit 2 Character Study
Reading Workshop: Big Ideas
Understanding the character helps students understand the story. Studying internal and external character
changes.
* Uses a variety of strategies (such as visualizing and predicting) to comprehend fiction texts
* Use knowledge of text structure (characters, setting, plot, problem/solution) to support comprehension and character development
* Read and respond to literature (orally and in writing) by connecting to characters through actions, feelings dialogue etc.
* Use text evidence to make and write about predictions, inferences and draw conclusions as a way to support comprehension
Unit Standards
3.1.3.3
Describe characters in a story (e. g . their traits, motivations, or feelings ) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
3.1.4.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language, including figurative language such as similes.
3.1.5.5
Refer to parts of stories , dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such as chapter, scene , and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections. ( On-going)
3.1.7.7
Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e. g .create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).
3.10.6.6
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain- specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them ). (On-going)
3.8.3.3
Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.
(On-Going)
3.3.0.3 Know and apply grade level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. A. Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes. B. Decode words with common Latin suffixes.
C. Decode multisyllable words. D. Read grade-appropriate irregular spelled words, including high-frequency words.
(On-Going)
3.3.0.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. A. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. B. Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. C. use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
(On-Going)
Reading Resources
Readers Workshop Units
* Chalkbox Kids
* Unit1 Allie’s Basketball (basal)
* Unit3 Brave as a Mountain Lion & Your Dad was just like you (basal)
*Unit 4 Sam and the Lucky Money (Basal)
* Unit6 Extra-Good Sunday and Mailing May(basal)
Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
Franny K Stein by Jim Benton
Tales of 4 th grade nothing
Fudge a mania

Assessment
Integration

Unit Bends in the road POSSIBLE Teaching Point/Teaching Focus
Using the structure of fiction to understand character

Good readers surround themselves with fictional books and strong characters.

Readers look at the structures of fictional books, characters, setting, problem/solution, ect.
Marking up a text
Exploring characters through comprehension strategies

Readers are able to find evidence through the parts of a story ( chapter, scene, and stanza ) when building a theory on a character.

Readers also pay attention on how each part of the story builds on the next by watching character change and growth.
 Readers look for clues to help “read people” in their stories and tell themselves; let’s use what just happened as a window to help me understand this character’s actions or feelings . B/V2.9

Readers look for evidence to show characters sometimes act out of character through their actions, feelings, or dialogue and we should grow ideas about why this character acts a certain way. B

Readers notice objects that a character keeps close to them to grow ideas about what kind of traits a character has. B/V2.11
 Readers put themselves in the main character’s shoes to better understand their traits, motives, and feelings.
V1.1

Readers read themselves awake, really envisioning what’s happening in the story. We remember those times in our lives to bring feeling and understanding toward the character. V1.2

Readers live in the world of the character by envisioning the setting and how it effects the character’s actions.

Readers revise their mental movie when confused.
V1.4

Readers empathize with the characters in their book.V1.3

Growing a theme/big idea
Defending your ideas/thoughts about your reading in writing using evidence

Readers make predictions to anticipate how things will happen by what the character has already done or said.
V1.6

Readers sharpen their ideas about characters by using precise language to describe them and their actions, also include literal and nonliteral language . B/V
2.13

Readers keep in mind that characters are complicated; they are not just one way. V2.10

Readers think deeply about a character by examining the ways that people around the character treat the main character, especially by dialogue and events .
V2.12

Readers note the change of a character’s traits from the beginning to the end of a story, by studying the sequence of events in the story.

Readers think of the lesson our character has learned, wondering how their actions might affect our choices.

Readers gather ideas on post-its about the characters in their books, and then sort them to create common themes about their traits and actions. V2.14

Readers begin to develop a theory loosely, but allow shift in their thinking as they gather more information about the character. V2.15
Writing about Reading
Phonics and Fluency
(Continue throughout each unit)

Readers grow their theories on character by grouping their post-its and writing a theory.

Readers pull out evidence to support their theories by writing done the evidence and predicting the outcome.

Readers decode by looking at prefixes and suffixes and also to find meaning.

Readers decode by recognizing Latin suffixes.

Readers decode by looking at multisyllable words.

Readers read fluently by recognizing grade appropriate words.

Readers read with fluency by leading with their eyes.

Readers read with fluency by reading with accuracy.

Readers read with fluency by reading with an appropriate rate.

Readers read with fluency by reading with expression.

Readers decode words by using the context and rereading if they have to.

Celebration

Readers celebrate the character they have met.
Standards
Meets standard
(Proficient)
Approaches standard
(Basic)
Does not meet standard
(Below Basic)
3.1.3.3Describe character’s traits, motivations, or feelings that contribute to the sequence of events.
Describe characters in a story and how their actions contribute to events.
General description of character or missing contributes to events
Vague description and no link to events.
3.1.4.4Determine the meaning of words including figurative language such as similes.
Meaning of literal and nonliteral words
Identify basic words, lacking figurative language
Cannot determine meaning
3.1.7.7 Explain how text illustration affects the story
(e. g .create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).
Explain how text illustration affects the story
Describe some text structures its characters, setting, or events.
Does not pay attention to pictures