Amanda Caple
SLIB 620
Instructional Unit
Outline:
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Grade level-4th
Subject/curricular focus- 4th Grade Virginia Studies-Founding Fathers/Non-fiction
Comprehension of text
AASL Standards
o 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual,
media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
o 1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
o 1.4.4 Seek appropriate help when it is needed.
o 2.1.6 Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create
products that express new
o 2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize information.
o 3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge
and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess.
o 4.2.2 Demonstrate motivation by seeking information to answer personal questions and
interests, trying a variety of formats and genres, and displaying a willingness to go
beyond academic requirements.
SOL and local curriculum
o Virginia Studies
 VS.6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in the
establishment of the new American nation by
a) explaining why George Washington is called the "Father of our Country" and
James Madison is called the "Father of the Constitution"
b) identifying the ideas of George Mason and Thomas Jefferson as expressed in
the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Statute for Religious
Freedom
o Reading
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4.6 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts
a) Use text structures, such as type, headings, and graphics, to predict and
categorize information in both print and digital texts.
b) Formulate questions that might be answered in the selection.
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Time- Students will practice and use research skills for four class sessions prior to conducting
research for the project. We will use practice topics to practice using reliable resources, citing
sources, locating and answering questions
o Time (One Month)
Once a week, for 30 minutes, students will complete an element (one historical figure)
of research during fixed library visits (historical significance, documents, what was going
on in the world during this time, interesting facts)
 Week 1: George Washington
 Week 2: James Madison
 Week 3: George Mason
 Week 4: Thomas Jefferson
Learning Theories appropriate to the unit- Cognitive Flexibility, Multiple Intelligences,
Constructivist
Information Literacy model- Research Process Helper
Level of collaboration or co-teachingo Librarian-Provide research materials and opportunities to complete sections of the
research. Complete practice researching opportunities during library time
o Classroom Teachers-Give time to students during the Language Block or History Block to
put pieces of research together and review information found. During Language Block,
students can start to create their rough draft of their comic strip.
o ITRT-Complete the comic strip document with students (two technology sessions-45
minutes each)
Assessments – pre, formative, and summative
o Pre-Assessment-ask students to complete a sort of who the founding fathers are and
the key facts/documents that go with each
o Use post-it notes to display interesting/key facts from research as an exit pass from the
library (after each visit)
o Create a comic strip about the founding father’s using pictures and information found
from research
Books and resources
o History Textbook
o Nonfiction Books (library and public library)
o Computer Lab
o Research Guide
Activitieso Research Founding Fathers using Research Helper model
o Complete a Pre-Assessment and Post-Assessment sort of Founding Fathers and Key
Facts/Documents about each person
o Write one interesting fact/key fact after each visit on a post it note as an exit pass.
o Create a New Nation Comic Strip from facts gathered
Outside resources needed for support of the unit
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o Check out additional resources from the public library
Ideas for differentiation, remediation, extensiono Guided research questions (question stems or sentence starters)
o Pictures and audio support for students during research
o Students that have been absent will be able to come during lunch, before school, or stay
after school to complete parts of the assignment not finished