West Haven Public Schools
Unit Planning Organizer
Subject___Reading and Writing_ ___________
Grade___First___
Unit #6 – Author’s Choice
Pacing- 5 weeks, 4 Buffer Days
Reading Essential Question(s):
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How do I compare and contrast two texts (illustrations, descriptions, or procedures) on the same topic?
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How do I compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories?
Reading Big Idea(s):
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I look at the text features to see what is the same and different in each book.
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I look at what characters say and do to see what is the same and different in each book.
Grade 1 ELA, Unit 6 Planning Organizer, May 2013
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Reading Overarching Standards (OS)
CC1.RL.10 With prompting and support, read prose and poetry of appropriate complexity for grade 1.
CC1.RI.10 With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1.
Reading Priority and Supporting CCSS
CC1.RL.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CC1.RL.4 Identify words and phrases in stories and poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
CC1.RL.9 Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
CC1.RL.11 Text to self connection
CC1.RI.9 Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (illustrations,
descriptions, or procedures).
Grade 1 ELA, Unit 6 Planning Organizer, May 2013
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Reading Foundational Skills
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Print Concepts
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1.1 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
1.1a Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending punctuation)
Phonological Awareness
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1.2 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).
1.2a Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.
1.2b Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.
1.2c Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.
1.2d Segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).
Phonics and Word Recognition
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1.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
1.3a Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.
1.3b Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
1.3c Know final -e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds.
1.3d Use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word.
1.3e Decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.
1.3f Read words with inflectional endings.
1.3g Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
Fluency
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1.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
1.4a Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
1.4b Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
1.4c Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Grade 1 ELA, Unit 6 Planning Organizer, May 2013
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Reading
Concepts
(What students need to know)
Skills
(What students need to be able to do)
Bloom’s Taxonomy Levels
CC.1.RL.9
CC.1.RL.9
CC.1.RL.9
Adventures and experiences of
characters in stories
Compare and contrast
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CC.1.RI.9
CC.1.RI.9
CC.1.RI.9
Similarities and differences in two texts
Identify
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Grade 1 ELA, Unit 6 Planning Organizer, May 2013
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Writing Instruction Lessons (Writers’ Workshop) and Assessments will be addressed by Writing Consultant Trisha D’Amore. Each
student will be required to create an “All About” book.
Writing Essential Question(s):
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How do I write an opinion piece?
Writing Big Idea(s):
 I introduce a book by telling the title and what it’s about.
 I tell my opinion about the book.
 I tell a reason for my opinion using the word because.
 I write a conclusion that restates my opinion.
Language Essential Question(s): (to be included in the writing curriculum)
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How do I distinguish shades of meaning among adjectives differing in intensity?
How do I distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in intensity?
Language Big Idea(s):
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I look for how the adjective is used in the sentence to know what it means.
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I look for how the verb is used in the sentence to know what it means.
Grade 1 ELA, Unit 6 Planning Organizer, May 2013
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Writing Overarching Standards (OS)
Note: Speaking and Listening & Standards are deliberatively placed into writing units to support the importance of
students’ oral rehearsal of stories before putting the pen to paper.
CC1.L.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
CC1.L.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
CC1.L.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple meaning words and phrases based on grade one
reading and content, choosing flexibility from an array of strategies.
CC1.L.5 With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word
meanings.
CC1.L.6 Use words and phrases acquired through conversations reading and being read to and responding to texts,
including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships (e.g. because)
CC1.SL.3 Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is
not understood.
CC1.SL.4 Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant, details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
CC1.SL.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
CC1.SL.6 Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation.
Grade 1 ELA, Unit 6 Planning Organizer, May 2013
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Writing Priority and Supporting CCSS
CC.1.W.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an
opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.
CC1.W.6 With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in
collaboration with peers.
CC.1.W.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided
sources to answer a question.
CC.1.L.1f Use frequently occurring adjectives.
CC.1.L.1h Use determiners (e.g., use articles, demonstratives)
CC.1.L.1j Produce and expand complete simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory
sentences in response to prompts.
CC.1.L.2c Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series
CC.1.L.1j Produce and expand complete simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory
sentences in response to prompts.
CC.1.SL.1b Build on other’s talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple
exchanges.
CC.1.SL.2 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or
through other media.
Grade 1 ELA, Unit 6 Planning Organizer, May 2013
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Writing and Language
Concepts
(What students need to know)
Skills
(What students need to be able to do)
Bloom’s Taxonomy Levels
CC.1.W.1
CC.1.W.1
CC.1.W.1
Opinion
State
6
Topic
Write
6
Title
Write
6
Closure
Write
6
Review and application of all
prioritized language standards.
Grade 1 ELA, Unit 6 Planning Organizer, May 2013
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Assessments
No Common Assessments for this Unit
*Spelling and Dictation Tests will still be given until grades close for the marking period.
“Dipsticks” (Informal Progress Monitoring Checks):
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Running Records, A-Z Benchmark, begin at student’s instructional level (Running Records levels C-J are included in the
Dipstick section in the back of the binder. If needed, you have to print the higher/lower levels yourself).
Scott Foresman Phonics Resource Book: phonic pages
Student created writing samples throughout the unit
Sight word checklist
SAT- 9, if applicable matching standards
Performance Task:
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Opinion Writing – use rubric provided by Trisha D’Amore
Grade 1 ELA, Unit 6 Planning Organizer, May 2013
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Instructional Planning (Writing Instruction and Assessments will be addressed by Consultant Trisha D’Amore.)
Suggested Reading & Writing Resources/Materials:
 Scott Foresman Anthology: phonics stories, comprehension stories, phonics readers, leveled guided reading books
 Continue using resources from previous unit.
 A variety of fiction and nonfiction texts
 Daily Five
 6+1 Traits of Writing :The Complete Guide for the Primary Grades by Ruth Culham
 Learn to Write lap books by Creative Teaching Press:
How Can I Get a Pet?
Seasons`
 Info Pairs by Mondo Publishing Co.
 Steps to Literacy by Rigby Publishing Co.
 Take-Twos by McGraw-Hill Education/Wright Group
 Scholastic News Nonfiction Readers
 Learn to Write Lap Books: How Can I Get a Pet? by Creative Teaching Press
 Trisha D’Amore’s Writers’ Workshop Project for West Haven Public Schools
 Units of Study for Primary Writing by Lucy Calkins
 Nancy Boyles’ Launching Lessons
 Concept-Shades of Meaning: Use paint samples from hardware store to visually show shades of color and compare to shades
of meaning in words. (For example: blue, sapphire, indigo
large, huge, gigantic
look, peek, stare)
 “Appendix B” from Smarter Balanced, in the resource section of this binder, for suggested read alouds
Grade 1 ELA, Unit 6 Planning Organizer, May 2013
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Suggested Research-based Effective Instructional Strategies:
 Teach and post class essential questions.
 Model expected reading and writing behaviors.
 Guided discovery
 Guided Reading
 The Daily Five
 CAFÉ Menu
 CC.1.RL.9 Identify Similarities and Differences – based on story elements
 CC.1.RI.9 Identify Similarities and Differences – based on main ideas
 CC.1.RL.9 & CC.1.RI.9 Nonlinguistic Representations – use Venn Diagram to represent content of comparisons
 CC.1.W.1 Cooperative Learning – revising using T.A.G. (Tell what you like, Ask questions, Give advice and opinions)
Grade 1 ELA, Unit 6 Planning Organizer, May 2013
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Vocabulary/Word Wall
adventures
compare/contrast
differences
experiences
similarities
Enrichment/Extension
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Create an opinion piece about why it
is important to care for the
environment.
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Create a opinion poster i.e.,
advertisement (Why You Should Read
My Book)
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Magazine Ads to show real world
opinions
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Students will create a poster showing
their pet choice. See website below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEfYb5FnWt8
Grade 1 ELA, Unit 6 Planning Organizer, May 2013
Interdisciplinary Connections
Across disciplines, the teacher can provide
opportunities for students to express their
opinion about a book, characters, or the
author’s opinion about a book.
Publisher- Wright Group
Title
Guided Reading Level
Picking a Pet
H
Can I have a Stegosaurus, Mom? Can I? Please?
By: Lois G. Grambling
What Pet to Get?
By: Emma Dodd
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