9:00 – 12:00
Ms. Tarr’s Lesson Plans Week of 11-24-2014
Monday November 24, 2014 Day 66
Billy will be in Ms. Antonacci’s class this morning. He will go to specials and lunch with them and return at
12:05
12:05- 12:30
Structural Analysis and Word Work
12:30-1:30
Reading Block
Pre-Assessments
Introduce: Review: Suffixes “ize”= to become like; or to treat with
Introduce this week’s spelling words. Spelling Words (Students will take the pre-test)This week’s spelling and vocabulary words. terror, terrorize, familiar, familiarize, final, finalize, apology, apologize, real, realize, capital, capitalize, idol, idolize, sterile, sterilize, American, Americanize, critic, criticize
Vocabulary Words: allegiance, citizens, citizenship, enrich, oath, examiner
See attached mini lesson
1:30- 2:30
Writing Block
2:30 Dismissal
Standard: W4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, sporting a point of view with reasons and information
Topic: Opinion
Focus Lesson: - Revising Opinion Statement
Active Engagement https://learnzillion.com/lessons/4939-make-the-purpose-of-opinion-writing-clear
Writers make their purpose clear. Let’s practice making our purpose clear by focusing on one opinion statement.

9:00 – 12:00
Ms. Tarr’s Lesson Plans Week of 11-24-2014
Tuesday November 25, 2014 Day 67
Billy will be in Ms. Antonacci’s class this morning. He will go to specials and lunch with them and return at
12:05
12:05- 12:30
Structural Analysis and Word Work
12:30-1:30
Reading Block
Review: Suffixes “ize”= to become like; or to treat with
Introduce this week’s spelling words. Spelling Words (Students will take the pre-test)This week’s spelling and vocabulary words. terror, terrorize, familiar, familiarize, final, finalize, apology, apologize, real, realize, capital, capitalize, idol, idolize, sterile, sterilize, American, Americanize, critic, criticize
Vocabulary Words: allegiance, citizens, citizenship, enrich, oath, examiner
See attached mini lesson
1:30- 2:30
Writing Block
Standard: W4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, sporting a point of view with reasons and information
Topic: Opinion
Focus Lesson: -
Active Engagement https://learnzillion.com/lessons/4942-9-writers-base-their-reasons-for-an-opinion-onevidence
Writers base their reasons for an opinion on evidence.
Let’s practice supporting an opinion with strong reasons by adding evidence such as facts and details.
2:30 Dismissal

9:00 – 12:00
Ms. Tarr’s Lesson Plans Week of 11-24-2014
Wednesday November 26, 2014 Day 68
Billy will be in Ms. Antonacci’s class this morning. He will go to specials and lunch with them and return at
12:05
12:05- 12:30
Structural Analysis and Word Work
12:30-1:30
Reading Block
Review: Suffixes “ize”= to become like; or to treat with
Introduce this week’s spelling words. Spelling Words (Students will take the pre-test)This week’s spelling and vocabulary words. terror, terrorize, familiar, familiarize, final, finalize, apology, apologize, real, realize, capital, capitalize, idol, idolize, sterile, sterilize, American, Americanize, critic, criticize
Vocabulary Words: allegiance, citizens, citizenship, enrich, oath, examiner
See attached mini lesson
1:30- 2:30
Writing Block
2:30 Dismissal
Standard: W4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, sporting a point of view with reasons and information
Topic: Opinion
Focus Lesson: - Thesis Statement
Active Engagement https://learnzillion.com/lessons/383-write-a-thesis-statement-for-an-opinion-letter
Students will use the information in the video to help write their thesis statement

Ms. Tarr’s Lesson Plans Week of 11-26-2014
Thursday November 27 2014
No School Thanksgiving
Friday November 28, 2014
No School Thanksgiving Break

Mini Lesson Plan
Teacher Name: 4 th Grade Tarr Week of: Nov. 24- Nov. 26
Essential Question: How has the Constitution and The Three Branches of Government shaped America?
RI.4 – Determine the meaning of general academic & domain-specific words or phrases in a text.
RI.2 - Determine the main idea of a text & explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri.
Focus: (what do you expect the student to know and be able to do)
Students will refer to the details that support the main idea and summarize the text.
American
Students will refer to the details that support the main idea and summarize the text.
American
Students will refer to the details that support the main idea and summarize the text.
No School
Thanksgiving
No School
Thanksgiving Break Text: (basal, interactive readaloud, poem, nonfiction text, text book from another subject area)
Government
The Three Branches of Government: A
Closer Look. www.readworks.org
Part 1 & 2
Introduction &
Legislative Branch
Government
The Three Branches of Government: A
Closer Look. www.readworks.org
Part 3 & 4
Executive Branch
and Judicial Branch
The Bill Of Rights and creating illustrations of the first ten amendments. www.education.com
Tools: (graphic organizer, chart paper, projector, etc.)
Method: (thinkaloud, demonstration, student interaction)
Chart paper - Anchor
Chart to record info.
Student Reading
Response Journals.
Today we will read the text “American
Government
The Three Branches of Government: A
Closer Look.” I will introduce the essential question of the week to students and we will discuss.
I will explain to students that in order to identify the
Chart paper - Anchor
Chart to record info.
Student Reading
Response Journals.
Today we will continue to read the text “American
Government
The Three Branches of Government: A
Closer Look.”
We will review our essential question for the week.
We are working to identify the main idea of the text we
Chart paper - Anchor
Chart to record info.
Student Reading
Response Journals.
Today we will review our essential question for the week and we will read through the first ten amendments of the Constitution known as the Bill of
Rights.
We are working to identify the main idea of the text we have to think about

Comprehension questions: main idea of the text we have to think about the details that support the main idea and we have to be able to summarize what we read. As we read, we will stop and discuss questions essential to our understanding of the text.
Q: How does the U.S.
Constitution support the three branches of government and how is this important?
A: The U.S. Constitution establishes three separate branches of government and this separation makes sure that no one part of the government ever becomes too strong.
Q: What is the role of the legislative branch of the government?
A: The legislative branch makes laws.
Q: What are the two chambers of Congress?
A: The Senate and the
House of Representatives.
Q: What determines how many representatives each state has?
A: The population (# of people) in each state.
Q: How long can a senator serve and how long can a representative serve?
A: Senator can serve 6 years have to think about the details that support the main idea and we have to be able to summarize what we read.
As we read, we will stop and discuss questions essential to our understanding of the text.
Q: Who is in charge of the executive branch of government?
A: The president is in charge of the executive branch.
Q: What is the president not able to do?
A: The president is not bale to make laws.
Q: What are the jobs of the president?
A: To enforce the laws and as the commander and chief of the armed forces.
Q: How long can a president serve in office?
A: The president can serve
4 years each term and he cannot be elected more than twice.
Q: What is the job of judicial branch of government?
A: The Judicial Branch interprets the laws made by
Congress.
Q: What is the judicial branch made up of? the details that support the main idea and we have to be able to summarize what we read.
As we read, we will stop and discuss questions essential to our understanding of the text.
Q: Why were the leaders not finished once they made the Constitution of the Unites States?
A: The leaders had to have all the thirteen states agree with the constitution.
Q: What did the thirteen states want to add to the
Constitution?
A. The states wanted to add a set of amendments describing the rights of all people.
Q: What are the first ten amendments to the
Constitution called?
A: The first ten amendments are called the
Bill of Rights.
Q: In what year were the
Bill of Rights added to the
Constitution?
A: The Bill of Rights were added in 1791.
Q: In your opinion, which amendment is the most important in the Bill of
Rights? Explain why you think that amendment is the most important?

Application/
Assessment:
Guided Reading and representatives serve for 2 years.
Students will continue to refer to the details that support the main idea and summarize the text.
Guided Reading:
Our Living
Constitution
Work on Constitution
Test
A: The judicial branch is made up of the federal courts and judges. The highest court is the Supreme
Court.
Students will continue to refer to the details that support the main idea and summarize the text.
Guided Reading:
Our Living
Constitution
Work on
Constitution Test
A: Answers will vary.
Students will continue to refer to the details that support the main idea and summarize the text.
Guided Reading:
Our Living
Constitution
Work on
Constitution Test

Reading Mini Lesson Plan
Teacher Name: -Tarr Week of: December 1, 2014
Essential Question: How can we interpret details of the text and determine why the author used them?
RI. 1 – Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly & when drawing inferences
from the text.
RI.7 – Interpret information presented visually & explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text.
Big Idea: America is comprised of people from around the world who chose to become citizens.
Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri.
Focus: (what do you expect the student to know and be able to do)
Students will refer to details and examples to interpret why the author used certain details and how they contribute to the understanding
Students will refer to details and examples to interpret why the author used certain details and how they contribute to the understanding
Students will refer to details and examples to interpret why the author used certain details and how they contribute to the understanding
Students will refer to details and examples to interpret why the author used certain details and how they contribute to the understanding
Students will refer to details and examples to interpret why the author used certain details and how they contribute to the understanding
Text: (basal, interactive readaloud, poem, nonfiction text, text book from another subject area)
Tools: (graphic organizer, chart paper, projector, etc.) of the text.
Who are we?
Passage from
Readworks.com
Part 1 – Americans need to study up on the United States
Part 2 – Citizen’s
Rule
Chart paper -
Anchor Chart to record info.
Student Reading
Response Journals. of the text.
Who are we?
Passage from
Readworks.com
Part 3 – Civics in
Motion
Part 4 – Use the
News
Chart paper -
Anchor Chart to record info.
Student Reading
Response Journals. of the text.
A Very Important
Day
Literary Text from
Houghton Mifflin
Chart paper -
Anchor Chart to record info.
Student Reading
Response Journals. of the text.
A Very Important
Day
Literary Text from
Houghton Mifflin
Chart paper -
Anchor Chart to record info.
Student Reading
Response Journals. of the text.
Assessment
Assessment page, pencil, and passages from the week.

Method: (thinkaloud, demonstration, student interaction)
Today we will read the text “Who are
We?” I will introduce the essential question of the week to students and we will discuss.
I will explain to students that to deeply understand a text, readers need to think about what details the author included in the text and why those details are important.
As we read, we will stop and discuss questions essential to our understanding of the text.
Today we will continue to read the text “Who are
We?” We will review our essential question for the week and think about the details in the text as we read. We are working to determine why the author would use these details and how they help us better understand the text.
As we read, we will stop and discuss questions essential to our understanding of the text.
Today we will begin reading the story
“A Very Important
Day.” We will read over our essential question for the week and think about details in the text as we read to determine why the author would use these details to help us better understand the text. As we read, we will stop and discuss questions essential to our understanding of the text.
Today we will continue reading the story “A Very
Important Day.”
We will read over our essential question for the week and think about details in the text as we read to determine why the author would use these details to help us better understand the text. As we read, we will stop and discuss questions essential to our understanding of the text.
Today students will complete an assessment that includes questions from both the nonfiction and literary text they read this week.

Comprehension questions:
What does the word
“civics” mean?
Does the author think that knowing about civics is important? How do you know?
How did the author show that Americans know very little about their own government?
What details in paragraph #3 did the author use to support that idea?
Why do you think the author includes the quote from U.S.
Supreme court justice Sandra Day
O’Connor?
What does the author say one of the most important responsibilities of
Americans?
What do you know about the illustration on page 2?
Why do you think included this illustration?
According to the text, how has education changed?
What details does the author give that explain what solutions others are doing to increase civics education in
America?
In the last subheading Use the
News, what does Syd
Golston suggest students should do?
Do you agree that this is important?
Explain your thinking.
In what city does the story take place?
What is happening outside?
According to the text, what country is
Nelia Batungbakal and her family from?
Why would the family need “to allow extra time for the trip downtown?”
In the sentence, “All right!” said Miguel, bounding from his room. What does
bounding mean?
What country is the
Huerta family from?
What country is the
Patel family from?
In the text, Mr.
Dionetti called out,
“Are you headed downtown?” How are the Leonov’s going to get downtown?
Kostas and Nikos
Soutsos were clearing the sidewalk in front of the family restaurant, what were they clearing?
What country is the
Soutsos family from?
In the sentence, they chorused together, “Closed for a very important day.” What does the word chorused mean?
The Duong family is going downtown, too.
How are they getting downtown? What country are they from?
Why did the author introduce us to so many characters?
Give examples from your notes to describe the families. Include the country each family came from and how they go to the courthouse.
In the text, what was each family trying to accomplish by making their way to the courthouse?

Application/
Assessment:
Guided Reading
Focus: Close reading to determine the causes and effects of immigration in the U.S.
Students will continue to refer to details and examples to interpret why the author used certain details and how they contribute to the understanding of the text.
Guided Reading:
Our Living
Constitution
Students will continue to refer to details and examples to interpret why the author used certain details and how they contribute to the understanding of the text.
Guided Reading:
Our Living
Constitution
Students will continue to refer to details and examples to interpret why the author used certain details and how they contribute to the understanding of the text.
Guided Reading:
The Bill of Rights
Students will continue to refer to details and examples to interpret why the author used certain details and how they contribute to the understanding of the text.
Guided Reading:
The Bill of Rights
Assessment