MISD
Literacy Block
Units 3-5
Meet Common Core
State Standards
Units Meet Common Core
Reading Anchor Standards
O Read Aloud correlates with Standards 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9.
O Shared Reading correlates with Standards 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
O Guided Reading correlates with Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
O Independent Reading correlates Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and
10.
O Strategies That Work correlates with Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
and 10.
O GHR for Summary/Multiple-Choice/Craft correlates with Standards 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
O Writing: Thematic Prompts/Quick Writes correlate with Standards 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10.
O Focus Questions correlate with Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10.
O Vocabulary in Context correlates with Standards 4 and 10.
O Fluency correlates with Standards 4 and 10.
O Research correlates with Standards 7 and 10.
1754-1763
Background Information for Review
The French and Indian War
The Sign of the Beaver takes place in 1768 after the war.
1770
March 5
The Boston Massacre Protesting colonists throwing snowballs and sticks killed by British
1773
D
e
c.
1
6
The Boston Tea Party protesters of the tea tax tossed 342 chests of tea into the water
1775
Apr. 18
Apr. 19
The Rides of Paul Revere and William Dawes warning colonists the British were coming
Battles of Lexington and Concord American and British Accounts of Battle of Concord
1776
July 4
Dec. 26
Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence; it's sent to the printer
Washington crosses the Delaware and captures Trenton from Hessians The Fighting Ground
1777
Jan. 3
Oct. 22
Washington victorious at Princeton The Fighting Ground takes place in New Jersey
Hessian attack on Fort Mercer, NJ repulsed The Fighting Ground takes place in New Jersey
1778
Feb. 6
The United States and France sign French Alliance The Fighting Ground takes place on 4/3/1778.
Reading
Literature balanced
with related
Informational Text
Plus Primary Source Selections
O “Emerson Describes
O “British Account of
the Stand at Concord
Bridge”
the Battle at Concord
Bridge”
Describes the battle
from an American
colonist’s viewpoint.
(a famous author)
Describes the battle
from a British soldier’s
viewpoint.
Guided Highlighted Reading
OPrompts
OMultiple-Choice
OSummary
From Guided Highlighted Reading: A Close-Reading Strategy for Navigating Complex Text,
Weber, Nelson, and Schofield, 2011, Maupin House.
Guided Highlighted Reading:
O is text-driven and meaning-based
O focuses students on the content of text
O guides students to read for one reading purpose at a
O
O
O
O
O
time
invites and guides students to revisit the text more than
once
guides students to return to the same text for multiple
purposes
targets the acquisition of skills needed for close and
critical reading
builds fluency and stamina in readers
uses multiple senses: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic
From Guided Highlighted Reading: A Close-Reading Strategy for Navigating Complex Text,
Weber, Nelson, and Schofield, 2011, Maupin House.
Explanatory Prompt
Based on the excerpt from The Fighting
Ground, predict what will happen next
in the novel. Explain what will happen if
Jonathan decides to go off to war. Give
evidence and details from the two
accounts of the Battle of Concord
Bridge to support your explanation of
what going to war might be like for
Jonathan.
Scaffolding
Think about the following as you plan, write,
and revise:
O Begin by explaining why Jonathan decides to
go off to war using information from the
excerpt from The Fighting Ground.
O Explain what will probably happen next using
evidence from the two accounts of the
Battle of Concord Bridge.
O Conclude by predicting what will happen to
Jonathan and why you think it will happen.
Scaffolding: Graphic Organizer
Explanatory writing looks at a topic—Jonathan’s dream—and explains what
it might be like in reality.
Introduction:
 Let your readers know your topic (Jonathan will go to war) and briefly
mention what war might be like using information from the two accounts of a
battle.
Development:
 Give evidence from The Fighting Ground to prove that Jonathan wants to go
to war.
 Give evidence from the two accounts of the battle to show what Jonathan
might experience.
Conclusion:
 End by briefly summarizing your important points and evidence.
Revising/Proofreading
Sharing with Data Walls
O Groups of four
O Data Walls for supporting examples
O Students individually make a list.
O Group list on Post-it notes
O Students place their Post-it notes.
O Teacher shares
Preparing for Reading
O Vocabulary before, during, or after
O Focus for Reading/Listening
O “Walk Through” Book Features
O Genre Defined
Vocabulary
In this instance, read the excerpt aloud to
students while they follow along on their
numbered copies. (See Appendix 1f.) Then
read the prompts and have students highlight
as directed. Because this is primary source
material, you will need to explain the following
vocabulary: celerity (“speed”), prudent
(“careful”), fickleness (“indecisiveness”), and
quitted (“left”).
Focus for Reading/Listening
Focus for Listening: What does Jonathan
decide to do? (He decides to go with the
Corporal. How does he get the tavern owner to
lend him a gun? (He misquotes his father.)
How does the length of the gun compare to
Jonathan’s height? (The gun is longer that he
is tall.) What do the other men seem to be
concerned about? (More men are needed.)
Scaffolding for
Guided Reading and Discussion
Guided Reading
(If students are having problems, do Shared Reading or Read Aloud.
Point out some or all of the problems and questions Jonathan and the men have:
O Pp.19-20: The gun, cartridge box, and powder horn are making it
O
O
O
O
difficult for Jonathan to travel.
Pp. 20-22: The men have questions about the number of enemy
soldiers they will be fighting and how they will fight. They seem to
prefer ambush. (p. 22)
Pp. 22-24: Jonathan’s father’s friend does not seem to have
answers. Jonathan decides to lie to him about his father’s
permission.
Pp. 24-27: The weather is hotter, the men are tired, and the men are
still questioning the Corporal—now about where the other soldiers
are. One man challenges the Corporal for being “…overfond of
killing.” (p. 27)
Pp. 28-31: Jonathan wonders when they will get to the fighting
ground. The men encounter a woman who gives them water and is
then frightened by their report. One soldier shoots his gun; nobody
approves.
Discussion and Review
O Focus for Reading
(parenthesis)
O Guided Reading
(notes)
O Focus Questions
Focus Question #5 Consider the decisions/choices Jonathan makes
(not to shoot the soldiers, to try to escape with the boy, and to leave
the gun behind). Are these good choices? Why or why not?
Possible Answer:
O If he shoots the soldiers while they are sleeping, he is just as
O
O
O
O
O
much of a murderer as the person who killed the boy's parents in
cold blood.
If he doesn't shoot them, he may die himself because they will kill
him.
If he tries to escape with the boy, and the soldiers see them, they
will probably both be killed.
If he doesn't try to escape with the boy, they could both be
murdered in cold blood the way the boy's parents were.
If he takes the gun, travel to escape will be much slower, because
he will not be able to carry the boy.
If he doesn't take the gun, he will not be able to defend himself or
the boy.
Research
Research Opportunities
Loading and Firing a Flintlock
O Place the rifle on "half cock" (Safety) and open the pan by pushing the
"frizzen" forward.
O Reach into the cartridge box and grab a single cartridge. (These are
twisted paper tubes with enough powder and ball for one shot.)
O Bite the cartridge open.
O Prime. (Place some powder in the pan of the lock.) Close the frizzen.
Leave the rifle at half cock.
O Charge with powder. (Pour the remaining powder down the muzzle of
the barrel.) Then insert the paper-wrapped ball. This ball was NOT
patched for speed in loading.
O Draw the rammer. (Pull the ramrod from the stock.)
O Ram. Push the ball and paper ALL THE WAY DOWN until it is resting
firmly on top of the powder.
O Return the rammer. (Replace the rod in the stock.)
O The rifle is now LOADED. HANDLE IT WITH THE CARE DUE A LOADED
WEAPON. (elapsed time: 15 seconds)
O Make ready. (Bring the hammer to "full cock.")
O Fire. (Squeeze trigger.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpzIb3XjyyY&feature=related
Writing
O Common Core Genres
O Reading/Writing Thematic
Prompts
O Focus Questions
O Quick Writes
Reading/Writing
Thematic Prompts
Coming of Age
O Matt from Sign of the
Beaver
O Jonathan from The
Fighting Ground
Reading/Writing Prompt
Both The Sign of the Beaver and The Fighting Ground are coming-ofage novels because the two main characters have grown up into
responsible men over the course of the book. In coming-of-age
novels, the main characters learn to take responsibility for their
decisions and their actions. Matt from The Sign of the Beaver has to
survive over four months alone in the wilderness while he waits for
his family. Jonathan, who has dreamed of the glory of being a soldier,
learns through experience in just one day that war is not so glorious
and that he should be at home where he is needed.
Writing Prompt
Explain what coming of age means as it applies to Matt in The Sign of
the Beaver and Jonathan in The Fighting Ground. Use evidence,
details, and quotations from the two novels, especially the two
excerpts you have just read, to support your explanation.
Graphic Organizer Example
Development:
O Give evidence (SBAC) that Jonathan
has come of age over the course of
The Fighting Ground.
O Give evidence that Matt has come of
age over the course of The Sign of the
Beaver.
Writing Prompts
O Explanations and ideas
O Checklist (CCSS)
O Writing Process
O Graphic Organizer
O Peer Editing Questions
Speaking and Listening
O Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required
material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information
known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
O Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in
respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a
time about the topics and texts under discussion).
O Ask questions to check understanding of information presented,
stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.
O Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the
discussion.
Speaking and Listening
Choral Reading
The Declaration
of Independence
Thank You!
Advisory Team
Original Authors
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Clare Baxter 3rd Roseville
Diana Ronayne 3rd Mount Clemens
Linda Pelloni 3rd Lakeview
Sue Francek 3rd Roseville
Marcia Powell 4th Van Dyke
Mary Dombro 4th Anchor Bay
Renee Fiema 4th L’Anse Creuse
Sandy Hudkins 4th Van Dyke
Cathy Walle 5th Consultant
Dave Figurski 5th Warren
Debbie Parrish 5th Fraser
Jackie Rybinski 5th Warren
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Clare Baxter, Consultant
Diane Berg, Consultant
Virginia Daniels, Fraser
Betsy Facione, Utica
Mary Kate Fitzpatrick, Fraser
Theresa Hasenauer, Utica
Melissa Labadie, Utica
Stephanie La Belle, Van Dyke
Kathy Ming, Consultant
Debbie Parrish, Consultant
Sharon Rice, Van Dyke
Elaine Weber, MISD
Thank You!
MISD for encouragement
and support
and
Dr. Lisa Rivard,
Project Director