Community and Communication
Three Weeks
ELA
Lesson Plan
Teacher:
Sixth Grade ELA Teacher
Grade:
Sixth Grade
Lesson Title:
Home Is Where the Heart Is- How Can You Communicate Your Thoughts About Your Community?
STRANDS
Reading Literature, Reading for Information, Writing
LESSON OVERVIEW
Summary of the task, challenge, investigation, career-related scenario, problem, or community link.
Students will learn more about their community by reading informational texts and interviewing local citizens. Text features will also be studied to assist the students in
the comprehension of text and the communication of information in the unit’s project. A comparison will be made of the students’ community and the euphoric
community in The Giver. Inferences will be made throughout the reading to help students understand the importance using descriptive language when communicating
with others either verbally or through written communication.
Students will participate in Literature Circles throughout the book study in order to fully understand the meanings within the book. Discussion questions will lead them
to have conversations comparing and contrasting the community they are familiar and the Giver’s community. Students will recognize the freedoms that they have
grown accustomed to and consider what life would be without them.
MOTIVATOR
Hook for the week unit or supplemental resources used throughout the week. (PBL scenarios, video clips, websites,
literature)
1. Clip of Utopia-The Perfect World - What would you want in your Utopia?
2. Read chapter one of The Giver
DAY
Objectives
(I can….)
1
I can accurately
describe a
community site
by writing a
descriptive
paragraph.
I can critique a
description of a
community site
by listing a
strength and
weakness of the
text.
Materials
&
Resources
Google Maps
“Bristol
Tennessee A
Good Place
to Live” –
article
“Hometown
Sites”
worksheet
Post-it Notes
Instructional Procedures
Essential Question:
How can you use descriptive writing to inform others about a positive site
within your community?
Home is Where the Heart Is?
Set
Differentiated
Instruction
Differentiated
InstructionRemediation
Adjusted QuestioningDifficulty of discussion
questions are adjusted
to meet the students’
needs
Using the "my maps" feature on Google Maps, ask students to mark their
three favorite spots and three least favorite spots in their community. For
each site, they should write a sentence about why this spot is a favorite or a Peer Tutoringleast favorite.
throughout the
descriptive writing
Once students have completed this exercise, have them share their choices.
process
Using the “my maps” feature on Google Maps, mark down the sites they
mention. Next, discuss the spots that were mentioned repeatedly. Do
Gallery Walk- will list
students agree that these spots are the best and worst in their community? strengths and a
Do the favorite spots have anything in common? Do the least favorite spots suggestion for an
improvement
have anything in common? From looking at this map, what could we say is
unique about our community? What problems in our community really
need to be addressed?
Teaching Strategy
1. As a class, read and discuss the article "Bristol Tennessee A Good Place
to Live," focusing on the following questions:
a. What was the author’s purpose of writing this article?
b. How do you think she obtained her information? Who would benefit
from reading the article?
c. Would this article convince you to visit Bristol? Why or why not?
d. How did this article reflect the author’s hobbies?
2. Before beginning the main activity, have a brief discussion comparing
Assessment
Formative
AssessmentStudents’ ability to
write descriptively
will be assessed
throughout the
process.
Gallary Walk will
offer immediate
peer and teacher
feedback.
and contrasting the favorite and least favorite sites. What do the favorite
sites have that the least favorite do not have and vice versa?
3. Pick the most popular favorite and least favorite hometown sites from
the Warm-Up exercise and assign groups of students to each one (make
sure that the students are familiar with the spot they are assigned to).
The groups will complete the “Hometown Sites” activity.
Summarizing Strategy
Hide the locations’ names on the groups’ articles. Display the group’s
articles around the room. Have students participate in a Gallery Walk.
Using Post-It notes, students will attempt to name the site the article is
describing. Then they will leave a strength and improvement for the
article.
2
I can read a
fictional text and
compare/contrast
its community to
my own
I can participate
effectively within
a literature circle
I can define
unknown
vocabulary within
a text using
context clues
and/or a
dictionary
I can relate to a
fictional text by
making
The Giver by
Lois Lowry
iBooks or
Post-it Notes
for
Highlighting
(3 colors)
Essential Question:
How can you relate to a fictional text by making inferences and defining
unfamiliar words?
The Giver- Introduction to Literature Circles
Differentiated
InstructionRemediation:
Audio Books may be
used for some student
in order to focus on
comprehension skills.
Formative
Assessment:
Observations
made throughout
class discussions
will be used.
Set
Ask students what they most enjoy giving to others. What do they like
others to give to them? Then write the title of the book on the chalkboard
and ask students to predict what they think it is about. Have students
record their ideas in writing journals to look back upon as they read the
book.
Teaching Strategy (s)
Explain the Literature Circle procedure:
Each student will become a member of a Literature Circle that will
study the book
Dictionaries are used
for vocabulary help.
Peer tutoringdiscussions focused on:
summarizing,
vocabulary, and making
inferences
Summative
Assessment:
Students’ journals
will be periodically
checked to assure
appropriate note
taking.
inferences



Each literature circle will decide on a member to be the group
leader/discussion director. The group will decide how many pages
will be read each night based on the number of days set to
complete the project. The group leader has the job of assigning
each night's readings and will oversee the rotation of
responsibilities. The following responsibilities will be assigned and
rotated: discussion director, connector, summarizer, and word
wizard. The “job” will focus the student on a particular reading skill.
Then they will present their findings within their group. The jobs
will be determined by each of the groups and rotated.
o Discussion Director- This is the leader of the group. It is
his/her responsibility to make sure the group stays on-task
and on schedule.
o Connector- Connect what was read to their own lives, their
feelings, and their experiences. Students could connect the
book to events that happened at school or community, to
current events, to similar events at other times and places,
to other people, or other problems.
o Summarizer- The role of the summarizer is to prepare a
summary about what was read for that day. The summary
should be a one to two minute statement that includes the
key points of the day’s reading.
o Word Wizard- Identifies and defines words within the text
that are unknown or unusual. This may also include
figurative language examples.
Read Chapter one with the class. While reading, model how to
make notes using iBooks throughout the text.
o Unknown vocabulary will be highlighted with green.
o Major Plot Events will be highlighted with yellow.
o Character Elements will be highlighted with purple.
o At the end of each chapter, insert a “note” that summarizes
the chapters’ main events.
Students will get into groups of 4-5 of their choosing. Then they
will choose the roles of the group. Finally, the groups will
determine how many pages will be read each night to obtain the
goal of having Chapters 1- 10 completed by Day 6. Groups must
remember that they will discuss their reading within their group
before Day 6. They must have a reading plan in order to have
quality discussions.
Summarizing Strategy
Using a random name generator, choose students to share their group’s
reading plan and strategy. If time allows, have students share their
predictions about the book. How does the text relate to our “Community
and Communication” unit?
3
Analyze existing
historical markers
to determine
what information
is included
Historical
Marker
Online
Database
Essential Question:
How can historical markers give you insight to a community?
Historical Marker- Summarizing
Google Maps
I can verbally
summarize a
Historical Marker
within my
community with
detail
Set
With the entire class, hold a discussion on past vacations. Brainstorm a list
on the board of sites that were seen and enjoyed. Encourage students to
also reflect on things that were seen during travel (billboards, mile markers,
exit signs, etc.) Lead the conversation to historical markers. Ask the
students to explain their prior knowledge of historical markers. (What are
the purposes of historical markers? Who makes them? Where could you
find them?)
Teaching Strategy
Show students an image of a historical marker (Only the marker- not the
additional information) and begin a discussion based on the 5 W’s- Who?
What? Where? When? Why?
Who
Who will be most likely to see this marker?
Who would not be likely to visit this area?
Who created the marker?
Where
Where would this marker be located?
Would it be near other historical markers?
Differentiated
InstructionRemediation
Adjusted QuestioningDifficulty of discussion
questions are adjusted to
meet the students’ needs
Peer Tutoring- throughout
the verbal summarization
process of the historical
marker
Formative
Assessment:
Observation of the
summarizations will
be used to assess
understanding of
summarization.
When
What time period was the historical marker based on?
Is the information relevant for today?
What
What information does this historical marker display?
What type of language was used?
Historical Marker Database- Explore a marker with a partner and answer
the basic “who, what, where, why” questions by verbally summarizing the
Historical Marker.
Summarizing Strategy
Pairs will share their summarizations with the class while displaying the
historical marker.
Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org
4
I can interview a
community
member about
historical
information
about my
community
Historical
Marker data
base
Essential Question:
How can carefully choosing interview questions assist in acquiring
information about one’s community?
Literature Circles- Allow 15 minutes for groups to discuss their reading
Historical Markers and the Community- Summarizing
Set
I can write a
historical marker
by following class
guidelines about
what constitutes
a good historical
marker
Reflect on the previous day’s lesson. Which historical markers were the
most interesting on the Historical Marker Database? Ask the class to
consider their community’s historical markers. Is there a location that does
not have a marker that should? (park, school, or old homestead) Ask the
class how they think a historical marker is created? Explain to the class that
proposed markers must be approved by a County Historical Commission;
therefore, a written proposal must be made. How can you get information
about a historical site when you weren’t born when it was used?--- Use a
Differentiated
InstructionRemediation
Adjusted assignmentInterview may have
fewer questions and/or
a voice to text app may
be used for note taking.
Difficulty level of the
questions may be
varied based on
students
Formative
Assessment:
Observation of the
interview
questions will be
used to assess
their level of
understanding.
primary source, an interview.
Teaching Strategy
Tell the students that they will be conducting an interview of someone who
is knowledgeable of the site to gather relevant information. Guide the
students through the planning stages of an interview.
1. Who will you interview? Brainstorm with the class appropriate
interviewees. The person that is interviewed must be knowledgeable
about the site.
2. What will you ask? You need to be prepared to give an interview by
having the questions prewritten. Use the 5 W’s to guide your questions.
What happened at this location? Whom did the site affect? When was the
site used? What do remember about the site? Why is this site important
to you? Continue brainstorming a list of questions with the class.
3. Students will write more specific questions to ask during their interview.
Allow collaboration among students. Each student should have at least ten
questions to ask about their historical site.
4. Conduct the interview.
Summarizing Strategy
Students will share their interview questions with at least two peers. They
may choose to use a peer’s question within their interview.
HOMEWORK: Conduct the interview and write comprehensive notes
5
Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org
Essential Question:
Project Day 1 – refer to Unit Plan
Topic – “Area Guide”- Community and Communication
6
I can reflect on a
text and make
inferences that
can be applied to
the real world
The GiverChapter 10
Excerpt
Essential Question:
How can you make inferences about a fictional text and apply them to real
world situations?
Literature Circles: 10-15 min
The Giver
Set
Do a visualization activity. Ask the students to visualize a time that they
were extremely proud of you. Where were you? What was occurring at
the time? Who was with you? Now think of memory of a time that you
were not proud of your actions. What occurred? Where did it happen?
Who were involved? How do memories affect your current decisions?
Teaching Strategy
Display The Giver chapter 10 excerpt to the class. Relate storytelling and
oral history that is passed down through generations to The Giver. How are
they similar? Different? Encourage students to use their experiences for
evidence.
Within literature circles, students will discuss the following questions:
Do you have to understand the past to be successful in the future?
Would it be valuable information?
Answer one of these questions in a well developed paragraph
Use examples from the book, your life, other stories, the news, or history to
explain and support your beliefs.
Summarizing Strategy
Share the groups’ paragraphs with the entire class. Allow time for
questions.
Differentiated
InstructionRemediation
Peer tutoring during the
paragraph writing
Formative
Assessment- The
groups’ reflective
paragraphs will
serve as an
informal
assessment of
their
understanding and
summarizing
abilities
Reflect: If you were Jonas, would you be excited about your appointment?
Why or Why not? What is your prediction of the future events of the book?
7
I can create a
historical marker
for an important
site within my
community based
on the
information
gathered through
an interview
Historical
Marker
Database
Essential Question:
How can you summarize information obtained in an interview in order to
create a historical marker for our community?
Historical
Marker
Rubric
Summarizing Information- Historical Marker
Set
Students will share two newly acquired pieces of information about their
historical site within a small group of peers.
Teaching Strategy
Students will take out their notes from their research and their interviews
and review it. They will make a list of the most important information
about their location, noting what is important and why.
Students will draft their historical markers by writing a paragraph for their
location, introducing the reader to the place, telling them what is
interesting about this location including any names or dates as needed, and
telling them what is significant about it for the surrounding area and for
history in general. When the draft is complete, they may use peers or the
teacher for proofreading help.
Students will use the rest of class time to revise their paragraphs: by either
writing them out or typing and printing. The goal is for students to have a
polished draft of their historical marker that looks professional. Students
will include a picture or drawn image of their location with their finished
draft for display.
Summarizing Strategy
Display a local historical marker for the class. Within small groups, assess
the marker using the Historical Marker Rubric.
Differentiated
InstructionRemediation
Assessment Rubric may
be adjusted
Peer tutoring- Some
students may benefit
from working with a
partner
Summative
AssessmentHistorical Marker
Rubric
Adapted From ReadWriteThink.org
Essential Question:
8
Project Day 2– refer to Unit Plan
Topic – “Area Guide”- Community and Communication
9
I can identify the
text features of
an informational
text and its
purposes.
Article
without text
features
Article with
text features
Essential Question:
How do informational text features assist in the comprehension of a text?
Literature Circles 10-15 min
Smart
NotebookNonfiction
Features or
Grade 6 Text
Features PDF
(See
Resource
Folder)
What Informational Text Features Need to be Included?
Textbooks
Teaching Strategy
Quia
Hangman
Game
Quia
Differentiated
InstructionRemediation
Scaffolding of the
purpose of text features
Set
Display copy of an article without text features. Ask students to read it and
be ready to answer comprehension questions. Then display the article
WITH text features. Discuss why the second article is easier to
comprehend. Why?
Using the “Nonfiction Features” Notebook or “Grade 6 Text Features PDF”,
model the differences between the features used in informational texts.
After each text feature that is introduced, the students will be asked to find
an example within an available textbook and share with a peer. Students
will make notes throughout the discussion detailing the purpose of each
Modeling with Peer
tutoring
Digital Gaming allows
for immediate feedback
and correction
Note taking with
illustrations may vary in
complexity
Formative
AssessmentObservation of
Quia games will be
used to assess the
students’
understanding.
Millionaire
Game
features and an accompanying illustration.
Students will assess their understanding by quizzing themselves using a
Quia hangman game. This may be played as individuals or small groups.
Summarizing Strategy
As a class, complete the Millionaire Quia game to review information and
assess the students’ understanding.
Reflection Question: How will this information be beneficial to the
Community Guide Project?
10
I can choose
descriptive
language to give
instructions on
drawing an
intricate shape.
Geometric
shapes
drawn on
index cardsone per
student
I can experience
life without
sensory words
such as color and
explain why
sensory words
are important in
communication.
Random,
common
classroom
objects
Blindfoldsenough for ½
the class
Essential Question:
Why are descriptive and sensory language items crucial in communication?
The Giver
Set
Literature Circles 10-15 min discussion
Teaching Strategy
Hold a class discussion based on the importance of vocabulary in The Giver.
What were the consequences of using an incorrect word? What happened
when Asher confused smack for snack? Remind the students that words
were extremely important to communication.
Ask the students to visualize their favorite Christmas present. What did it
look like? What sounds did it make? Did it smell? Can you taste it? Are
there any memorable textures to feel?
Put the students in partner groups. Students will take turns describing the
present to their partner using as many descriptors as possible. During this,
the partner will illustrate the present and label any details that are too
Differentiated
InstructionRemediation
Peer Tutoring through
discovery
Shapes and classroom
objects can vary in
levels of difficulty
Formative
AssessmentStudents’
reflection of the
essential question
will be used for an
informal
assessment of
their
understanding.
difficult to draw. Then the student will reveal the drawing and the partner
will judge the correctness. Finally, the students will change roles.
Summarizing Strategy
Allow time for the partners to share their successes and difficulties with the
entire class.
Ticket Out the Door: Students will write a brief reflection of the essential
question.
Why are descriptive and sensory language items crucial in
communication?
11
I can design a
billboard to
advertise The
Giver.
The Giver
I can identify the
plot, main
characters, 3
positive aspects
of the book, and
illustrate a pivotal
scene.
Markers
Butcher
paper
Colored
Pencils
Essential Question:
What information should you include in a persuasive billboard for The
Giver?
The Giver
Set
If you could create a billboard to visually describe The Giver, what would
you include? Is there a particular scene that was pivotal to the plot?
Teaching Strategy
Allow time for literature groups to design, create, and display their
billboard. The billboards must include:
 Plot Map (Exposition, 4 Rising Actions, Climax, 2 Falling Actions,
Resolution)
 Illustration about an important scene in the book along with a
caption
 Main Characters
 3 Reasons to read the book
Differentiated
InstructionRemediation
Peer tutoring- Students
will be working in their
literature groups.
Choice- Students will
choose, within their
groups, what job they
will complete.
Formative
Assessment- This
activity will be a
good evaluation of
the students’
comprehension
and participation
throughout the
literature unit.
Summarizing Strategy
Allow time for groups to evaluate other groups’ billboards and discussion
between the groups.
12
I can identify the
author’s purpose,
point of view,
theme, mood,
tone, conflicts,
and list
characterization
of the main
characters
Smart
Notebook:
Literary
Elements
Part One
Essential Question:
How does understanding the basic story elements assist in the
comprehension and enjoyment of a fictional text?
The GiverSet
Literature Circles: 10-15 min
Teaching Strategy
While presenting, Literary Elements Part One, identify The Giver’s story
elements. Allow for discussion within small groups and entire class.
Students need to document each element within the iBook by adding a
note at the end.
Genre- Science fiction
Author’s Purpose- Entertainment
Point of View- Third person limited- We know Jonas’s psychology but not
what goes on in other characters’ minds.
Plot MapTheme- Freedom to make choices is extremely important to your quality of
life.
Mood- apprehensive, suspenseful
Tone- Simple to-the-point language
Characterizations: Jonas- Protagonist
The council- Antagonist
Summarizing Strategy
Students will partner with someone outside of their literature circle and
reflect upon the story. What was your favorite part? Least favorite? What
part of the plot surprised you the most? If you wrote the next chapter, how
would it end?
Differentiated
InstructionRemediation
Modeling/examples of
story elements and
scaffolding elements to
The Giver.
Peer tutoring
throughout the class
discussion and
reflection.
Formative
AssessmentObservations
made throughout
the lesson will be
used as an
informal
evaluation of the
class’s
understanding.
Thumbs up/downself evaluation of
story elements
understanding
Thumbs Up/Down- How well do you understand story elements?
13
I can successfully
complete an
assessment to
evaluate my
comprehension
of a fictional text
The Giver
assessment
(See
Resource
Folder)
Essential Question:
How can making notes while reading assist in recalling of information for
assessment purposes?
The Giver
Summative Assessment- Students will be given the entire class period to
complete the summative assessment. It consists of multiple choice and
short essay. Students may refer back to the text.
Differentiated
InstructionRemediation
The essay questions
allow for varied ability
levels.
Prompting/QuestioningSome students will be
allowed opportunity for
additional prompting
and/or questions.
Additional time- Some
students will be given
extra time to complete
the assessment
14
Essential Question:
Reflective Unit Writing- Refer to Unit Plan
Topic – “Area Guide”- Community and Communication
15
Essential Question:
Project Day – refer to Unit Plan
Summative
AssessmentComprehension
test for The Giver.
Topic – “Area Guide”- Community and Communication
STANDARDS
Identify what you want to teach. Reference State, Common Core, ACT
College Readiness Standards and/or State Competencies.
RL.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.6.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or
judgments.
RL.6.3 Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a
resolution.
RL.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word
choice on meaning and tone.
RL.6.5 Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or
plot.
RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
RI.6.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.
W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
W.6.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant
content.
W.6.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
W.6.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new
approach.
W.6.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of
keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.
W.6.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
W.6.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of
others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.
SL.6.5 Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify information.