North Arlington
English Language Arts
Curriculum: Grade 3
Balanced Literacy Framework
Reading
I Do
We Do
You Do




Writing
 Modeled/Shared Writing
 Interactive Writing
 Guided Writing
 Independent Writing
Read Aloud
Shared Reading
Guided Reading
Independent Reading
Word Study
4
I Do
We Do
You Do
Teaching and Learning Cycle
TEACHING
ASSESSMENT
Modeling and providing
guided and independent
practice opportunities
Gathering information
about a student’s
performance
PLANNING
EVALUATION
Planning appropriate
instruction and gathering
materials based on student
needs
Analyzing the assessment
data to inform
instructional needs
5
Phonemic
Awareness
The ability to hear
individual sounds in
words and to identify
particular sounds.
Comprehension
Phonics
The act of construction
of meaning from text.
Without
understanding, there is
no reading.
The knowledge of
letter-sound
relationships and how
they are used in
reading and writing.
FIVE
ELEMENTS OF
EFFECTIVE
READING
INSTRUCTION
Vocabulary
Fluency
(as a text
characteristic)
Words and their
meanings.
To read text with good
momentum, phrasing,
appropriate pausing,
accuracy, intonation,
and stress.
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SETTING UP A BALANCED LITERACY CLASSROOM
Definition:
The teacher designs a classroom environment that offers opportunities and space for whole-class, smallgroup, and independent work. The classroom environment supports students at their instructional level,
includes activities that allow them to take risks, and provides time for the teacher to observe and
encourage students during learning.
Purpose:
To promote student engagement in literacy activities involving meaningful reading and writing.
The Role of the Teacher is:
• to set up a classroom environment that provides space for whole-class instruction, areas for small-group work, and
quiet areas for independent work;
• to use flexible, fluid grouping;
• to offer a classroom environment that offers students a variety of print resources, including leveled books, big books,
writing journals, charts of poems and rhymes, word walls, sound cards and collections of students’
work; and
• to establish literacy centers or work stations that offer students a variety of differentiated and open-ended tasks.
The Role of the Student is:
• to participate actively in guided reading groups as well as in a variety of reading and writing activities including
shared reading, paired reading, literature circles, and independent reading; and
• to complete open-ended tasks in classroom literacy centers or work stations.
The Administrator Will See:
• classroom environments that offer students time for paired reading, independent reading and writing, guided reading
and writing, and shared reading and writing;
• a variety of literacy centers that are differentiated and provide students with open-ended tasks related to the learning;
• well-defined areas for whole-class, small-group, and independent work;
• the use of flexible grouping;
• numerous displays of print resources and student work;
• a system for managing student movement; and
• classroom libraries that contain a variety of literary genres (including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and plays), big
books, and leveled books.
The Role of Parents/Families is:
• to be informed about their children’s classroom environment and how this environment supports student growth
throughout the school year;
• to support teachers in establishing a strong classroom environment by encouraging their children to participate fully in
class activities;
• to present frequent opportunities for children to write for authentic purposes; and
• to read to their children and listen to their children practice reading at home.
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SETTING UP A BALANCED LITERACY CLASSROOM
(CONTINUED)
“The most lavishly appointed classroom may turn into shambles if routines for using it have not been
established.”
New Zealand Department of
Education
The effectiveness of instruction depends on developing, in the classroom, a community of readers, writers, and
learners. The following pages provide possible learning centers and three examples of how a teacher might
organize learning centers in a balanced literacy classroom.
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
HOW THEY WORK
Literacy Center Organization Chart A literacy center organization chart outlines how heterogeneous groups of
students move during learning center time. As groups of students move
through the centers, the teacher provides explicit instruction within a
guided reading or writing homogenous group.
Group Management
As the teacher pulls small groups of students for guided reading or guided
writing, half of the remaining students remain at their desks/tables
working on independent, meaningful, productive literacy activities and
half go to differentiated and meaningful literacy centers which are related
to the instruction taking place in the classroom.
Menus of Ideas
The teacher provides students with a menu of literacy activities from which to
choose. These activities may include independent reading, response journals,
writing folders, writers’ notebooks, art responses, technology activities related
to their reading needs, or an open-ended literacy task. (See also The Daily 5)
LITERACY CENTERS
WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE
A physical area (or station) designated for specific learning purposes. It is designed to provide appropriate
materials to help students work independently or collaboratively (with partners or in small groups) to meet
literacy goals. A literacy center can be portable, temporary or permanent. The integration of literacy centers can
support improvement in reading comprehension, language, social, and writing development. Literacy centers
facilitate problem-solving because students are able to explore, invent, discover, and create alone or with others
at centers. Keep in mind that the activity defines a center or a station—not the physical location. Students can
engage in meaningful independent reading tasks at their desks or elsewhere.
Examples:
Reading the Room
Book Boxes (Browsing Boxes)
Students use pointers to read material posted on the classroom walls.
Book/browsing boxes are where "familiar texts" are placed after read alouds,
guided, or shared reading. These familiar books are stored in crates, on shelves,
baskets, etc. according to reading levels. This activity gives children the
opportunity to practice using reading strategies on easy, familiar text and to build
fluency through rereading. For younger students, browsing boxes may house a
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SETTING UP A BALANCED LITERACY CLASSROOM
(CONTINUED)word ring (containing classmate names and pictures as well as star words and
color and number words).
Writing Center
The teacher provides a varied, large supply of pencils, colored pens, erasers,
staplers, tape, sticky notes, interesting stationery, envelopes, dictionaries,
thesauruses and other reference materials. The teacher may also establish a
message board or post office where students leave messages, they have
written for others to read.
Alphabet Center
Magnetic letters, alphabet books, white boards, and lists of students’
names or spelling words can be placed in the center. Students can sort and
match sound cards, magnetic letters, make words, or trace alphabet books
to improved their letter knowledge, phonemic awareness, phonics, and
spelling.
Overhead/LCD Projector
Students can be taught how to use the overhead/LCD projector to reread
familiar poems, rhymes, and stories that have been written on
transparencies. Students can use this center to practice their handwriting
and to write their own stories on blank transparencies.
Computer Center
Students use computers to write stories, write reports, practice spelling words,
Communicate with others, present information,
do research, to use learning games, and access digital tools and webbased resources that support their development as readers and writers.
Reading Center
Contains leveled books on students’ independent levels for independent
reading and possible props to retell or act out stories. Books are
categorized by topic, author, and/or genre. Depending on grade level,
books that are part of a series, award winners, collections of short stories,
journals, magazines and newspapers may also be included. A richly varied
classroom collection will enable students not only to expand their reading
abilities but also expand their world.
Project or Theme Center
Activities allow students to explore self-selected research, science, or
social studies projects. This center should include resources related to
themes the class is studying.
DAILY 5—Options for independent literacy practice
The Daily 5 is a series of literacy tasks which students complete daily while the teacher meets with small groups or
confers with individuals. The Daily 5 is a management system, curriculum framework, and a structure that will help
students develop the daily habits of reading, writing and working with peers that will lead to a lifetime of
independent literacy.
9
SETTING UP A BALANCED LITERACY CLASSROOM
(CONTINUED)
Five Choices of The Daily 5
Resources:
Boushey, Gail, and Joan
Moser. The Daily 5. Portland,
ME: Stenhouse, 2006. Print.
Fountas & Pinnell; Guided
Reading: Good First Teaching
for All Children, 1996.
Fountas & Pinnell;
Matching Books to
Readers: Using Leveled
Books in Guided
Reading, K-3, 1999
Fountas & Pinnell;
Guiding Readers and
Writers Grades 3-6, 2001
1. Read to Self - Students will get their book bags (full of good-fit books of their
choice) or choose from our classroom library and/or Reading Wonders materials,
find a comfortable spot in the classroom, and will read to themselves.
2. Read to Someone - Students will pair up with a partner. They will both get their
book bags, find a comfortable spot in the classroom, and will take turns reading to
each other. One student will act as the "reader" and the other student will act as the
"Checker" and will re-tell what was read by the "reader" - this skill is called "check
for understanding".
3. Work on Writing - Students will get their Daily 5 or writing journal and write
about different topics (some of their choice and some teacher-directed). "The
writing component of the Daily Five provides additional support children require to
become effective writers. Its purpose is to provide daily writing practice." (The
Daily Five p. 80)
4. Listen to Reading - Students will sit at a listening center and hear a book read to
them while they follow along. Listening to Reading is valuable for developing
fluency and vocabulary.
5. Word Work - Students will use different means to work with words (letter tiles,
stencils, etc.), including a variety of word sorts from Words Their Way. "Creating
and maintaining a time during each literacy block to focus on words is critical to
developing readers, writers and communicators." (The Daily Five p.85)
1
0
Using the Reading Wonders
Resources Within a Balanced
Literacy Framework

Read Alouds
o Trade books
o Theme Biographies
o Anthology stories

Shared Reading
o Big books
o Student anthology
o Charts
o Trade books
o Reading Wonders’ Reading/Writing Workshop book

Guided Reading
o Leveled Readers (based on the student’s instructional level)
o Anthology or Reading/Writing Workshop book (depending on students’ levels)

Independent Reading
o Big books
o Student anthology
o Charts
o Trade books
o Leveled readers in browsing boxes

Writing (Shared Modeled, Guided/Independent)
o Use the above mentioned resources in mini-lessons for writer’s craft and literature
responses
o Teacher’s guide for mini-lessons in management, craft, and conventions during
writer’s workshop

Word Study
o Words Their Way is the primary resource for word study. Words lists and instruction are
differentiated and determined based on students’ performance on the Words Their Way
Spelling Inventory.
o RW Teacher’s guide for ideas and activities to use within individualized instruction
o Sorts in Reading Wonders will be appropriate for some students and not others. Let the
data (spelling inventory results) guide the selection of words and sorts.
Note: Teacher’s guide may provide ideas for modeling and demonstrating strategy and skill instruction during
reader’s workshop, shared reading, and interactive think alouds as well as ideas for literacy centers and cross
curricular content area reading.
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Words Their Way Integrity Check
Goal: Students will learn how to spell and decode new words and improve word recognition in general.
_____1. Become knowledgeable about WTW and orthographic development by reading the most current (fifth
edition) WTW manual.
_____2. Assess student's orthographic knowledge using the appropriate WTW spelling inventory according to
the directions in the WTW manual (benchmark testing).
_____3. Use the feature guide to analyze students’ spelling and identify student's current spelling stage.
_____4. Plan instruction based on student's current spelling stage. This may include organizing students in a
group of students in a similar stage. Use the supplementary WTW manuals for materials to plan for each stage.
_____5. Using the Gradual Release of Responsibility model, meet with students first, usually on Monday, for
15-20 minutes to go over the words, clarify any definitions, model the word sort for the week and help student
make discoveries about the particular set of words for that weeks study.
_____6. Give each student a handout of word cards to cut apart and sort independently with clear directions.
_____7. Check in briefly with individual students to look at sorts and clarify if needed.
_____8. Students write words by categories in word study notebooks.
_____9. Work with a partner or partners to sort and find more words within authentic texts that fit the sound
and/or pattern.
_____10. Students may or may not participate in other related WTW activities provided in the manual, like
games or speed sorts.
_____11.. Monitor growth and learning by assessing the student/s, usually on Friday. Options for assessment
include choosing 10-15 words of the 24 presented as a spell check (call out word and student spells), preparing
sentences to dictate that include the words or using the WTW, or using the WTW provided spell check at the
end of each unit.
_____12. If students spell 90% on a spell check correctly, move on the next feature. If students spell between
50-75% of the words correctly, then the words are at the instructional level and should be retaught and
continued practice time should be planned. Another opinion would be to slow down the pace of with cycle and
include additional word sorts for students who need more practice.
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Text Level Correlation Chart
Teachers should determine student reading levels using running records at beginning, mid-year, and end-of-year
benchmark
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North Arlington Public Schools Curriculum Guide
Content Area: English Language Arts
Course Title: Third Grade English Language Arts
Unit 0:
Reading Life/Writing Communities
Grade Level: 3
Four Weeks
Unit 1:
Cultural Awareness/Narrative Writing
Six Weeks
Unit 2:
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Informative/Explanatory Writing
Six Weeks
Unit 3:
Unique Discoveries
Opinion Writing
Six Weeks
Unit 4:
Meeting Challenges
Fictional Narrative/Poetry Writing
Six Weeks
Unit 5
Global Community Involvement
Opinion Essay/Book Review
Six Weeks
Board Approved: April, 2015
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North Arlington Public Schools Curriculum Guide
Content Area: English Language Arts English Language Arts English Language Arts
Course Title: Third Grade English Language Arts
Grade Level: 3
Six Weeks
Unit 6
Defining Values & Goals
Informative Text: Article/Research Report
Board Approved:
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Unit Overview 0
Content Area – English Language Arts
Unit 0: READING LIFE AND WRITING COMMUNITIES
Grade Level – 3
Unit Summary/Rationale –
This unit promotes the students as both accepted readers and writers. Students will begin to work together as
a community of readers and writers. The purpose of this unit is to create and establish procedures and
routines. Students will be instructed about expected behaviors in the reading and writing lessons and
activities. Students will create a reading and writing community in which they explore and share their ideas.
Students will hear, discuss, and create examples of quality writing. Instruction will also include standard
elements of reading and writing including grammar and spelling.
Interdisciplinary Connections –Social Studies:Brainpop Jr. Pen-pal writing, interviewing community
workers, peer mediation, and Scholastic New Current Events Science: Brainpop Jr., science journals,
Technology: Brainpop Jr.
Differentiated Instruction may Include:
Raz-Kids, Reading A-Z, Smart Exchange, Harcourt the Learning Site, Think Central, Scholastic News
Online Resources, Leveled Readers, Graphic Organizers, Google Translate, Picture Dictionaries,
Graphic Images
Technology Integration- Labtops, I-Pads, Internet Sites, SmartBoard, I-pods, Netbooks
21st Century Themes Global Awareness
- Exemplar: 14 Cows for America
by: Carmen Agra Deedy
- What the World Eats
by: Faith D’Aluisio
 Financial, Economic, Business &
Entrepreneurial Literacy
 Civic Literacy
 Health Literacy
 Environmental Literacy
21st Century Skills Creativity/Innovation
 Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
- Creating classroom rules
 Communication and Collaboration
 Life & Career Skills
 Information, Media and ICT Literacy
Learning Targets
Practices/Anchor Standards:
Grade Level Standards:
Reading
RL.3.1. Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as
the basis for the answers.
RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central
message, lesson, or moral.
15
RL.3.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from
nonliteral language.
RL.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the
high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently and proficiently
RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as
the basis for the answers.
RI.3.2. Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
RI.3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant
to a grade 3 topic or subject area
RI.3.7. Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to
demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
RI.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies,
science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently and
proficiently.
Foundational Skills
RF.3.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
a. Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.
b. Decode words with common Latin suffixes.
c. Decode multi-syllable words.
d. Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
RF.3.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
b. Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.
c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary
Writing
W.3.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that
unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events
or show the response of characters to situations.
c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.
d. Provide a sense of closure.
Speaking and Listening:
SL.3.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
a. 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.
b. 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).
c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their
comments to the remarks of others.
d. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
SL.3.2. Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in
diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
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SL.3.3. Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and
detail.
SL.3.6. Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested
detail or clarification.
Language
L.3.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
L.3.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
a. Capitalize appropriate words in titles.
b. Use commas in addresses.
c. Use commas and quotation marks in dialogue.
d. Form and use possessives.
e. Use conventional spelling for high-frequency and other studied words and for adding suffixes to
base words (e.g., sitting, smiled, cries, happiness).
f. Use spelling patterns and generalizations (e.g., word families, position-based spellings, syllable
patterns, ending rules, meaningful word parts) in writing words.
g. Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct
spellings.
L.3.3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
a. Choose words and phrases for effect.
b. Recognize and observe differences between the conventions of spoken and written standard English
L.3.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific
words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner
that night we went looking for them).
st
21 Century Life and Careers
9.1.4.A.1 Recognize a problem and brainstorm ways to solve the problem individually or collaboratively.
9.1.4.A.2 Evaluate available resources that can assist in solving problems.
9.1.4.A.5 Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills in classroom and family settings.
Stage 1: Desired Results
Transfer Goal: Students will be able to view themselves as readers and writers and independently
selecting books from a wide variety of genre for various writing purpose.
Unit Essential Questions
 How do writers share about real or imagined
experiences or events?
 How do we develop a sense of ourselves of
readers?
 How do we become a reading community
that knows the rituals and routines of reading
and responding to text?
 What strategies do readers use to make sense
of text?
 How can conversation and responding to
texts enhance reading experiences?
Unit Enduring Understandings
 Readers in a reading community learn how to
take care of, talk about, and read text
independently/with others.
 Good writers include details, actions, thoughts
and feelings to express themselves in a
narrative.
 Questioning and contributing help speakers
convey their message, explore issues and
clarify their thinking.
 Readers use a variety of strategies to help them
read and understand.
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Students will know and be able to do (knowledge and skills):
Reading is thinking.
 Follow procedures for each component of the reading workshop
Readers follow specific guidelines to work together and help one another do their best learning.
 Create, agree on, and implement classroom norms for how students will treat each other during each
component of reading workshop
Readers are always thinking about what they understand and how they feel about what they understood.
 The classroom library is made up of fiction and non-fiction books that can be further categorized into
different genres.
Class meetings are an important tool for fostering a nurturing classroom community. Through class meeting
discussions, the students will learn to solve problems, develop empathy, and grow socially and ethically.
 Use the “Think, Pair, Share” procedure to ensure that students have time to think and then actively
participate during mini-lessons
Careful readers read just right books with accuracy, fluency, and comprehension.
 Use prior knowledge to gain meaning
 Modify reading strategies for different types of reading
 Select and return independent reading books from classroom library
Just right books enable children to feel powerful as readers.
 Choose just-right books from classroom library
 Abandon books only for specific reasons
Readers are actively engaged in reading.
 Engage in meaningful conversations about thinking with a partner, a small group, the whole class,
and/or the teacher
Readers talk about their thinking.
 Distinguish between fiction and nonfiction
 Categorize genres of fiction and nonfiction
Readers can share their thinking about reading by responding to their reading.
 Record their reading interests in reading journal to guide book selection
 Record and maintain a list of books they’ve read in response journal
 Jot notes to help remember their thinking
 Follow procedures to write a book recommendation
 Use and apply graphic organizers to assist in jotting quick notes, writing a reading response letter, and
reading strategies
Readers notice when the text doesn’t make sense to them.
 Use reading strategies to solve unknown words
 Check understanding during reading
Stage 2: Evidence of Student Learning
Formative Performance Task
Summative Performance Task
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(A Formative Performance Task is presented
to students at the beginning of the unit. It
presents a problem that drives learning and
may include several graded assessments)
1. The students will record their reading
interests in reading journal to guide their
book selections and create notes to help
remember their thinking.
2. The students will write letters in their
reading journal about books, reading,
writers, and writing.
(A Summative Performance Task is a timed and
graded test that assesses student learning. It is
generally a post-assessment administered at the
end of a unit of study)
The students will follow procedures to write three book
recommendations that would be based like a short
commercial telling good things about the book:
 Write the title of the book and author’s name at
the top.
 Tell a little summary without giving the whole
story away.
 Tell what genre the book it.
 Explain why you liked it and why you think
someone else would like it.
 Be as specific as you can.
 Write at least 5 sentences.
Other Evidence
 Running records
 Anecdotal records
 Reader’s Response Journals
 Writing Journals
 Individual conferences
 Observations within whole group, small group, and teacher-student settings
 Presentations
 Assessments weekly or end of the unit
Stage 3: Learning Plan
19
Suggested Activities
Strategies for Differentiation

Explain that the students will be a classroom
reading community this year. Establish the
procedures for read-alouds by clearly stating
expectations.

Take opportunities during and after the readaloud to reflect on how the class is treating
one another, listening and speaking to one
another, and taking responsibility for
themselves.
Readiness: small-group instruction, homework
options, tiered assessments, compacting, multipleentry points.

Explain, model, and practice the “Turn to
Your Partner” procedure.
Interest: Choices of books, homework options,
explorations by interest and modes of expression
(artistic, technological, written, oral, community
service).

Guide students to think about, record, and
share their reading lives. Students will share
their answers and thoughts during their class
meeting
Learning Style: Organizational options, working
choice options, flexible environment, Multiple
Intelligences options

Establish the procedures for whole group
meetings by clearly stating your expectations.
Display and review the “Class Meeting
Ground Rules” chart.

Share the ways books are organized and
stored in the classroom. Day 1 of The First
Twenty Days from Guiding Readers and
Writers, Grades 3-6 by Fountas and Pinnell

Create a “Reading Is Thinking” anchor chart
with students. Day 1 of the First Twenty Days
from Guiding Readers and Writers, Grades 36 by Fountas and Pinnell

Create an anchor chart with the class listing
how students choose books. Day 2 and Figure
9-2 of
the First Twenty Days from Guiding Readers
and Writers, Grades 3-6 by Fountas and
Pinnell
(Differentiating content, process, and/or product
using variables of student readiness, interest, and
learning style)
Examples include:


Create an anchor chart with three categories,
indicating the characteristics of easy, justright, or challenging. Day 3 of the First
20
Twenty Days from Guiding Readers and
Writers, Grades 3-6 by Fountas and Pinnell

Explain that when students talk with a partner
or in a small group, this conversation is
referred to as a "buzz." Create a chart listing
class guidelines of how to buzz effectively.
Keep the chart posted in your classroom as a
visual reinforcement. Day 5 and Figure 9-3
the First Twenty Days from Guiding Readers
and Writers Grades 3-6 by Fountas and
Pinnell.

Create an anchor chart listing reasons why
readers abandon books. Day 6 and Figure 9-4
from the First Twenty Days from Guiding
Readers and Writers, Grades 3-6 by Fountas
and Pinnell
Suggested Resources: McGraw-Hill Reading/Writing Workshop, McGraw-Hill Literature Anthology,
www.connected.mcgraw-hill.com, “Getting Started: The First 20 days of Independent Reading,” adapted
routine from The book Guiding Readers and Writers grades 3-6 by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell.
Unit Overview 1
Content Area – English Language Arts
Unit 1: Culture Awareness and Narrative Writing
Grade Level – 3
Unit Summary/Rationale –
This unit will inspire readers to think deeply about and to learn from their characters. Students will be
encouraged to dive headfirst into the worlds of the books they are reading—and to do so wearing the shoes of
the characters who inhabit those worlds. Living as their characters, readers will develop their skills at
predicting, envisioning, and reading with fluency. Readers will be taught to notice characters’ personality
quirks and habits to infer so as to develop ideas about character traits, motivations, troubles, and actions.
Readers will explore what a character holds close and the way that secondary characters interact with main
characters. Students will be expected to make claims, students will learn to comprehend what the text actually
says and suggests, including being able to cite text evidence, infer, and determine central ideas. They will
support with text evidence and also demonstrate their understanding of narrative story structure, in both
writing and speaking.
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Interdisciplinary Connections – Science: Brainpop Jr. , Social Studies: Brainpop Jr., Interviewing
family members Technology: Brainpop Jr., Slideshows of different customs and cultures.
Differentiated Instruction may Include:
Raz-Kids, Reading A-Z, Smart Exchange, Harcourt the Learning Site, Think Central, Scholastic News
Online Resources, Leveled Readers, Graphic Organizers, Google Translate, Picture Dictionaries,
Graphic Images
Technology Integration- Laptops, I-Pads, Internet Sites, SmartBoard, I-pods, Netbooks
21st Century Themes Global Awareness
Exemplar: The Museum Book
by: Jan Mark
Ah, Music
By: Aliki
 Civic Literacy
 Environmental Literacy
 Other Resources
- Freckle Juice
By: Judy Blume
21st Century Skills Creativity and Innovation
 Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
 Communication and Collaboration
 Life & Career Skills
 Information, Media and ICT Literacy
Learning Targets
Practices/Anchor Standards:
Reading R1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite
specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
R3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
R4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and
figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
R5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the
text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
R6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
R7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and
quantitatively, as well as in words.
Writing W1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning
and relevant and sufficient evidence.
W3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, wellchosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
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W6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate
with others.
W8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy
of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
Speaking and Listening –
SL1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse
partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL 3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.
SL 4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of
reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
SL 5. Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance
understanding of presentations.
SL 6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal
English when indicated or appropriate.
Language –
L1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
L 2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
L 4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context
clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as
appropriate.
Grade Level Standards:
Reading
RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as
the basis for the answers.
RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central
message, lesson, or moral.
RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions
contribute to the sequence of events.
RL.3.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from
nonliteral language.
RL.3.7 Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a
story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).
RL.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the
high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently and proficiently
RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the
basis for the answers.
RI.3.2 Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
RI.3.3 Describe relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in
technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
RI.3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant
to a grade 3 topic or subject area
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RI.3.7. Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to
demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
RI.3.8 Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g.,
comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).
RI.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies,
science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently and
proficiently.
Foundational Skills
RF.3.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
a. Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.
b. Decode words with common Latin suffixes.
c. Decode multi-syllable words.
d. Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
RF.3.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
b. Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.
c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Writing:
W.3.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that
unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events
or show the response of characters to situations.
c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.
d. Provide a sense of closure.
W.3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization
are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in
standards 1–3 above.)
W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, and editing.
W.3.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter
time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes,
Speaking and Listening:
SL.3.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
a. 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.
b. 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).
c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their
comments to the remarks of others.
d. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
SL.3.3. Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and
detail.
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SL.3.6. Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested
detail or clarification.
Language:
L.3.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
a. Explain the function of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general and their functions
in particular sentences.
c. Use abstract nouns (e.g., childhood).
i. Produce simple, compound, and complex sentences
L.3.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
a. Capitalize appropriate words in titles.
b. Use commas in addresses.
c. Use commas and quotation marks in dialogue.
d. Form and use possessives.
e. Use conventional spelling for high-frequency and other studied words and for adding suffixes to base
words (e.g., sitting, smiled, cries, happiness).
f. Use spelling patterns and generalizations (e.g., word families, position-based spellings, syllable
patterns, ending rules, meaningful word parts) in writing words.
g. Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct
spellings.
L.3.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade
3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a. Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g.,
agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat).
c. Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g.,
company, companion).
d. Use glossaries or beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the precise
meaning of key words and phrases.
L.3.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
a. Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps).
b. Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or
helpful).
c. Distinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of
certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered).
L.3.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific
words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner
that night we went looking for them)
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Stage 1: Desired Results
Transfer Goal: Students will be able to independently use their learning to cite evidence that
reflects the theme or main idea without adding personal judgment and describe how plot events or
scenes build on and impact one another.
Unit Essential Questions
Unit Enduring Understandings
 How does an author reveal a character in text?
 Readers can dig deeper and improve their
understanding of books by following characters
 How does learning about characters help us
closely as they read.
understand the main messages and themes of the
text?
 Readers develop theories and grow ideas about
characters in text.
 How does learning about the character help us
understand ourselves, our relationships with
 Understanding characters helps us to interpret the
others, and our life?
author’s messages and themes.
 How do good writers express themselves in
 Good writers include details, actions, thoughts and
narratives?
feelings to express themselves in a narrative.
 When is it appropriate to ask questions?
 Questioning and contributing help speakers convey
their message, explore issues and clarify their
thinking.
Students will know and be able to do (knowledge and skills)
Stage 2: Evidence of Student Learning
Formative Performance Task
(A Formative Performance Task is presented
to students at the beginning of the unit. It
presents a problem that drives learning and
may include several graded assessments)
Summative Performance Task
(A Summative Performance Task is a timed and
graded test that assesses student learning. It is
generally a post-assessment administered at the
end of a unit of study)
1. Understanding Character
 Students select a character from an individually
or group read text.
 They can become the character to provide details
about how that character’s actions impact the
sequence of events in the selection
 Becoming the character can include dressing
like that character, creating character specific
props and/or making character puppets.
Your character presentation should include:
Questioning the Text
Using the think-aloud strategy, model for students
how to question the text while reading to discuss
this how stories can help to inspire and create
discoveries. The teacher might read aloud a text
printed large enough for students to see. On large
sticky notes, the teacher can pose questions or
wonderings as the selection is read aloud. Once the
reading is complete, the teacher and students can
26

work together to determine where they might find
answers to the questions that were asked.
Encourage students to repeat this process while
reading individually using sticky notes to be
placed in their reading response journals.



what the character is like internal and external
traits
what the character does, says, and thinks
a message that the character could teach us
an illustration of the character in a situation that
helps to understand the him/her more
2. Reading Wonders Unit Assessment
3. Word Study assessments from Words Their Way
Other Evidence
 Running records
 Anecdotal records
 Reader’s Response Journals
 Individual conferences
 Observations within whole group, small group, and teacher-student settings
 Presentations
 Graphic Organizers and Other Reader Response Tasks
 Assessments weekly or end of the unit
 Presentations
 Informal assessment during guided writing groups
 Writer’s Notebook
 Author’s Chair
 Writing folder for works in progress
Stage 3: Learning Plan
27
Suggested Activities
Strategies for Differentiation
(suggested learning activities that will allow students
to successfully complete the assessment activities
described in section II)
(Differentiating content, process, and/or product
using variables of student readiness, interest, and
learning style)
Examples include:



The students will work in groups to compare
information they have learned about different
cultures. They will compare this information
by citing evidence with at least three
examples using the weekly reading resources.
The students will write an analysis on how
authors use text features, such as headings,
sidebars, and diagrams, to help readers
understand more about the topic. They will
share their paragraphs and discuss how the
text evidence they found supports their ideas.
Readiness: small-group instruction, homework
options, tiered assessments, compacting, multipleentry points.
Interest: Choices of books, homework options,
explorations by interest and modes of expression
(artistic, technological, written, oral, community
service).
Learning Style: Organizational options, working
choice options, flexible environment, Multiple
Intelligences options
Tell students about your writing experiences.
Have students talk in groups about their
writing lives. Ask questions to facilitate
conversation. Have students create timelines
of their lives.
Suggested Resources: McGraw-Hill Reading/Writing Workshop, McGraw-Hill Literature Anthology,
Leveled Readers, www.connected.mcgraw-hill.com, Launching the Writing Workshop from Units of Study
for Teaching Writing Grades 3-5 by Lucy Calkins, Time for Kids, Being a Writer, Information Center
Internet resources, Words Their Way
28
Unit Overview 2
Content Area – English Language Arts
Unit 2: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving/Informative and Explanatory Writing
Grade Level – 3
Unit Summary/Rationale –
The focus of this unit will be how to figure things out independently, as well as by working with others, to
overcome obstacles. By understanding point of view, the reader had the opportunity to separate self from
author, and to see the differences in what they believe and what is written. Readers build understanding
through meaningful and intentional opportunities to read, study and discuss literature with a focus on author’s
craft. Students will write informative/explanatory tests to examine a topic and convey ideas and informational
clearly. They will also collaborate and conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic and
create a presentation.
Interdisciplinary Connections – Science: Brainpop Jr., Investigations, Social Studies: Brainpop Jr.,
Landform Maps Technology: Brainpop Jr., Map games, Name the State
Differentiated Instruction may Include:
Raz-Kids, Reading A-Z, Smart Exchange, Harcourt the Learning Site, Think Central, Scholastic News
Online Resources, Leveled Readers, Graphic Organizers, Google Translate, Picture Dictionaries,
Graphic Images
Technology Integration- Labtops, I-Pads, Internet Sites, SmartBoard, I-pods, Netbooks
21st Century Themes Global Awareness
 Civic Literacy
Exemplar: The Story of Ruby Bridges
By: Robert Coles
 Environmental Literacy
21st Century Skills Creativity and Innovation
 Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
 Communication and Collaboration
 Life & Career Skills
- Brainstorm and gather information about
cultures through discussion, Venn
Diagrams, and creative illustrations
 Information, Media and ICT Literacy
Learning Targets
Practices/Anchor Standards:
Reading
R2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting
details and ideas.
Writing
W3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, wellchosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
W6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate
with others.
W10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time
frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
29
Speaking and Listening
SL1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse
partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.
Grade Level Standards:
Reading
RL.3.1. Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as
the basis for the answers.
RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central
message, lesson, or moral.
RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their
actions contribute to the sequence of events.
RL.3.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from
nonliteral language.
RL.3.6 Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
RL.3.7 Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a
story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).
RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as
the basis for the answers.
RI.3.3 Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in
technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
RI.3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant
to a grade 3 topic or subject area
RI.3.6 Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.
RI.3.8 Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g.,
comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).
RI.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies,
science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently
and proficiently.
Foundational Skills
RF.3.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
a. Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.
b. Decode words with common Latin suffixes.
c. Decode multi-syllable words.
d. Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
RF.3.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
b. Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.
c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Writing
W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
a. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to
30
aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.
c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within
categories of information.
d. Provide a concluding statement or section.
W.3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization
are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in
standards 1–3 above.)
W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, and editing.
W.3.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
Speaking and Listening:
SL.3.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
a. Form and use regular and irregular plural nouns.
b. Use abstract nouns (e.g., childhood).
c. Form and use regular and irregular verbs.
d. Form and use the simple (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk) verb tenses.
SL.3.3 Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and
detail.
SL.3.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant,
descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable place.
SL.3.6 Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested
detail and clarification.
Language
L.3.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
a. Explain the function of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general and their functions
in particular sentences.
b. Form and use regular and irregular plural nouns.
d. Form and use regular and irregular verbs.
e. Form and use the simple (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk) verb tenses.
L.3.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
a. Capitalize appropriate words in titles.
b. Use commas in addresses.
c. Use commas and quotation marks in dialogue.
d. Form and use possessives.
e. Use conventional spelling for high-frequency and other studied words and for adding suffixes to base
words (e.g., sitting, smiled, cries, happiness).
f. Use spelling patterns and generalizations (e.g., word families, position-based spellings, syllable
patterns, ending rules, meaningful word parts) in writing words.
g. Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct
spellings.
31
L.3.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
L.3.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific
words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that
night we went looking for them)
st
21 Century and Careers
9.1.4.B.1 Participate in brainstorming sessions to seek information, ideas, and strategies that foster creative
thinking.
Stage 1: Desired Results
Transfer Goal: Students will be able to independently use their learning to conduct research by
locating and using reliable print, media and online resources.
Unit Essential Questions
 How are an author’s life experiences and interests
reflected in his/her work?
 What themes, messages, or ideas do notice the
author returning to?
 What elements of craft do notice this author using?
 How does the author’s craft help him communicate
his messages, themes, and purpose?
Unit Enduring Understandings
 An author’s background experiences and interests
influence reflected in his/her work.
 Readers recognize the impact of an author’s
decisions, word choice, content and literary
elements.
 Informational and explanatory writing can help us to
convey facts and information about a variety of
subjects.
Students will know and be able to do (knowledge and skills)
Stage 2: Evidence of Student Learning
Formative Performance Task
(A Formative Performance Task is presented
to students at the beginning of the unit. It
presents a problem that drives learning and
may include several graded assessments)
Summative Performance Task
(A Summative Performance Task is a timed and
graded test that assesses student learning. It is
generally a post-assessment administered at the
end of a unit of study)
1. The teacher will ask the students to think of
a time they had a problem or obstacles that
they needed to overcome. The students
will discuss/collaborate with a partner to
share their ideas as to the first step they
should take to solve a problem.
1. Research teams will select an animal from a
specific habitat, such as desert, artic, rainforest,
and research what people can do to help the
animal survive there. They will create a flipbook illustrating how people help animals
survive.
2. The teacher will then have the students
read the poem: “The Problem Solver.” The

32
Decide what planning, research and writing your
group needs to do.




students will explore the theme by
asking/answering the following questions:
What steps does the Problem Solver say
you should take before you try to solve a
problem?
Does the Problem Solver think you should
always try to solve problems by yourself?
How should you act when a problem pops
up?






Discuss who will do what: Who will do research
on the animal’s habitat?
Who will research how the animal survives in its
habitat?
Who will draw or collect photographs of the
animal? Who will help make the flip-book?
Review how to locate and use reliable print and
online resources
Students should record the author, title, and
publication information from their sources and
cite all of their resources.
Team members will synthesize/present research
and decide on their final message
Encourage students to use all available
technology, such as audio recordings and visual
displays, to enhance their presentations.
2. Reading Wonders Unit Assessment
3. Word Study assessments from Words Their Way
Other Evidence
 Running records
 Anecdotal records
 Reader’s Response Journals
 Individual conferences
 Observations within whole group, small group, and teacher-student settings
 Presentations
 Assessments weekly or end of the unit
 Presentations
 Graphic Organizers and Other Reader Response Tasks
 Informal assessment during guided writing groups
 Writer’s Notebook
 Author’s Chair
Stage 3: Learning Plan
33
Suggested Activities
Strategies for Differentiation
(suggested learning activities that will allow students
to successfully complete the assessment activities
described in section II)
(Differentiating content, process, and/or product
using variables of student readiness, interest, and
learning style)
Examples include:



The students will work in teams to conduct a
short research project about how a task can be
made simpler by using teamwork: “A Plan for
Collaboration.” They will then use their
research to present oral instructions about
how that task is accomplished.
The students will work in groups to
compare/contrast information about why
people immigrate to new places using cite
evidence from the week’s leveled readers.
Then, create a Layered Book Foldable to
record reasons and present their findings as to
why people immigrate to new places.
Readiness: small-group instruction, homework
options, tiered assessments, compacting, multipleentry points.
Interest: Choices of books, homework options,
explorations by interest and modes of expression
(artistic, technological, written, oral, community
service).
Learning Style: Organizational options, working
choice options, flexible environment, Multiple
Intelligences options
Using text evidence, students will analyze
how the author of a text uses details to support
his or her point of view. Select a text they
read this week and find text evidence in the
story to support their ideas. Explain whether
they agree with the author’s point of view and
why or why not.
Suggested Resources: McGraw-Hill Reading/Writing Workshop, McGraw-Hill Literature Anthology,
Leveled Readers, www.connected.mcgraw-hill.com, Launching the Writing Workshop from Units of Study
for Teaching Writing Grades 3-5 by Lucy Calkins, Time for Kids, Being a Writer, Information Center
Internet resources, Words Their Way
34
Unit Overview 3
Content Area – English Language Arts
Unit 3: Unique Discoveries/Opinion Writing
Grade Level – 3
Unit Summary/Rationale –
In this unit, students will become familiar with different expository text structures. They will learn to navigate
these texts in order to learn new information about varied topics. Lessons will focus on determining main
idea and interpreting author’s point of view in informational texts. Students will create opinion texts in the
form of opinion letters and book reviews. Lessons will focus on teaching students to elaborate more on their
thinking, structure their arguments, and to begin to consider counterarguments. Students will take their most
powerful text through the writing process in an attempt to make a difference.
Interdisciplinary Connections – Science: Brainpop Jr., Researching Scientists and inventors and cite
evidence Social Studies: Brainpop Jr, Researching Explorers and cite evidence Technology: Brainpop Jr.,
You tube videos
Differentiated Instruction may Include:
Raz-Kids, Reading A-Z, Smart Exchange, Harcourt the Learning Site, Think Central, Scholastic News
Online Resources, Leveled Readers, Graphic Organizers, Google Translate, Picture Dictionaries,
Graphic Images
Technology Integration- Labtops, I-Pads, Internet Sites, SmartBoard, I-pods, Netbooks
21st Century Themes Global Awareness
Exemplar: The Story of Money
By: Betsy Maestro
 Civic Literacy
 Health Literacy
 Environmental Literacy
Exemplar: A Drop of Water
By: Walter Wick
21st Century Skills Creativity/Innovation
 Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
 Communication and Collaboration
- Small group opinion pieces
- Book reviews
 Life & Career Skills
 Information, Media and ICT Literacy
Learning Targets
Practices/Anchor Standards:
Reading
R2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas.
R 3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
R 5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the
text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
R 8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning
as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
R 9.Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to
35
compare the approaches the authors take.
Writing
W1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient evidence.
Speaking and Listening
SL2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually,
quantitatively, and orally.
SL 4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of
reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
SL 6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal
English when indicated or appropriate.
Listening
L4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context
clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as
appropriate.
L6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient
for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate
independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to
comprehension or expression.
Grade Level Standards:
Reading.
RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central
message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their
actions contribute to the sequence of events.
RL.3.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from
nonliteral language.
RL.3.5 Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such
as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections.
RL.3.7 Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a
story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).
RL.3.9 Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the
same similar characters (e.g., in books from a series).
RI.3.2 Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main
idea.
RI.3.3 Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in
technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
RI.3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant
to a grade 3 topic of subject area.
RI.3.5 Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information
relevant
to a given topic efficiently.
36
RI.3.8 Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g.,
comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).
Foundational Skills
RF.3.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
a. Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.
b. Decode words with common Latin suffixes.
c. Decode multi-syllable words.
d. Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
RF.3.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
b. Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.
c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Writing
W.3.1. Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
a. Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational
structure that lists reasons.
b. Provide reasons that support the opinion.
c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and
reasons.
d. Provide a concluding statement or section.
W.3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization
are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in
standards 1–3 above.)
W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, and editing.
W.3.6 With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using
keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
W.3.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
W.3.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief
notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
Speaking and Listening
SL.3.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
a. Form and use regular and irregular plural nouns.
b. Use abstract nouns (e.g., childhood).
c. Form and use regular and irregular verbs.
d. Form and use the simple (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk) verb tenses.
SL.3.2. Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in
diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
SL.3.3. Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and
detail.
SL.3.4. Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant,
descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
SL.3.6. Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested
detail or clarification.
37
Language
L.3.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
a. Explain the function of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general and their functions
in particular sentences.
e. Form and use the simple (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk) verb tenses.
f. Ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.*
L.3.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
a. Capitalize appropriate words in titles.
b. Use commas in addresses.
c. Use commas and quotation marks in dialogue.
d. Form and use possessives.
e. Use conventional spelling for high-frequency and other studied words and for adding suffixes to base
words (e.g., sitting, smiled, cries, happiness).
f. Use spelling patterns and generalizations (e.g., word families, position-based spellings, syllable
patterns, ending rules, meaningful word parts) in writing words.
g. Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct
spellings.
L.3.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
a. Choose words and phrases for effect.
b. Recognize and observe differences between the conventions of spoken and written standard English
L.3.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade
3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a. Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g.,
agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat).
c. Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g.,
company, companion).
d. Use glossaries or beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the precise
meaning of key words and phrases.
L.3.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
a. Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps).
b. Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or
helpful).
c. Distinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of
certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered)
L.3.6. Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific
words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that
night we went looking for them)
st
21 Century Careers
9.1.4.C.1 Practice collaborative skills in groups, and explain how these skills assist in completing tasks in
different settings (at home, in school, and during play).
Stage 1: Desired Results
Transfer Goal: Students will be able to independently use their learning in new situations to
38
interpret illustrations and/or other media as they relate to support text.
Unit Essential Questions
 How can we effectively convey our opinions?
 How does understanding a text’s structure assist
and support me to understand meaning?
 What value does an illustration add to a text?
 What do readers gain when they reading more than
one source on a given topic?
 Why do authors write about the same topic or
about the same character?
Unit Enduring Understandings
 Our opinions can be supported by facts and
communicated both orally and written.
 Understanding a text’s structure helps us make
meaning.
 Reading is crucial to the understanding of ourselves
and the world around us.
 Readers need to know how to navigate
informational texts efficiently in order to read to
learn.
 Readers use what they learn from reading
informational texts to grow new ideas and theories.
Students will know and be able to do (knowledge and skills)
Stage 2: Evidence of Student Learning
Formative Performance Task
(A Formative Performance Task is presented
to students at the beginning of the unit. It
presents a problem that drives learning and
may include several graded assessments)
Summative Performance Task
(A Summative Performance Task is a timed and
graded test that assesses student learning. It is
generally a post-assessment administered at the
end of a unit of study)
1. Students will develop an opinion writing piece
based on a single photograph or other artistic
work. They will focus on the essential
questions: How can one person change the way
you think? Students will share out their work in
a “gallery” in which each student reports about
their experience crafting their work to express
how specific aspects of an illustration or artistic
work contribute to what is conveyed by the
words in a story to “visitors” (i.e. parents,
1. Give students sticky notes. Have them
mark in their text what text features are
found on the page and how they are useful.
Another option would be to list several
features and have the students put the
sticky note by the feature and explain how
it would be helpful.
2. Given a topic, allow students to work in
pairs for a pre-determined amount of time
39
to find information using the internet. Have
them create a resource page on the topic,
complete with websites and hyperlinks.
Discuss with the students what they did to
create their resource page using the
internet. Assess their understanding of
technology features and search tools using
a rubric.
classmates, or staff members).
2. Reading Wonders Unit Assessment
3. Word Study assessments from Words Their Way
3. Remove the text from a science or social
studies article, leaving only the text
features, such as keywords, sidebars,
pictures and captions. Have the students
complete a quick draw with words and
illustrations or briefly write a summary
about the topic.
Other Evidence
 Running records
 Anecdotal records
 Reader’s Response Journals
 Individual conferences
 Observations within whole group, small group, and teacher-student settings
 Presentations
 Assessments weekly or end of the unit
 Presentations
 Graphic Organizers and Other Reader Response Tasks
 Informal assessment during guided writing groups
 Writer’s Notebook
 Author’s Chair
40
Stage 3: Learning Plan
Suggested Activities
Strategies for Differentiation
(suggested learning activities that will allow students
to successfully complete the assessment activities
described in section II)
(Differentiating content, process, and/or product
using variables of student readiness, interest, and
learning style)
Examples include:



The students will collaborate with a partner to
complete a short research project about Earth
and its neighbors in space. They will fill in a
KWL chart with information they know and
questions they have about earth and its
neighbors. Using reliable resources, they will
then answer their questions to complete their
KWL chart.
Using text evidence, students will write their
opinion about whether the author gives
enough key details that go together to help
them figure out the main idea, or most
important point, of a text.
Readiness: small-group instruction, homework
options, tiered assessments, compacting, multipleentry points.
Interest: Choices of books, homework options,
explorations by interest and modes of expression
(artistic, technological, written, oral, community
service).
Learning Style: Organizational options, working
choice options, flexible environment, Multiple
Intelligences options
The students will work in small groups to
conduct a short research project about a
certain era in American history. They will
then create a three-column chart that lists the
important events, the dates, and details about
the events of that era and their dates. The
group will present their information to the
class.
Suggested Resources: McGraw-Hill Reading/Writing Workshop, McGraw-Hill Literature Anthology,
Leveled Readers, www.connected.mcgraw-hill.com, Launching the Writing Workshop from Units of Study
for Teaching Writing Grades 3-5 by Lucy Calkins, Time for Kids, Being a Writer, Information Center
Internet resources, Words Their Way
41
Unit Overview 4
Content Area – English Language Arts
Unit 4: MEETING CHALLENGES/FICTIONAL NARRATIVE AND POETRY WRITING
Grade Level – 3
Unit Summary/Rationale –
In this unit, the students will discover different ways to meet challenges. Lessons will focus on determining
main idea, comparing/contrasting and interpreting author’s point of view within the genres of folktales,
realistic fictions, and expository text. Instruction will also feature the elements of reading and writing
including grammar and spelling especially through poetry and poetry features. Students will be asked to bring
with them the strategies they have learned about narrative writing in second grade in order to push themselves
to write with more independence and sophistication. Students will spend time being self-reflective and setting
goals for their improvement as a writer of narrative texts. Students will review the writing process as they
take one piece through the entire process to celebrate the unit.
Interdisciplinary Connections – Science: Brainpop Jr., Plant Investigation through journal writing
Social Studies: Brainpop Jr., Brainstorming solving community problems Technology: Brainpop Jr.,
Type responses on Netbooks
Differentiated Instruction may Include:
Raz-Kids, Reading A-Z, Smart Exchange, Harcourt the Learning Site, Think Central, Scholastic News
Online Resources, Leveled Readers, Graphic Organizers, Google Translate, Picture Dictionaries,
Graphic Images
Technology Integration- Labtops, I-Pads, Internet Sites, SmartBoard, I-pods, Netbooks
21st Century Themes Global Awareness
 Financial, Economic, Business &
Entrepreneurial Literacy
 Civic Literacy
Exemplar: So You Want to be President?
By: Judith St. George & David Small
 Health Literacy
 Environmental Literacy
Exemplar: Who Has Seen the Wind?
By: Christina Rossetti
Something Told the Wild Geese
By: Rachel Field
A Bat is Born
By: Randall Jarrell
21st Century Skills Creativity/Innovation
 Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
 Communication and Collaboration
 Life & Career Skills
 Information, Media and ICT Literacy
- Watch videos pertaining to fictional
characters/stories and create a piece using
technology
- Acrostic Poetry
Learning Targets
42
Practices/Anchor Standards:
Reading
R6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
R8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning
as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
Writing
W1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient evidence.
Speaking and Listening
SL1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse
partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal
English when indicated or appropriate.
Language
L4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context
clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as
appropriate.
Grade Level Standards:
Reading
RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as
the basis for the answers.
RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions
contribute to the sequence of events.
RL.3.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from
nonliteral language.
RL.3.5 Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems, when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such
as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections.
RL.3.6 Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
RL.3.9 Compare and contrast the themes, settings, plots of stories written by the same author about the same
or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series).
RL.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the
high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently and proficiently
RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicity to the text as the
basis for the answers.
RI.3.3 Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in
technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
RI.3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant
to a grade 3 topic or subject area
RI.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies,
science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently
43
and proficiently.
Foundational Skills
RF.3.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
a. Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.
b. Decode words with common Latin suffixes.
c. Decode multi-syllable words.
d. Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
RF.3.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
b. Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.
c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Writing
W.3.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that
unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events
or show the response of characters to situations.
c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.
d. Provide a sense of closure
W.3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization
are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in
standards 1–3 above.)
W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, and editing.
W.3.10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter
time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
Speaking and Listening
SL.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
a. Form and use regular and irregular plural nouns.
b. Use abstract nouns (e.g., childhood).
c. Form and use regular and irregular verbs.
d. Form and use the simple (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk) verb tenses.
SL.3.3 Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and
detail.
SL.3.5 Create engaging audio recordings of stories or poems that demonstrate fluid reading at an
understandable pace; add visual displays when appropriate to emphasize or enhance certain facts or
details.
SL.3.6. Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested
detail or clarification.
44
Language
L.3.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
h. Use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.
i. Produce simple, compound, and complex sentences.
L.3.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
a. Capitalize appropriate words in titles.
b. Use commas in addresses.
c. Use commas and quotation marks in dialogue.
d. Form and use possessives.
e. Use conventional spelling for high-frequency and other studied words and for adding suffixes to base
words (e.g., sitting, smiled, cries, happiness).
f. Use spelling patterns and generalizations (e.g., word families, position-based spellings, syllable
patterns, ending rules, meaningful word parts) in writing words.
g. Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct
spellings.
L.3.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade
3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a. Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g.,
agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat).
c. Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g.,
company, companion).
d. Use glossaries or beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the precise
meaning of key words and phrases.
L.3.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
a. Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps).
b. Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or
helpful).
c. Distinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of
certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered)
L.3.6. Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific
words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that
night we went looking for them)
st
21 Century and Careers
9.1.4.E.1 Explain how digital media are used in daily life in a variety of settings.
9.1.4.E.2 Demonstrate effective communication using digital media during classroom activities.
Stage 1: Desired Results
Transfer Goal: Students will be able to independently use their learning in new situations to be
aware of the use of figurative language and the structure of literary genre and are able to determine
point of view.
45
Unit Essential Questions
 How does understanding a text’s structure
help me better understand its meaning?
 Why do readers need to pay attention to a
writer’s choice of words?
 How do rules of language affect
communication?
 How does identifying cause/effect help me to
understand the story?
 How do good readers and writers identify,
understand, and use characteristics and
elements of various types of poetry?
Unit Enduring Understandings
 Understanding of a text’s features, structures,
and characteristics facilitate the reader’s ability
to make meaning of the text.
 Words powerfully affect meaning.
 Rules, conventions of language, help the
reader understand what is being
communicated.
 Effective readers use specific strategies to help
them understand what they read.
 Students will understand that poems are read
for pleasure, instruction, and connections to us
as individuals.
Students will know and be able to do (knowledge and skills):
Stage 2: Evidence of Student Learning
Formative Performance Task
(A Formative Performance Task is presented
to students at the beginning of the unit. It
presents a problem that drives learning and
may include several graded assessments)
Summative Performance Task
(A Summative Performance Task is a timed and
graded test that assesses student learning. It is
generally a post-assessment administered at the
end of a unit of study)
1. Students will read and analyze a poem. They
will answer short answer and multiple choice
questions related to the poem. Short answer
questions will focus on skills such as
determining how successive parts of the poems
build on earlier sections. The students will also
determine the author’s point a view. Readers
will be required to refer to specific stanzas of the
poem and provide details from the text in their
answers. Multiple choice questions will present
various unknown words and phrases from the
poem and require students to refer to the text to
1. Groups of students read different passages.
Next, students work together to create signs
for the main idea and the key details of
their selection. The student holding the
main idea sign then presents it to the class
and defends their choice. Next each of the
students holding a key detail sign defends
how their key detail supports the main idea.
2. Have student create a word web, with a
vocabulary word in the center, listing boxes
46
around it with categories such as: draw a
picture, example, definition, what it is
NOT, use in a sentence, words that mean
about the same.
determine the meaning of the words or phrases.
2. Reading Wonders Unit Assessment
3. Word Study assessments from Words Their Way
3. Using text evidence, the students will write
their opinion about whether the author
gives enough details about other characters
and events in the story to figure out the
narrator’s point of view. They will present
their ideas to partners.
Other Evidence
 Running records
 Anecdotal records
 Reader’s Response Journals
 Individual conferences
 Observations within whole group, small group, and teacher-student settings
 Presentations
 Assessments weekly or end of the unit
 Presentations
 Graphic Organizers and Other Reader Response Tasks
 Informal assessment during guided writing groups
 Writer’s Notebook
 Author’s Chair
Stage 3: Learning Plan
47
Suggested Activities
Strategies for Differentiation
(suggested learning activities that will allow students
to successfully complete the assessment activities
described in section II)
(Differentiating content, process, and/or product
using variables of student readiness, interest, and
learning style)
Examples include:


The students will work in teams to write an
opinion paragraph explaining a choice they
could make to improve something in their
lives, such as have healthy eating habits or
saving money. They will brainstorm choices
or habits that would be more responsible in
the long run. The students must provide
relevant facts and details that support their
opinions. They will present their paragraphs
to the class.
Readiness: small-group instruction, homework
options, tiered assessments, compacting, multipleentry points.
Interest: Choices of books, homework options,
explorations by interest and modes of expression
(artistic, technological, written, oral, community
service).
Learning Style: Organizational options, working
choice options, flexible environment, Multiple
Students will work with a partner to
Intelligences options
brainstorm people who inspire them, such as
an athlete, leader, or celebrity. They will then
work together to write poems about the people
they have selected. Using a graphic organizer,
the students will record their thoughts when
choosing the most inspiring details to include
in their poems. The students will record their
poems to be played to the class.
Suggested Resources: McGraw-Hill Reading/Writing Workshop, McGraw-Hill Literature Anthology,
Leveled Readers, www.connected.mcgraw-hill.com, Launching the Writing Workshop from Units of Study
for Teaching Writing Grades 3-5 by Lucy Calkins, Time for Kids, Being a Writer, Information Center
Internet resources, Words Their Way
48
Unit Overview 5
Content Area – English Language Arts
Unit 5: GLOBAL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT/OPINION ESSAY/BOOK REVIEW
Grade Level – 3
Unit Summary/Rationale –
In this unit, the focus will be on: building textual evidence and making inferences about literary text,
determining main or central idea and making a complete summary. Knowledge-based information is an everchanging expanding genre, which encompasses daily communication. The ability to comprehend and analyze
informational texts develops critical thinking, promotes logical reasoning and expands one’s sense of the
world and self. Students will write opinions and arguments in which they introduce a topic, give their
opinion on it and offer reasons to support this opinion. Instruction will include the importance of linking
words such as “because” and “also” to connect opinions and reasons.
Interdisciplinary Connections – Science: Brainpop Jr., Recycling projects Social Studies: Brainpop
Jr., Students will write opinions and arguments on a current world event Technology: Brainpop Jr.,
Locate areas on a map where current events are taking place.
Differentiated Instruction may Include:
Raz-Kids, Reading A-Z, Smart Exchange, Harcourt the Learning Site, Think Central, Scholastic News
Online Resources, Leveled Readers, Graphic Organizers, Google Translate, Picture Dictionaries,
Graphic Images
Technology Integration- Labtops, I-Pads, Internet Sites, SmartBoard, I-pods, Netbooks
49
21st Century Themes Global Awareness
 Financial, Economic, Business &
Entrepreneurial Literacy
 Civic Literacy
 Health Literacy
 Environmental Literacy
 Other/Book Review
-Various text exemplars chosen by student
21st Century Skills Creativity/Innovation
 Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
 Communication and Collaboration
- Student conducted interviews and
presentations
 Life & Career Skills
 Information, Media and ICT Literacy
Learning Targets
Practices/Anchor Standards:
Reading
R1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite
specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
R3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
Writing
W4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
Speaking and Listening
SL3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.
SL4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of
reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Language
L3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make
effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
L5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings
Grade Level Standards:
Reading:
RL.3.1. Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as
the basis for the answers
RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central
message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
RL.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the
high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently and proficiently
RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the
basis for the answers
RI.3.2. Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
RI.3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant
50
to a grade 3 topic of subject area.
RI.3.9 Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same
topic.
RI.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies,
science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently
and proficiently.
Foundational Skills
RF.3.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
a. Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.
b. Decode words with common Latin suffixes.
c. Decode multi-syllable words.
d. Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
RF.3.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
b. Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.
c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Writing
W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
a. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to
aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.
W.3.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that
unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events
or show the response of characters to situations.
W.3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization
are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in
standards 1–3 above.)
W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, and editing.
W.3.10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter
time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
Speaking and Listening
SL.3.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
a. Form and use regular and irregular plural nouns.
b. Use abstract nouns (e.g., childhood).
c. Form and use regular and irregular verbs.
d. Form and use the simple (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk) verb tenses.
SL.3.3. Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and
51
detail.
SL.3.5 Create engaging audio recordings of stories or poems that demonstrate fluid reading at an
understandable pace; add visual displays when appropriate to emphasize or enhance certain facts or
details.
SL.3.6. Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested
detail or clarification.
Language
L.3.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
a. Capitalize appropriate words in titles.
b. Use commas in addresses.
c. Use commas and quotation marks in dialogue.
d. Form and use possessives.
e. Use conventional spelling for high-frequency and other studied words and for adding suffixes to base
words (e.g., sitting, smiled, cries, happiness).
f. Use spelling patterns and generalizations (e.g., word families, position-based spellings, syllable
patterns, ending rules, meaningful word parts) in writing words.
g. Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct
spellings.
L.3.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade
3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a. Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g.,
agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat).
c. Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g.,
company, companion).
d. Use glossaries or beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the precise
meaning of key words and phrases.
L.3.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
a. Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps).
b. Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or
helpful).
c. Distinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of
certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered)
L.3.6. Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific
words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that
night we went looking for them).
st
21 Century and Careers
9.1.4.D.3 Demonstrate an awareness of one’s own culture and other cultures during interactions within and
outside of the classroom.
Stage 1: Desired Results
Transfer Goal: Students will be able to independently use their ability to make connections to the
larger world to make inferences and summarize informational text.
52
Unit Essential Questions
 How do readers make inferences to better
understand a story?
 When is it appropriate to ask questions?
 How does the choice of words affect the
message?
 What’s the media message?
Unit Enduring Understandings
 Using inference and conclusions can help
students to make connections with the text.
 Questioning and contributing help speakers
convey their message, explore issues and
clarify their thinking.
 A speaker’s choice of words and style set a
tone and define the message.
 People experience the same media message
differently.
Students will know and be able to do (knowledge and skills):
Stage 2: Evidence of Student Learning
Formative Performance Task
(A Formative Performance Task is presented
to students at the beginning of the unit. It
presents a problem that drives learning and
may include several graded assessments)
Summative Performance Task
(A Summative Performance Task is a timed and
graded test that assesses student learning. It is
generally a post-assessment administered at the
end of a unit of study)
1. Research teams will create a multimedia
presentation on the pros and cons of two energy
resources, using the Venn diagrams that were
created this week. You will be drawing a
conclusion as to which energy resource you
would most recommend.
 In your group, decide what research needs to be
done. What energy sources do you want to talk
about? What research needs to be done beyond
examining the Venn diagrams? Who will
organize the information into a usable form?
Who will use the information to create the
presentation? Who will be in charge of creating
or finding appropriate audio and visuals to
accompany your presentation?
 Take the information that your group has
assembled and figure out the most important
parts of it. Highlight or make a check mark by
this information. Use these pieces to create your
presentation. What do you want your audience
1. Reading Response Journals/Learning
Logs. Students read a selection. Next they
write about the main concepts, their
opinions, connections, and how the
concepts might be changed or used for
further study. For example, students read a
selected text. Then they label a three
column chart with the following: main
idea, student opinions, and author point of
view. Students record thoughts in each
column. As an extension, students could
locate other texts that support his or her
opinion.
2. Four corners. Have students read an
article about animals in a rodeo, zoo or
some other controversial topic. Propose a
statement that it is good for animals to be
in a rodeo. Mark the 4 corners of the room,
53
Strongly Agree, Somewhat Agree,
Somewhat Disagree or Strongly Disagree.
Have students go to the corner they feel
aligns with their point of view. Discuss
with the others in their group, and then
present a brief argument defending their
position to the class. Students can then go
to their desks and write a brief defense of
their positions. For example, provide the
topic of school lunch to allow students to
share their perspectives.

to learn from your presentation? What can you
do to make your presentation more visually
interesting? Use these questions as guidelines
as you create your presentation.
Present the information to the class and be
prepared to answer questions.
2. Reading Wonders Unit Assessment
3. Word Study assessments from Words Their Way
Other Evidence
 Running records
 Anecdotal records
 Reader’s Response Journals
 Individual conferences
 Observations within whole group, small group, and teacher-student settings
 Presentations
 Assessments weekly or end of the unit
 Presentations
 Graphic Organizers and Other Reader Response Tasks
 Informal assessment during guided writing groups
 Writer’s Notebook
 Author’s Chair
Stage 3: Learning Plan
54
Suggested Activities
Strategies for Differentiation
(suggested learning activities that will allow students
to successfully complete the assessment activities
described in section II)
(Differentiating content, process, and/or product
using variables of student readiness, interest, and
learning style)
Examples include:


QAR. QAR is a cognitive strategy that can
also be applied to traditional text in an
anthology or a chapter in a textbook in other
content areas. This strategy is especially
useful when students are asked to read
something and answer questions about it.
Teachers model the four types of questions:
Right There, Think and Search, Author and
Me, and On My Own.
1. Right There --Pose a question to the class
that may be answered by looking in one
location in the text. Ask students how they
figured out the answer to the question
2. Think and Search --Ask a question that
may be answered by looking in more than
one location of the text.
3. Author and Me--Pose a question that
requires “reading” the text and using
knowledge that is in your head.
4. On My Own--Ask a related question that
can be answered without having to read
the text. These are usually higher level
critical thinking questions.
Readiness: small-group instruction, homework
options, tiered assessments, compacting, multipleentry points.
Interest: Choices of books, homework options,
explorations by interest and modes of expression
(artistic, technological, written, oral, community
service).
Learning Style: Organizational options, working
choice options, flexible environment, Multiple
Intelligences options
The students will work in a group to create a
collage of pictures of materials that can be
reused as something else. Use pictures from
reliable resources to create the collage.
Should use effective words and phrases in
order to persuade their classmates to recycle
and reuse materials.
55
Suggested Resources: McGraw-Hill Reading/Writing Workshop, McGraw-Hill Literature Anthology,
Leveled Readers, www.connected.mcgraw-hill.com, Launching the Writing Workshop from Units of Study
for Teaching Writing Grades 3-5 by Lucy Calkins, Time for Kids, Being a Writer, Information Center
Internet resources, Words Their Way
Unit Overview 6
Content Area – English Language Arts
56
Unit 6: DEFINING VALUES & GOALS/INFORMATIVE TEXT: ARTICLE/RESEARCH REPORT
Grade Level – 3
Unit Summary/Rationale –
Nonfiction surrounds us. Newspapers, websites, feeds, and magazines inundate our world with information
on a daily basis. On televisions, reality TV programs feature prominently in the “hot spots” of prime time. In
a sense, our world is becoming more “real.” However, many ELA classes still focus predominately on fiction
as the sole vehicle for reading instruction. Beginning at the primary level, elementary teachers must better
balance the reading of fiction and nonfiction texts in the classroom while engaging students’ interest. This
unit, guided by the vision of the new standards, seeks to re-center our focus. Developmentally, students will
engage more in topics that are of interest to them. Since this unit seeks to differentiate by student interest to
maximize engagement with nonfiction texts, then allowing student choice is of fundamental importance to
this unit.
Interdisciplinary Connections – Science: Brainpop Jr., Zoo Books to identify animals habitats Social
Studies: Brainpop Jr., Scholastic News to find a topic of interest and write a research report
Technology: Brainpop Jr., Use the internet to research topic and find picture related to topic.
Differentiated Instruction may Include:
Raz-Kids, Reading A-Z, Smart Exchange, Harcourt the Learning Site, Think Central, Scholastic News
Online Resources, Leveled Readers, Graphic Organizers, Google Translate, Picture Dictionaries,
Graphic Images
Technology Integration- Labtops, I-Pads, Internet Sites, SmartBoard, I-pods, Netbooks
21st Century Themes Global Awareness
-Scholastic News
 Financial, Economic, Business &
Entrepreneurial Literacy
-Scholastic News
 Civic Literacy
-Scholastic News
 Health Literacy
-Scholastic News
 Environmental Literacy
-Scholastic News
21st Century Skills Creativity/Innovation
 Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
 Communication and Collaboration
- Biography Report and presentation
- Ecosystem posters and reports
- Animal research and reports
- Brochures on community
 Life & Career Skills
 Information, Media and ICT Literacy
Learning Targets
Practices/Anchor Standards:
Reading
R1.Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific
textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
R 3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
R 4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and
figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
57
R 5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the
text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
R 8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning
as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
R10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
Writing
W2.Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and
accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
W6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate
with others.
W7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
W8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy
of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
W10.Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time
frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening
SL2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually,
quantitatively, and orally.
SL4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of
reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
SL6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal
English when indicated or appropriate.
Language
L3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make
effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
Grade Level Standards:
Reading:
RL.3.1. Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as
the basis for the answers.
RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central
message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
RL.3.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from
nonliteral language.
RL.3.6. Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
RL.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the
high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently and proficiently
RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the
basis for the answers
RI.3.2. Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
RI.3.4. Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant
to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
RI.3.5. Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant
to a given topic efficiently.
58
RI.3.7 Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to
demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
RI.3.8. Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g.,
comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).
RI.3.9 Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same
topic.
RI.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social
studies/science, and technical texts, at the high end of grades 2-3 text complexity band independently
and proficiently.
Foundational Skills
RF.3.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
b. Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.
c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Writing
W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
a. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to
aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.
d. Provide a concluding statement or section.
W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.
d. Provide a sense of closure.
W.3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization
are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in
standards 1–3 above.)
W.3.6 With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using
keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
W.3.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
W.3.8 Recall information from experience or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief
notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
W.3.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter
time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
Speaking and Listening:
SL.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
a. 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.
b. 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).
59
c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their
comments to the remarks of others.
d. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
SL.3.2 Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in
diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally..
SL.3.3 Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and
detail.
SL.3.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant,
descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
SL.3.6 Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested
detail or clarification.
Language
L.3.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
a. Capitalize appropriate words in titles.
b. Use commas in addresses.
d. Form and use possessives.
e. Use conventional spelling for high-frequency and other studied words and for adding suffixes to base
words (e.g., sitting, smiled, cries, happiness).
f. Use spelling patterns and generalizations (e.g., word families, position-based spellings, syllable
patterns, ending rules, meaningful word parts) in writing words.
g. Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct
spellings.
L.3.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade
3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
c. Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g.,
company, companion).
d. Use glossaries or beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the precise
meaning of key words and phrases.
L.3.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
a. Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps).
b. Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or
helpful).
L.3.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific
words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner
that night we went looking for them).
st
21 Century Careers
9.1.4.C.1 Practice collaborative skills in groups, and explain how these skills assist in completing tasks in
different settings (at home, in school, and during play).
Stage 1: Desired Results
Transfer Goal: Students will be able to independently use their learning in new situations to…
Unit Essential Questions
 How can we express our knowledge about a topic?
Unit Enduring Understandings
 Literature is not just "stories."
 Reading and writing nonfiction are lifelong,
60
 How can we use the research process to organize
information?
 Why should we read nonfiction?
 Why conduct research?
everyday skills.
 Reading and writing nonfiction can enhance our
lives and encourage life-long learning.
 Researchers gather and critique information from
different sources for specific purposes.
Students will know and be able to do (knowledge and skills):
Stage 2: Evidence of Student Learning
Formative Performance Task
(A Formative Performance Task is presented
to students at the beginning of the unit. It
presents a problem that drives learning and
may include several graded assessments)
Summative Performance Task
(A Summative Performance Task is a timed and
graded test that assesses student learning. It is
generally a post-assessment administered at the
end of a unit of study)
1. Cut apart three to five sentence strips with
events from a historical event or steps to
make or build an object. Challenge students Reading Wonders Unit Assessment
to arrange the strips in the correct order.
After they have selected the sequence, have Word Study assessments from Words Their Way
them explain/defend the sequence.
2. Students create a chart with cause at the top
of one column and effect on the other. As
they read an informational text on a subject
such as a scientific discovery or an
historical event, students will point out
cause and effect situations.
3. Analyzing photographs from a time in
history, students create a compare and
contrast chart, depicting similarities and
differences between the past and present.
When speaking or writing, each student
will defend his/her thinking.
61
Other Evidence
 Running records
 Anecdotal records
 Reader’s Response Journals
 Individual conferences
 Observations within whole group, small group, and teacher-student settings
 Presentations
 Assessments weekly or end of the unit
 Presentations
 Informal assessment during guided writing groups
 Writer’s Notebook
 Author’s Chair
 Writing folder for works in progress
Stage 3: Learning Plan
Suggested Activities
Strategies for Differentiation
(suggested learning activities that will allow students
to successfully complete the assessment activities
described in section II)
(Differentiating content, process, and/or product
using variables of student readiness, interest, and
learning style)
Examples include:
Types of Informational Texts. Instruct students that
there are types of informational texts and that
choosing which type of text assists in comprehending
the material read.
 Descriptive: describes what something is.
 Sequence: describes how to make or do
something. Signal words are first, second,
next, then, finally.
 Cause/Effect: describes why something
happens. Signal words are because, then, so,
therefore, for this reason, results, since,
effects, in order, consequences, thus.
 Problem/Solution: describes a problem or
offers a solution to a problem.
 Compare/Contrast: describes how two
items/concepts might be alike or different.
Signal words are same, similar, although,
Readiness: small-group instruction, homework
options, tiered assessments, compacting, multipleentry points.
Interest: Choices of books, homework options,
explorations by interest and modes of expression
(artistic, technological, written, oral, community
service).
Learning Style: Organizational options, working
choice options, flexible environment, Multiple
Intelligences options
62

however, on the other hand, but, yet, rather
than, instead of.
Categorizing: describes a list of things that
are related to a topic. Signal words are an
example, for instance, another, next, finally.
Three facts and a fib. Have students study a map.
Then from just the information on the map, write
three facts about the area on the map and one fib.
Each student then shows his/her map and the four
statements with another student. It is the task of the
other student to figure out which is the fib. This could
be completed with pairs of students working together.
Suggested Resources: McGraw-Hill Reading/Writing Workshop, McGraw-Hill Literature Anthology,
Leveled Readers, www.connected.mcgraw-hill.com, Launching the Writing Workshop from Units of Study
for Teaching Writing Grades 3-5 by Lucy Calkins, Time for Kids, Being a Writer, Information Center
Internet resources, Words Their Way
63