3rd Grade ELA CCSS Unit Planning Guide Things to Consider When Instructionally Planning This Unit Primary Reading Focus: Literary Theme: Adaptation/Friendship Helps! Extended Text: Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo Thematically Connected Short Texts: (mixture of literary and informational) 1. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (school library) 2. The Right Dog for the Job by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent (provided) 3. Nubs The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle by Major Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson, Mary Nethery (provided) Supplemental Links - Optional 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
http://www.urbantext.illinois.edu - a guide to friendship http://www.scholastic.com/winndixie/play.htm http://havefunteaching.com/songs/character-songs/friend-song/ www.climatechange.ca.gov (information on climate adaptation) www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/animal-adaptations (go to Dirtmeister’s science reporters: animal adaptations) 6. www.desertusa.com/animal.html (information on adaptations for desert specific plants and animals) 7. www.ecokids.ca (games and activities on adaptations) Primary Writing Focus: Opinion Research Connections - Optional: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Service dogs Dogs as helpers or company Dogs and friendship Adaptation Loyalty (such as the loyalty between Nubs and Major Brian Dennis) Best Friends
1
Routine Writing Opportunities to Consider: Suggested integration (diaries, exit slips, brief response, journal, etc.): Daily diary, write short responses to stories, poems and songs, short chapter summaries, taking notes, specific journaling assignments, one-pagers
2
What About the Other ELA CCSS? Other Instructional Planning to Consider:
Although the unit’s primary focus is on reading comprehension and writing you will naturally be instructing and covering common core standards in Speaking and Listening as well as Language.
Listening and Speaking Standards:
For the students to have discussions about the primary literary text and other texts within this unit you will need to directly instruct the students on how to have group discussions (Speaking and Listening Standard 1). While you plan instruction for this unit you may want to add some of this instruction.
Speaking and Listening Standards 2 & 3 could naturally be covered when you instruct, and the students apply, the learning targets for RL 1, 2 & 3 and RI 1, 2 & 3 within this unit.
Language Standards:
Language Standard 1 (function of words within sentences, subject/verb agreement, and different forms of words), Language Standard 4(determining meanings of unknown words, words in context, and roots), and Language Standard 5(literal/non-literal meanings, shades of meanings, and real-life connections of words) can all be instructed during the reading of the main literary text Because of Winn-Dixie. While you plan instruction for this unit you will need to add some of this instruction based on the chapters that lend themselves to these Language standards and/or plan other student applications for these Language standards.
Language Standards 2, 3 & 6 (conventions, effect, and domain-specific) could naturally be covered when you instruct the students on all of the Opinion writing lessons within the unit by adding some specific instruction around these standards in the weeks within this unit.
3
Key Vocabulary: The key vocabulary listed throughout this unit is not meant to be tested, nor is it meant for students to provide written definitions for each word. The key vocabulary that is listed by each chapter is there because these words may lend themselves to a quick discussion about multiple meanings, shades of meaning, context clues, and/or just may be a word that needs to be quickly fast-mapped for the students understanding. Your team will want to collaboratively decide which words you may need to spend a little more time on with class discussion, fast-mapping, multiple meaning lesson, context clue lesson, etc.
What About the Supporting ELA CCSS? RL 6 and RI 6 (Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or characters):
The website www.readworks.org is a great resource to find grade level lessons built specifically around the common core standards. There is a third grade unit of lessons on First Person Point of View. Your team can choose to use these lessons or plan similar lessons wherein you introduce the term narrator and point of view.
Third grade does not introduce third person point of view, but instead focuses on first person point of view and getting the students to distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator and/or characters. Use whole class discussions after reading the literary text, as well as the informational texts, to emphasize (when applicable) the point of view of the narrator and/or characters versus the students’ point of view.
RL 9 (compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters:
Kate DiCamillo has several other novels and most of her lead characters are animals. She also has a series of books with the main character Mercy Watson (a pig). This standard becomes a priority in Quarter 3 and in preparation your team should think about having students read some or all of these books and/or do class read alouds over the course of the next two Quarters. You can use DiCamillo’s books to meet this standard in Quarters 3 and 4. She has a website www.katedicamillo.com that has all of her titles as well as information about each book.
4
RI 7 (use information gained from illustrations (e.g. maps, photographs, charts) and the words in the text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g. where, when, why, and how key events occur)):
During weeks 1-3 of this unit you will be using the Science text for the bulk of the tasks listed. As you do each of those tasks, whenever applicable, you will need to instructionally point out and discuss any illustrations, charts, maps, insets, etc. and the information that is gained from each. This standard becomes a priority standard in Quarters 3 and 4 so you will want to use Quarters 1 and 2 to do as much frontloading and mastery building (through whole-class discussions and charting) as you can.
A text features power point (textfeat.ppt) is available to access on the Palmdale School District website. This is a nice resource to help illustrate all of the different text features to your students.
RI 8 (describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g. comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence):
During weeks 1-3 of this unit you will be using the Science text for the bulk of the tasks listed. As you do each of those tasks, whenever applicable, you will need to instructionally point out and have a whole class discussion on cause/effect, sequence, and compare/contrast relationships as they are introduced in each science lesson. This standard becomes a priority standard in Quarters 3 and 4 so you will want to use Quarters 1 and 2 to do as much frontloading and mastery building (through whole-class discussions and charting) as you can. A cause/effect point (cause/effect.ppt) is available to access on the Palmdale School District website. This is a nice resource to help illustrate this type of text organization to your students.
RI 9 (compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic):
This standard becomes a priority in Quarters 3 and 4. To help prepare the students you can read about a topic using multiple sources on the same topic, and compare and contrast the most important points as a whole class. During this unit, some topics might include dogs that help (guide dogs, police dogs, rescue dogs, etc.), friendship, adaptation (plants, animals, people). You can use the two informational texts provided.
5
Other Things to Consider When Instructionally Planning the Priority ELA CCSS: Opinion Writing Process (W1): Specific instruction will need to be planned within the weeks of this unit to allow for students to learn each part of the structure of an opinion piece.
You will want to specifically instruct what the introduction paragraph needs to include (introduce the topic or text they are writing about and state an opinion)
The body paragraph(s) need to include (several specific reasons that support the opinion, linking words that connect the reasons to the opinion (i.e. supporting detail sentences for each reason)
The concluding paragraph needs to include (a concluding statement(s)).
You can collaboratively plan with your grade level team to add this specific instruction within the unit wherever there is an opinion writing opportunity. Also, decide if you will have the students initially write a single paragraph opinion piece while they are learning the structure, and then gradually work up to a multi-paragraph opinion piece by the end of the unit. If your team decides this is a good option for instruction, then you need to specifically plan that for each opinion writing opportunity within the unit (deciding will the students be writing a single paragraph or multi-paragraph piece).
Informational Text Weeks 1-3 (RI 1, 2 & 3):
The Harcourt Brace Science textbook will be used to cover the reading informational text standards within the first three weeks of this unit. The Science text will only be used for those RI 1,2 & 3 standards during the reading block of time. The experiments and other items within the Science textbook can be completed during the science block of time. This Science unit was chosen because it fits the universal theme of Adaptation. As you go along in the first few weeks connect the universal theme of adaptation to humans, when possible, in preparation for the main literary text beginning in Week 4.
The website www.readworks.org is a great resource to find grade level lessons built specifically around the common core standards. There is a third grade unit of lessons on Main Idea/Key Details (RI 1 & 2) as well as a third grade unit of lessons on informational text structure (RI 3). Your grade level team can collaboratively plan where to “sprinkle” these lessons, or similar instructional lessons, in during these first few weeks of 6
informational text focus. These lessons build on each other, and provide students with the necessary background knowledge and prerequisite skills around Main Idea/Key Details and Informational Text structure they will need to be successful in building towards mastery around these three standards.
There is a power point on the District website titled mainidea.ppt that provides great initial instruction on Main Idea and Key Details. You can access it directly on the Palmdale School District website.
After you complete the concept development around adaptation some sample generalizations for adaptation are: adaptation occurs over time; adaptation can be positive or negative; adaptation leads to change; adaptation can be planned or spontaneous; adaptation is necessary for growth (you may want to discuss these as a whole class and keep them up on a focus wall for the unit. This way you can refer back to them as you read the literary text and discuss the connection).
You may want to have a focus wall up that delineates the key text structures and vocabulary associated with both informational text and literary text. This will help the students as they are learning the key differences between these two types of text throughout the unit.
Character Description (i.e., Traits, Motivations, Feelings, Actions, Words) (RL 3):
In order for the students to be able to meet the learning targets within RL3 you might want to start building background knowledge and prerequisite skills starting in Week 1 of this unit.
Week 1:
instruction on the function of an adjective
have students use adjectives and a reason to support, to describe themselves and classmates using sentence frame: I am ________________ because ________________
have students describe their teacher and principal using same sentence frame
have students create a rainbow description of themselves using the adjectives they came up with during the prior activities. Keep these up on a bulletin board or classroom poster marked “character traits” (this can be the start of your character traits chart for later weeks. 7
Week 2:
instruction on the ways readers can infer character traits (actions, words, and thoughts/feelings)
review their descriptions of themselves and delineate which words describe a character’s words, actions or thoughts/feelings
whole class read aloud Thank You Mr. Faulkner (or any other read aloud you wish to use that would lend itself to students being able to chart character traits) discuss story elements, chart character traits of main character making a point to delineate words, actions, thoughts/feelings on the chart. Have students complete sentence frame: ___________________ is __________________ because ________________.
Week 3:
Continue instruction on the ways readers can infer character traits and continue to add to your classroom chart and use the same sentence frame as above using the read aloud Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon (or any other read aloud you wish to use that would lend itself to students being able to chart character traits).
Weeks 4-8:
Now that the students have prior knowledge of the ways to infer character traits, have students start a “character” book (Appendix B-4) where they take notes and use explicit references to the text to describe the characters that come up in each chapter. They will describe their words, actions, and thoughts/feelings as well as their physical appearance with explicit text evidence and then use that information to infer the character trait of that specific character. You can use the sample or create one of your own that includes the same information.
Also, start a class chart at this time wherein you chart the characters’ names and key details from the story that show how that character’s words, actions, or thoughts/feelings (i.e. traits) contribute to the sequence of events (see sample on Appendix B-6). If you’re a Thinking Maps school a bridge map works well for this chart where you put the character’s name on top and the key details on bottom and the relating factor is: contributes to the sequence of events by
There is a powerpoint on the District website that provides initial instruction on “character traits.” It is titled charactertrait.ppt and be accessed directly on the Palmdale School District website. 8
Recounting the story and explain how the central message/lesson (i.e., Theme) is conveyed through key details (RL2): Week 1-3: You will be discussing and exploring the universal theme “adaptation” with the students during these first few weeks of the unit. The main character Opal in Because of WinnDixie adapts and changes to her new environment over the course of the novel. This is why the Science Unit Adapations was chosen to fit in this unit. During these first few weeks you will be building background knowledge around the universal theme adaptation, which will frontload the students for direct instruction in literary theme starting week 4. Week 4: There is a powerpoint on the District website titled theme.ppt. It provides initial instruction in the concept of literary theme. You can access it directly on the Palmdale School District website. You may want to use it in your initial instruction of theme for the literature text.
There is a “theme practice packet” (your LST on site will have a copy of this resource) that provides lots of mini-vignettes that can be read and discussed whole class. These will provide the students with more in depth practice determining theme based on key details within text. Your team can collaboratively plan to “sprinkle” these mini-vignette lessons throughout the remainder of the unit.
The website www.readworks.org is a great resource to find grade level lessons built specifically around the common core standards. There is a third grade unit of lessons on events that support/convey a theme (RL 2) as well as a third grade unit of lessons on determining theme based on events (RL 2). Your grade level team can collaboratively plan where to “sprinkle” these lessons, or similar instructional lessons, in during these first few weeks of literary text focus. These lessons build on each other, and provide students with the necessary background knowledge and prerequisite skills around theme that they will need to be successful in building towards mastery around this standard.
Weeks 4-8:
Use Because of Winn-Dixie classroom discussions throughout the unit to continue to instruct students in RL 2, as well as provide them with independent practice through the 9
tasks listed each week. Make sure to always refer them back to the universal theme of adaptation and the generalizations listed above. The chapter summary pages they complete after each chapter will be kept in a folder, and they can use these to help them recount the story and tell how key details convey the theme.
Also, start a class chart at this time wherein you chart the key details from the story that show how the theme is conveyed (see sample on Appendix B-8). If you’re a Thinking Maps school a bridge map works well for this chart where you put the key details on top and how they convey the theme on bottom and the relating factor is: helps convey the theme by
For the “quick write” opportunities within the unit, students can use their summary pages, character pages, and the classroom charts as references to help them write a brief statement about how key details are helping to convey the theme.
Ask and Answer Questions to Demonstrate Understanding of at Text; Refer Explicitly to the Text for Answers (RI 1 & RL 1): Weeks 1-3:
The website www.readworks.org is a great resource to find grade level lessons built specifically around the common core standards. There is a third grade unit of lessons on asking questions and using explicit information to answer them. If you choose to use these lessons they will fit in nicely in the beginning weeks of this unit for building background knowledge in the area of how to ask specific types of questions to find specific types of information.
QAR is a strategy your grade level team can decide to use to teach RI 1 and RL 1. This strategy teaches students that questions and answers have a relationship. The two relationships 3rd graders will discuss and use most are Right There and Think and Search. QAR teaches students how to ask specific types of questions and how to find the answers. (see Appendix B-14 for several samples and QAR resources)
During weeks 1-3 of this unit, there are several tasks wherein the students are answering questions using the Science text. If you decide to use QAR make a point to have students reference the relationship when they answer those questions.
10
End of year mastery of these standards is that 3rd grade students will be creating, in writing, questions about text and answering, in writing, questions about text. Therefore, your team will need to think about and plan how you will ensure students are able to achieve mastery by the end of the year. (The Standards Emphasis Guide Quarter 1 student performance target for these two standards lists using sentence frames and question stems)
Weeks 4-8: There are numerous tasks within these weeks that allow opportunities for students to create and answer questions about the main literary text.
11
APPENDIX A SAMPLE GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
12
APPENDIX B SAMPLES
13