Division of School Improvement - Model Curriculum Units

In this unit students learn about Lewis and Clark. Using nonfiction text features, students develop pre-reading and post-reading strategies. Students use story elements to retell main ideas, compare and contrast texts, and make inferences about problems and solutions. Students write expository and persuasive text using the Lewis and Clark theme.

What pre- and post- reading strategies can students apply to nonfiction texts to increase comprehension?

How will students connect expository reading to their own expository and persuasive writing?

How do students notice and use text features in nonfiction text to aid comprehension?

Students engage in activities involving reading and writing nonfiction text related to Lewis and Clark. Each session has an objective, essential question(s), classroom arrangements, preparations, and learning activities.

TARGETED LEARNING represents the specific Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs) that are taught and assessed in this unit. Student mastery of these skills is expected at this grade level. PREVIOUS LEARNING indicates student’s probable beginning skill level. FUTURE LEARNING provides the “next step” for instruction or student application of communication arts skills and concepts. Bolded terms are glossary items.

PREVIOUS LEARNING	TARGETED LEARNING	FUTURE LEARNING
Apply pre-reading strategies to aid comprehension.	CA3 Apply pre-reading strategies to aid comprehension including accessing prior knowledge, previewing, predicting, setting a purpose for reading.	Apply pre-reading strategies to aid comprehension including a rate for reading.
Apply post-reading skills to identify and explain the relationships between the main idea and supporting details.	CA3 Apply post-reading skills to comprehend text.	Apply post-reading skills to comprehend and interpret text.
Locate and interpret key information in nonfiction text features to answer questions.	CA3 Apply information from nonfiction text features to comprehend text.	Apply information from nonfiction text features to clarify and connect concepts to the main ideas.
Explain examples of sensory details within the context of nonfiction text.	CA3 Explain examples of sensory details and figurative language.	Identify and explain figurative language in nonfiction text emphasizing similes, metaphors, and personification.
Use details from the text(s) to demonstrate an understanding of nonfiction text elements.	CA3 Use details from the text to retell main ideas, organize a sequence of events, identify cause and effect, draw conclusions, compare and contrast text, make predictions, make inferences, distinguish between fact and opinion, identify and explain author’s purpose, make inferences about problems and solutions.	Use details from the text t restate main idea and supporting details identify and explain cause and effect, evaluate the accuracy of the information, identify and interpret author’s ideas and purpose.
Write expository text with a main idea and three or more supporting details.	CA4 Write expository and persuasive paragraphs with a main idea or point to prove, three or more supporting details, and a concluding sentence.	Write expository and persuasive paragraphs with an emphasis on comparing and contrasting with an effective topic sentence or point to prove, three or more supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence.

Goal 1: Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to gather, analyze and apply information and ideas.

1.6 discover and evaluate patterns and relationships in information, ideas, and structures

1.8 organize data, information and ideas into useful forms (including charts, graphs, outlines) for

Goal 2: Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to communicate effectively within and beyond the classroom.

2.1 plan and make written, oral and visual presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences

Goal 3: Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to recognize and solve problems.

3.5 reason inductively from a set of specific facts and deductively from general premises

Bursell, Susan. The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Let Freedom Ring: exploring the west. Bridgestone Books. 2002.

Kagan, s. (1994). Cooperative learning. San Clemente, CA: Resources for Teachers, Inc.

Kroll, Steven. Lewis and Clark: explorers of the American west. Holiday House; New York. 1994

National Geographic Website: <http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/journey>

Textmapping Project: R. David Middlebrook. <http://www.textmapping.org/copyright.html>

Lesson One	Pre- and Post-Reading Strategies § Literature: Who Was Sacagawea? § Supplies: pens, pencils § Handouts: K-W-L chart § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Two	Who was Sacagawea? § Literature: Who Was Sacagawea? § Supplies: pens, pencils, formative assessment scoring guide § Handouts: Compare/Contrast Venn Diagram § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Three	Nonfiction Text Features § Literature: Copies of The Lewis and Clark Expedition by Susan Bursell § Supplies: markers, blank transparencies, chart paper, student journals, Formative Assessment scoring guide. § Handouts: None § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Four	Blanket the Plains § Literature: Lewis and Clark Explorers of the American West by Steven Kroll § Supplies: pencils, paper, sticky notes, overhead markers, formative assessment scoring guide § Handouts: Sensory Detail/Figurative Language § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Five	Comparing and contrasting: fact vs. opinion § Literature: Copies of various nonfiction Lewis and Clark books § Supplies: pencils, paper, sticky notes, overhead markers, formative assessment scoring guide § Handouts: Fact /opinion T-chard § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Six	Nonfiction Text Elements (Part One) § Literature: Lewis and Clark by David A. Adler § Supplies: note cards, pre-made books, formative assessment score guide § Handouts: Research note cards, pre-made book for class, cluster map § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Seven	Nonfiction Text Elements (Part Two) § Literature: The Lewis and Clark Expedition by Susan Bursell, Who Was Sacagawea? by Dennis Fradin, Lewis and Clark: Explorers of the American West by Steven Kroll § Supplies: board, markers, T-Chart from Lesson Four, overhead handouts § Handouts: Books and reasons chart, note card handout § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Eight	“What If” § Literature: The Lewis and Clark Expedition by Susan Bursell, Who Was Sacagawea? by Dennis Fradin, Lewis and Clark: Explorers of the American West by Steven Kroll § Supplies: Board § Handouts: Contributions to the expedition T-chart § Formative Assessment: provided