UNIT OVERVIEW

 

 

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

§         What processes does a reader use to understand a play, a poem, or a narrative story?

§         Why is it important to understand the text features of each genre?

§         What inferences need to be made to understand characters feelings in a play?

§         What contribution does rhythm and rhyme make to a poem?

§         Why must a reader understand cause and effect when reading a narrative story?

 

UNIT PLAN

This unit consists of a series of sequenced lessons.  Each lesson begins with a listing of specific information including sources of literature, handouts, words to know, and formative assessments. Each lesson contains sequenced learning activities designed to provide scaffold instruction (building in previous knowledge) and practices to develop student mastery of skills.

                                                                                                                                               

Lesson One

§         Literature: A Tall Tale of Nigeria, told by Aaron Shepard (play)

§         Supplies: Chart paper

§         Handouts:  A Tall Tale of Nigeria, told by Aaron Shepard (play)

§         Formative Assessment: provided

Lesson Two

§         Literature:  A Tall Tale of Nigeria, told by Aaron Shepard

§         Handouts:

§         Formative Assessment: provided

Lesson Three

§         Literature: A Tall Tale of Nigeria, told by Aaron Shepard (play)

§         Supplies: Chart paper

§         Handouts:

§         Formative Assessment: provided

Lesson Four

§         Literature :Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain By Verna Aardema ( For each student), All Sorts of Sorts by Sharon Brown (optional) 

§         Supplies: chart paper

§         Handouts: 

§         Formative Assessment: provided

Lesson Five

§         Literature:  Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain By Verna Aardema

§         Supplies: Chart paper

§         Handouts: 

Formative Assessment: provided

Lesson Six

§         Literature:  Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain By Verna Aardema

§         Supplies:

§         Handouts:  Performance for Kapiti Plain

§         Formative Assessment: provided

Lesson Seven

§         Literature: Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock, retold by Eric A. Kimmel 

§         Supplies: Chart paper, Post-It notes, Story Map

§         Handouts: 

§         Formative Assessment: provided

Lesson Eight

§         Literature:  Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock, retold by Eric A. Kimmel 

§         Supplies: Chart paper, index cards, books with glossaries, story map

§         Handouts: 

§         Formative Assessment: provided

Lesson Nine

§         Literature: Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock, retold by Eric A. Kimmel   

§         Supplies: Story map from Lesson Eight

§         Handouts: 

§         Formative Assessment: provided

Lesson Ten

§         Literature: 

§         Supplies: Students narratives to share

§         Handouts: 

§         Formative Assessment: provided

 

 

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATION CONTINUUM

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

Demonstrate concepts of print

  • Upper and lower case letters
  • First and last letters in words
  • Spaces between words
  • Letter and word order
  • Punctuation has meaning

 

 

R2A    Locate and apply information in title, table of contents and glossary. Recognize the text features of fiction, poetry and drama in grade-level text.

 

Locate

  • interpret and apply information in title, table of contents and glossary
  • recognize the text features of fiction, poetry and drama in grade-level text

Use details from text to

  • make basic inferences about setting, characters and problem
  • predict solution
  • identify events in logical sequence

R2C     Use details from text to

  • make inferences about setting, character traits, problem and solution.
  • make predictions
  • draw conclusions
  • compare and contrast characters and changes in problems in settings
  • identify the narrator
  • identify cause and effect
  • identify events from the beginning, middle, and end
  • identify author’s purpose

Use details from text to

  • make inferences about setting, character traits, problem and solution.
  • make predictions
  • draw conclusions
  • compare and contrast characters and changes in problems in settings
  • identify the narrator
  • identify cause and effect
  • identify events from the beginning, middle, and end
  • identify author’s purpose

Use parts of speech correctly in written text

  • descriptive words (adjectives)
  • substitute pronouns for nouns

 

W2D    Use parts of speech correctly in written text

  • verbs that agree with the subject
  • words that answer when, where, why, and how questions (adverbs)
  • words to compare (adverbs)

Use parts of speech correctly in written text

  • verbs that agree with compound subject
  • connecting words to link ideas (conjunctions)

 

Write narrative text that

  • records a series of events in chronological order
  • contains story elements

W3A    Write narrative text that contains

  • a beginning, middle, and end
  • relevant details to develop the main idea
  • a clear controlling idea
  • precise and descriptive language

Write narrative text that

  • moves through a logical sequence of events
  • includes details to develop the plot, characters, and setting

Listen for

  • enjoyment
  • for information
  • to solve problems
  • for directions to complete a simple task

LS1       Listen for

  • enjoyment
  • for information
  • to distinguish fact from opinion
  • for directions to complete a two-or three-step task

Listen for

  • enjoyment
  • for information
  • for directions
  • to identify tone, mood, and emotion of verbal and nonverbal communication

Teacher Reflection

 

  1. As I reflect on the unit, to what extent were the students productively engaged in the work? How do I know?

 

  1. Did the unit allow for students to engage in activities and learning situations which were consistent with the district’s curriculum guide?

 

 

  1. What feedback did I receive from students indicating they achieved understanding and that the objectives were met for this unit?

 

  1. Did I adjust my goals or my work as I taught the lesson? Why? How?

 

 

  1. What specific elements of the assessments did students have the most difficulty with? What could be done to enhance student learning for these specific skills?

 

  1. If I had the opportunity to teach this unit again to this same group of students, what would I do differently?

 

  1. If there was one thing from this lesson that I could share with a colleague, what would it be?

 


 

 Bibliography

 

Texts:

 

Shepard, Aaron.  Master Man.  Retrieved July 28, 2006, from aaronshep.com.  Web site:  http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/RTE27.html

Copies for all students

 

Shepard, Aaron (2000). Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

 

Aardema, Verna (1981). Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain. New York, NY: Dial.

Copies for all students

 

Kimmel, Eric A. (1990). Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock. New York, NY: Holiday House, reprint edition.

 

Suggested Texts:

 

Cole, Joanna (1989). Anna Banana: 101 Jump Rope Rhymes. New York, NY: Harper Trophy.

 

Florian, Douglas (2002). Insectlopedia. New York, NY: Voyager Books.

 

Flieschman, Paul (2004). Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices. New York, NY: Harper Trophy.

 

Prelutsky, Jack (1996). A Pizza the Size of the Sun. New York, NY: Greenwillow.

 

Materials:

 

Dictionary, thesaurus, Post-It Notes, chart paper, sentence strips, index cards, books with glossaries, story map, story map chart, cause and effect chart, paper, pencils, writing checklist, writing scoring guide