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Page 1:   · Web viewStudent notebook (spiral, composition book, or stapled pages) divided into sections for the character maps, setting descriptions, chapter summaries, and opinion essays

Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

Literature Core Text: James and the Giant PeachInformational Core Text: Social Studies Textbook, Unit 1, Chapter 2 – Regions of California.

Universal Theme: Exploration and adaptations

Materials:Student notebook (spiral, composition book, or stapled pages) divided into sections for the character maps, setting descriptions, chapter summaries, and opinion essays.Graphic Organizers or Thinking Maps, chart or butcher paper.

Supporting Texts:Theme 1 in HM Anthology – focus on Journeys (Grandfather’s Journey and Finding the Titanic).Library books on physical and emotional explorations and regions of California.Reading Literature Standards:

RL 1: Refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RL 2: Determine the theme of the story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

RL 3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text. (e.g. a character’s thoughts words or actions).

Reading Informational Text Standards:

RI 1: Refer to the details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI 2: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

RI 3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

Writing Standards:

W 1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.Include:-an introduction to an opinion essay in which they clearly state their opinion, -use facts and details to support their reasons for their opinion,-use linking words (e.g. for instance, in order to, in addition) to connect opinion and reasons, -and provide a concluding statement.

Supporting Standards:

RL 4,5,6,7,9RI 4,5,6,7,8,9L5

Essential Questions:RL 1 and RI 1: How does asking questions about a story or text help me determine key details and the main idea or main topic? RL 2 and RI 2: How can I recognize the theme of a story or the main idea of a piece of informational text? RL 3: How does textual evidence support a reader’s interpretation of a story? How can this evidence help me understand the characters, setting, and events in a story? RI 3: How can I use informational text to accurately report on the regions of California?Summative Unit Assessments:W 1: What were the most important lessons that James learned throughout the story? How do these lessons make James’ life better or worse? Use evidence from James and the Giant Peach novel to support your opinion in a multi-paragraph essay.RL3: Using the details directly from the text, use a Graphic Organizer or Thinking Map to describe the major events in James and the Giant Peach.RL2: What is the most important theme or central message in James and the Giant Peach? Provide at least two reasons for your choice. Support your reasons with evidence from the text using your chapter summaries, classroom charts, and notes to determine the theme of this story.RI 1/RL 1: Using the details and examples from the novel, classroom charts, Graphic Organizer, Thinking Maps, and Social Studies textbook, support your response when answering, Why is “Exploration” the overall theme of this unit? RI 1: Write a three paragraph essay explaining how, through exploration, people adapt to where they live? Use the information that you have learned from the California. regions, Grandfather’s Journey, and Finding the Titanic.

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Page 2:   · Web viewStudent notebook (spiral, composition book, or stapled pages) divided into sections for the character maps, setting descriptions, chapter summaries, and opinion essays

Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

Week 1:Learning Targets:

RI 1:Students will refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says.

RI 2:Students will identify the main topic using details from the text.

RI 3:Using the details from the text, students will use a graphic organizer to describe the events, ideas, and concepts.

Standards:

RI 1: Refer to the details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI 2: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

RI 3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

Unit Launch:

The overarching theme of this unit is Exploration and adaptations that occur when you change your environment. We are constantly exploring new things and places. We use our senses to examine and question the world we live in. People over the years have explored and adapted many places. *Create a past, present, and future tri-fold or bulletin board to launch the overall theme (this is an excellent way to begin your year)

Brainstorm things that can be explored. Examples should include places (cities, amusement parks, the mall), ideas, books, etc.Information for exploration in the past: reference Social Studies book Pgs. 48 & 63Present exploration includes tourism. Introduce this vocabulary and continue to point it out and refer to it.Future exploration may include space and ocean.Have students bring pictures of places they have or want to explore. You may also want to have them draw pictures. These can go on the bulletin board under the appropriate heading.

(There should be discussions throughout this unit on how people go through physical and emotional explorations throughout their lives. As students learn the four main regions of California and read the literature novel, students should be charting the connection between the physical changes of areas and the emotional journey or exploration that these characters take).

The first three weeks of this unit focus on informational text using the Social Studies textbook. The goal is to master informational text reading standards. Other Social Studies content, such as biography, map and globe skills, primary sources, and Reader’s Theatre are taught during the regular Social Studies block. The information in the Social Studies text is organized to help students recognize main ideas and the details that support those main topics.

Tasks: Students will read their Social Studies textbook looking at specific features of each of the four major regions of California by charting the main topic of each

region and the key details of each. Use sentence frames and question stems along the way to have students create questions and answer them about main idea and key detail of the text. (see

Appendix B for samples of question stems and sentence frames). Before beginning the lesson in the Social Studies text, introduce the theme of this unit: Exploration and adaptations that occur when you change your

environment. and explain what an exploration is. Using the selection Sierra (pages 6-9), model the process of a close reading with your class using the tool in appendix C.

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Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

Concept Development unit launch S.S. pages 48 & 63, and/or create a scenario Creating a past, present, and future tri-fold or interactive bulletin board to launch the overall theme.

Divide students into groups of 5–7 and give each a large sheet of paper and markers. Ask the students to brainstorm everything they can think of about exploration. Give them plenty of time and don’t worry about silences.

After sufficient time to think and write, ask the students to look at their lists and see if there are ways they can group their comments. Have each group of students share results, allowing them time to explain their reasoning. As a class, find some common generalizations that can be used for the entire class.

Theme Scavenger Hunt Building an awareness of the theme is a prerequisite to studying it. Have students bring in pictures, models, quotes, stories, anecdotes, things that make them think

of exploration. Post them on a bulletin board. Discuss the why.

Informational Text StructureSocial Studies Book (begin a study on Text Structure)

Point out and discuss the structure of the text (headings, pictures with captions, diagrams) to discuss their function in understanding informational text. How is the text organized? Why? How is the organization and non-print information useful in comprehension? How is it different from literary text? Students can use a T-Chart comparing the structure of informational text vs. literary text (see Appendix for T-Chart).

As a whole class, the teacher models and charts tasks. Use a main idea/detail graphic organizer found in Appendix A or one of your choosing when students are identifying the main topic and key details. Post them in the classroom throughout the unit of study and guide students to refer to them as you ask questions requiring exact details.

Vocabulary Instruction: Have students focus on the highlighted vocabulary words. Discuss how the structure is different in reading informational text when looking at vocabulary. How is the vocabulary introduced? Teachers should focus more on multiple meaning words or words that might need more instruction for a deeper understanding of the text. Use vocabulary activities e.g. from Vocabulary Toolkit found on the district website and note that the vocabulary for the social studies textbook is highlighted in yellow. Why did the author choose these words to study? What features in informational text helps us to understand the vocabulary words (context clues, Gazetteer, Glossary, Index).

Sentence frame: How do we know what ____________ means? What are some of the context clues that help us understand these highlighted words?

Social Studies Unit 1, Chapter 2, lesson 1: For each lesson, review the Big Idea and Essential Question.Essential Question: What makes the mountain regions of California special? Students should be focusing on main topic, key details, and the features of each region. Have students keep a flipbook of each region. See Appendix A for Main Idea/Key Detail graphic organizers.Note: The pages are student textbook pages.

P. 47 – High in the Mountains – Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

P. 48 – Sierra Nevada – Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

P.48-49 – Sierra Nevada and Plants – Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

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Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

P. 49 – The Cascade Range – Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

P. 50 – Life in the Mountains – Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

CFAs Week 1, 1a & 1b on Main Idea and Details: In a short response, journal, diary entry, or graphic organizer, have students answer the review question in student textbook p. 47 & 50.

1a. (page 47) Ask students to list two of California’s mountain ranges and their features. 1b. (page 50) Using the evidence from the text, list reasons why people go to California’s mountain region. (RI 2)

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Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

Week 2:Learning Targets:

RI 1: Students will refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says.

RI 2:Students will identify the main topic using details from the text.

RI 3:Using the details from the text, students will use a graphic organizer to describe the events, ideas, and concepts.

Standards:

RI 1: Refer to the details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI 2: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

RI 3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

Tasks: Teacher continues modeling with classroom chart as students follow along with their own graphic organizer. Students should be focusing on main

topic, key details, and the features of each region. Have students keep a flipbook of each region. Continue with Vocabulary Instruction (see Wk. 1) Teacher continues to tie in the overall unit theme “exploration and adaptation” as the class continues to study and explore the regions of California. As you read about each region, teachers can share the poetry on region in Appendix B.

Social Studies Unit 1, Chapter 2, lesson 2: Essential Question: How do people use the land in the Central Valley? Students should be focusing on main topic, key details, and the features of each region. Have students keep a flipbook of each region. See Appendix A for Main Idea/Key Detail graphic organizers.

Note: The pages are student textbook pages. p. 55: A Land between Mountains – Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

p. 56 – 57: Farm Country – Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

p. 58 – 59 – Central Valley Life – Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

CFAs Week 2, 2a & 2b: 2a. For RI 1 have students describe the Central Valley (student textbook p. 55). 2b. For RI 2 have students summarize the work that people do in the Central Valley in a quick write, journaling, or diary entry. (student textbook p. 59)

Social Studies Unit 1, Chapter 2, lesson 3: Essential Question: Why is California’s coastline so important to the people who live there? Students should be focusing on main topic, key details, and the features of each region. Have students keep a flipbook of each region. See Appendix A for Main Idea/Key Detail graphic organizers.

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Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

Note: The pages are student textbook pages.

P. 63 – Land Meet Water – Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

P. 64 & 65 – The Coast – Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

P. 66 & 67 – Earthquake! – Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

CFA Week 2, 2c: RI 2: Have students respond in writing (short response, journaling, or diary entry), Why is CA coastline so important to the people that live there? (S.S. pgs. 62) Why do people choose to live along the coast?

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Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

Week 3:Learning Targets:RI 1: Students will refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says.

RI 2: Students will identify the main topic using details from the text.

RI 3: Using the details from the text, students will use a graphic organizer to describe the events, ideas, and concepts.

Standards: RI 1: Refer to the details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI 2: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

RI 3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

Tasks: Social Studies Unit 1, Chapter 2, lesson 4 – Essential Question: How have humans, plants, and animals been able to live in the desert? Students should be focusing on main topic, key details, and the features of each region. Have students keep a flipbook of each region. See Appendix A for Main Idea/Key Detail graphic organizers.

Continue with Vocabulary Instruction

California Desert Regions

Note: The pages are student textbook pages.

P. 75 – Land of Little Rain –Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

P. 76 & 77 – Changing the Desert – Chart the main topic and the key details to support the main topic.

CFA, Week 3, #3 – RI 2 Touring is the modern day form of exploration. Use evidence from the charts and the text.(In a short response, journaling, or diary entry). 3. How do people adapt to living in the desert and support your answers with details from the text. Give two examples to support your answers.

As we begin James and the Giant Peach, we are switching to Reading Literature Standards. Even though the overarching theme of the book is Exploration, each week will focus on specific themes in the book: loneliness, fear, trust, courage, survival, friendship, teamwork, and/or overcoming obstacles. Teachers can help students see how the various themes are revealed in the book by explicitly noting textual evidence that support a theme. The various themes can be charted as students follow along with graphic organizers. Roald Dahl uses figurative language throughout the chapters. Figurative language will need to be addressed beginning in week 4. Pre-teach the terms of figurative language: similes, metaphors, and idioms.

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Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

Week 4: Chapters 1-8 Theme focus: loneliness, fearLearning Targets:RL 1:Students will refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says.

RL 2:Students recognize that the central message, lessons, or moral is the theme.

RL 3:Using details directly from the text, students will use a graphic organizer to describe character(s), setting(s), and event(s) in a story.

W1:Students state an opinion and group their reasons in a logical way. They use linking words, phrases, and clauses to tie their opinion to their reasons.

Standards: RL 1: Refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RL 2: Determine the theme of the story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

RL 3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text. (e.g. a character’s thoughts words or actions).

W 1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

Tasks: Remember to connect what students learned in the Social Studies book to the physical and emotional exploration of James. –Show how James is changing throughout this story. The following tasks and discussion questions will support students during reading of the novel and be able to assist them in the summative assessment.

As the class reads James and the Giant Peach, identify and chart the challenges within the major events. Begin character, setting, and event maps as a whole class. Students should begin their own organizer/flip books/etc on settings, characters, events of the story, and themes (see Appendix A for ideas, discuss

possible themes and have students site and support evidence from the text). Consider pinterest notes from Kathy

Pre-reading activities for James and the Giant Peach: Ask students to journal their response to the prompt: Have you ever been lonely? How did you handle this situation? Have you ever been in a situation and you didn’t know how to get out of it? Describe the situation in detail. Have students preview the book by examining the cover and the back of the book. Discuss the cover and back, the author, and the setting of the story. Discuss

how they think the picture on the cover help explain the setting of the story. Introduce figurative language. Reintroduce the theme exploration to the students (In the novel, the main character James goes through both physical and emotional exploration/journey).

Students can keep a diary or journal chronicling James’ physical journey/exploration of his birth place, living with Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge, his exploration of England within the peach, his ocean voyage, and eventually New York City. At the same time he is experiencing an emotional exploration of desperation, fear, loneliness, friendship, courage, teamwork, and overcoming obstacles.

Read the first chapter of the text aloud. Ask students who is telling the story. Introduce the word “narrator” Introduce the concepts of metaphors, similes, idioms and other figurative language prominently in the text.

Read Chapters 1-8 over the course of the week have students silent read each chapter for a bit each day before you read as a whole group/teacher read aloud. After each chapter, have the students provide a brief summary of the chapter. These summaries should be added to note taking double entry log and kept in a folder (can use a simple graphic organizer to do these summaries found in Appendix A).

Vocabulary Instruction: The vocabulary words for each chapter are a guide to either introduce or reinforce the vocabulary, to have a deeper understanding of the text. The vocabulary is not meant to be tested. Consider working within your professional learning community to choose specific words that lend themselves to multiple meaning, synonyms, antonyms, homophones. See Appendix B for suggestions on teaching vocabulary.

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Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

Discussion Questions:Chapter One: Suggested Vocabulary: nuisance, miserable, creature, ramshackle, mischief

What details from the text describe the aunts? What type of people were they? How do you know? What type of setting did the aunts live in? Identify details of James’ surroundings.

Chapter Two: Suggested Vocabulary: peculiar, flabby, spectacles, radiant, ghastly What evidence from the text shows how the aunts really feel about James? What was the purpose of the author using poetry on page 7 & 8? Who is telling the story, and how does the narrator feel about Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker? Have students support their thinking with textual evidence. List the reasons why James began to cry. Was James right to cry? Why or why not? How did James have to adapt to living with his aunts?

Chapters Three and Four: Suggested Vocabulary: hobbled, luminous, faint, froth Why do you think the old man chose James to bestow the magic upon? How did the illustrator capture the description of the old man on pg 10? What was the procedure that James used to get the crocodile tongues to work their magic? What events in the story so far led James to want to drink this potion?

Chapter Five: Suggested Vocabulary: hideous, despair How is James feeling at this point in the story? Use evidence from the text to explain why he is feeling that way. What happened in Ch. 5 that changed the events in the story?

Chapters Six and Seven: Suggested Vocabulary: bulging, mammoth, cautiously What made James think something odd was about to happen after the aunts spotted the peach? How did the illustration on page 22 make a connection with the text from the story?

Chapter Eight: Suggested Vocabulary: crafty, miraculous What details from the story can you add to the character map of the two aunts?

Opinion prompts: (quick write, journal, diary entry) Why was James crying? Was James right to cry? Why or why not? Would you have taken the paper bag from the old man and plan on drinking it? Why or why not? Is it okay to make money from the peach? Why or why not?

CFA, Week 4, #4:4. Create a graphic organizer that shows the major events of the story so far. RL 3

Week 5: Chapters 9 – 17 Theme focus: trust, friendship, and journeyLearning Targets:RL 1:Students will refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says.

Standards: RL 1: Refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

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Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

RL 2:Students recognize that the central message, lessons, or moral is the theme.

RL 3:Using details directly from the text, students will use a graphic organizer to describe character(s), setting(s), and event(s) in a story.

W1:Students state an opinion and group their reasons in a logical way. They use linking words, phrases, and clauses to tie their opinion to their reasons.

RL 2: Determine the theme of the story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

RL 3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text. (e.g. a character’s thoughts words or actions).

W 1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

Tasks: Have students begin a chart, graphic organizer, or Thinking Map on where and how James is changing emotionally and physically.

Dahl uses figurative language. “We’re all in the same boat”, “He’s pulling your leg”. Chart the figurative language and continue to add as students encounter figurative language throughout the novel.

Have students explain orally how the illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in the text. Discuss poetry (alliteration) and why an author might use poetry to tell the central message. Add to character, setting, and major event maps. Use a graphic organizer or create a story board to show the exploration path of the peach once it was detached from the stem. RL 1

Choose one of the following opinion prompts for direct writing instruction. Teacher needs to explicitly teach introducing an opinion and giving details and examples from the text to support their opinion.

What do you think would have happened if James drank the potion instead of dropping it in the garden? How do you feel about the aunts’ fate? Was it justified? Use textual evidence to support your answer. Did James make a good choice to crawl into the hole of the peach? Support you reasons with evidence from the text.

Example: In my opinion, the aunts got what they deserved. First of all, they never allowed James to leave the hill to explore because he had to work all day. Also, they were calling him names such as “nasty little beast” and “lazy good-for-nothing brute.” Finally, they wouldn’t feed him until he did everything they said. In conclusion, they deserved this fate because of how poorly they treated James. Discussion Questions:Chapter Nine: Suggested Vocabulary: tremendous, mysterious

What words did the author use to describe the peach?Chapter Ten: Suggested Vocabulary: marvelously

Did James make a good choice to crawl into the hole of the peach? Support your answer with evidence from the text. How did the author describe the inside of the peach?

Chapter Eleven: Suggested Vocabulary: enormous, magnificent What evidence from the text shows how James felt about the insects? What characteristics did the insects have that made them not realistic?

Chapter Twelve: Suggested Vocabulary: murmured, slither, primly, scornful, colossal Think of the idioms, “We’re all in the same boat” and “He’s pulling your leg.” Explain the literal and figurative meaning. Why do you think James liked the Centipede? How was the centipede different from the other insects? Support your answer from the text.

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Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

Chapter Thirteen: Suggested Vocabulary: literally What inference can you draw about Centipede from the details in this chapter? Give evidence from the text that shows how the narrator feels about these characters.

Chapter Fourteen: Suggested Vocabulary: repulsive, desolate, lurching, venomous, dilemma, insidiously What did the author mean by, “We’re off” or “the Journey begins”? What do you think the poetry means on page 45 & 46? Why do you think the author chose poetry to explain the journey?

Chapters Fifteen – Seventeen: Suggested Vocabulary: jostling, seething, suspended, colossal, serenely, indescribable, disentangle Why do you think the illustrator drew that picture on page 55? How does it support what the author wrote? What does the illustration remind you of? Why? What did the author mean by the “Promised Land”? Describe the problem in these chapters.

CFAs, Week 5, 5a and 5b: 5a. Using a graphic organizer, choose one character from the story and describe that character (all traits). RL 35b. Create a graphic organizer that shows the reasons that prompted James to leave his aunts’ home and explore the peach. RL 1

Week 6: Chapters 18 – 26 Theme focus: teamwork, overcoming obstaclesLearning Targets:RL 1: Students will refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says.

RL 2: Students recognize that the central message, lessons, or moral is the theme.

RL 3: Using details directly from the text, students will use a graphic organizer to describe character(s), setting(s), and event(s) in a story.

W1: Students state an opinion and group their reasons in a logical way. They

Standards: RL 1: Refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RL 2: Determine the theme of the story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

RL 3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text. (e.g. a character’s thoughts words or actions).

W 1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

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Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

use linking words, phrases, and clauses to tie their opinion to their reasons.

Tasks: Continue charting challenges, characters, settings, and major events. Think about what you read. Who is telling the story? Do you agree with the way the characters are thinking in this story? Do you agree with the way the

narrator is thinking in this story? How is your thinking the same or different? By charting or using two column notes students will answer the question, how does each of the insects help the environment? Use evidence from the text to

support your answers (Chapter 25, pgs. 89-91).Choose one of the following opinion prompts to explicitly teach opinion essay writing. This is a chance for teachers to build on what has been previously taught. Keep in mind that the summative assessment requires a three paragraph essay.

Do you agree with James’ idea for saving them from the sharks? Why or why not? How would you have done it? Should Earthworm sacrifice his life for his friends? Give reasons to support your answer. How did James save Centipede? Why do you think James risked his own life? How is James’ emotional journey changing

Discussion Questions:

Chapter Eighteen: Suggested Vocabulary: peering, awkward, perish, gloomy, scrumptious, massive Do you agree with James’ idea for saving them from the sharks? Why or why not? How would you have done it? What was the solution to the characters’ problem?

Chapter Nineteen: Suggested Vocabulary: anxiously, swiftly, pandemonium Using the evidence from the story, what do the insects think about James?

Chapter Twenty: Suggested Vocabulary: coaxing, propose, martyr What words did the author use in the story to show the insects were skeptical of James’ plan? What does that tell you? What did the Earthworm mean when he said, “You’re absolutely off your head”?

Chapters Twenty-One & Twenty-Two: Suggested Vocabulary: genius, hollow, exhorting, prey, tethered, majestic List the most important events of the rescue. Which insect do you think is the leader? Why? Support your answer with evidence from the text. How did the illustration help you understand the story (page 77)?

Chapters Twenty-Three – Twenty-Six: Suggested Vocabulary: miraculous, ascent, churned, awkwardly, distinctly, spellbound, melody, inferior, trifle, alter Chart synonyms for “big” that the author used. Can you add to the list? What realistic information did you learn about insects? Which characters are “loved” and which are “pests”? Why? Why do you think Miss Spider is “not loved at all”? Why should she be loved? After the bottom of the peach was inspected, why were all the characters surprised? Why do you think the author had James go after the Centipede? What did that show?

CFAs, Week 6, 6a & 6b: 6a. Using evidence from the text to support their thinking, students will write how the silkworm and the spider helped solve the problem of getting the peach out of the water. RL 36b. At what point does James become a leader on the journey? Why do you think he became the leader instead of one of the others? Support your answer with evidence from the text. Have students use their charts and maps to craft their written answer. RL 3

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Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

Week 7: Chapters 27-32, Theme focus: overcoming obstacles

Learning Targets:RL 1:Students will refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says.

RL 2:Students recognize that the central message, lessons, or moral is the theme.

RL 3:Using details directly from the text, students will use a graphic organizer to describe character(s), setting(s), and event(s) in a story.

W1:Students state an opinion and group their reasons in a logical way. They use linking words, phrases, and clauses to tie their opinion to their reasons.

Standards: RL 1: Refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RL 2: Determine the theme of the story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

RL 3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text. (e.g. a character’s thoughts words or actions).

W 1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

Tasks: Continue charting challenges, characters, settings, and major events. Begin a character map on the “Cloud-Men”. Discussion Questions:

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Suggested Vocabulary: menacing, gradually, lurking, stealthy, wraithlike, stammer, imbeciles, loathsome, infuriated, ceased Who were the “Cloud-Men” and what was their job? Why do you think Centipede picked a fight with them? Was he right to do it? How did the Cloud-Men retaliate?

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Page 14:   · Web viewStudent notebook (spiral, composition book, or stapled pages) divided into sections for the character maps, setting descriptions, chapter summaries, and opinion essays

Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

Chapters Twenty-Eight – Thirty: Suggested Vocabulary: shimmering, monstrous, hypnotized, malevolent, flabbergasted, wretched, proposal, deluge Summarize how the Centipede got rid of the paint.

Chapters Thirty-One – Thirty-Two: Suggested Vocabulary: billowy, melancholy, glisten) What was James’ plan to land the peach safely? How else could they have landed safely?

CFA, Week 7:7. Students will use an events map graphic organizer to relate how the Cloud Men contributed to the challenges faced by James and his friends? Give evidence

from the text. RI 1

Week 8: Chapters 33 – 39 Theme focus: new friends, journeys

Learning Targets:RL 1:Students will refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says.

RL 2:Students recognize that the central message, lessons, or moral is the theme.

RL 3:Using details directly from the text, students will use a graphic organizer to describe character(s), setting(s), and event(s) in a story.

W1:Students state an opinion and group their reasons in a logical way. They use linking words, phrases, and clauses to tie their opinion to their reasons.

Standards:RL 1: Refer to the details and examples of the text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RL 2: Determine the theme of the story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

RL 3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text. (e.g. a character’s thoughts words or actions).

W 1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

Tasks: Continue charting challenges, characters, settings, and major events.

Choose one of the following opinion prompts to explicitly teach opinion essay writing to support the summative assessment. In your opinion, should a child live alone? Why or why not? If the aunts were nice to James, how would it affect James and the story? What if James had swallowed the magic crystals, as he was told to do, instead of dropping them under the peach tree?

Discussion Questions:

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Page 15:   · Web viewStudent notebook (spiral, composition book, or stapled pages) divided into sections for the character maps, setting descriptions, chapter summaries, and opinion essays

Language Arts Unit: ADAPTATIONS THROUGH EXPLORATION, Unit 1 Timeframe: 8 weeks Grade: 4

Chapters Thirty-Three – Thirty-Five: Suggested Vocabulary: smithereens, plummet) What was the reaction in the city of New York upon seeing the giant flying peach?

Chapters Thirty-Six – Thirty-Nine: Suggested Vocabulary: giddy, astonishment, eccentric, flabbergasted, procession, descended What did the inhabitants of the peach think was going to happen as they fell toward NewYork City? How do you know? Why were the police and fire fighters so frightened? How did James convince the police and fire fighters the inhabitants of the peach were safe and not harmful?

Possible Culminating Tasks: What if the peach landed in the desert region instead of the coast; what problems do you think they might have had? Complete a timeline of the major events. Show how the insects’ lives changed after they were rescued in N.Y.C. What insects were used in the story, and what made them good choices? If you could add another insect, what would it be, and what would be its part in the story? Create a flip book on three or more characters. How did James and the insects adapt to living in the peach?

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