UNIT OVERVIEW
This unit will help students comprehend how women have shaped United States history. History books sometimes don’t include much about women, some of whom have been driving forces in our nation. In the course of this unit, students will read about women who overcame obstacles to make a difference. The unit can be expanded by including time for students to independently read biographies about influential American women.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
§ How can students benefit from reading biographical information?
§ Why is it important to know what role famous women have played in our society?
§ What importance does the friendly letter have in our lives?
§ What role do text features play in helping us to understand a passage?
§ Why is it important to be able to identify and interpret cause-effect relationships and sequence?
§ How can we use characteristics of a passage to help determine the author’s purpose for writing the passage?
§ In what kind of real-world situations do we make inferences, and why is it important to be able to do so?
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Lesson One |
Friendly letter writing and sentence structure § Literature: None § Supplies: Chart paper, overhead, smart board, note pad, Lesson One formative assessment scoring guide § Handouts: Example of a friendly letter, sentence-combining practice worksheet, writing compound sentences practice worksheet, sentence fragments for modeling, eliminating sentence fragments practice worksheet, Lesson One formative assessment § Formative Assessment: provided |
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Lesson Two |
Using text features § Literature: None § Supplies: Science or social studies text, passage with text features about a famous American woman, Lesson Two formative assessment scoring guide § Handouts: Example of magazine page with text features, brochure with text features and same information without text features, text features graphic organizer, Lesson Two formative assessment § Formative Assessment: provided |
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Lesson Three |
Sequencing § Literature: None § Supplies: Highlighters, grammar/language textbook, two passages about influential American women, Lesson Three formative assessment scoring guide § Handouts: Eleanor Roosevelt passage, Clara Barton passage, episodic notes graphic organizer, Lesson Three formative assessment prompt with graphic organizer § Formative Assessment: provided |
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Lesson Four |
Author’s purpose § Literature: None § Supplies: Chart paper or poster board, several picture books about famous American women, several passages with various author’s purpose, Lesson Four formative assessment scoring guide § Handouts: Lesson Four formative assessment § Formative Assessment: provided |
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Lesson Five |
Making inferences about problem and solution § Literature: None § Supplies: An usual or unfamiliar object, 3- by 5-inch index cards, a cloze passage with key words and/or phrases removed, passage about a famous American woman who encountered multiple problems, Lesson Five formative assessment scoring guide § Handouts: Helen Keller passage, Lesson Five formative assessment prompt § Formative Assessment: provided |
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Lesson Six |
Comparing and contrasting § Literature: None § Supplies: Two passages, each about a different influential American woman, Lesson Six formative assessment scoring guide § Handouts: Venn diagram graphic organizer, T-chart graphic organizer, spreadsheet (3-column) notes graphic organizer, Susan B. Anthony passage, Pat Nixon passage, Lesson Six formative assessment prompt § Formative Assessment: provided |
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Summative Assessment |
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GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATION CONTINUUM
Targeted Learning for this unit represents the specific Grade-Level Expectations that are taught and assessed in this unit. Mastery of these skills is expected of students at this grade level. Previous Learning indicates students’ probable beginning skill level. Future Learning provides the “next step” for instruction or student application of Communication Arts skills and concepts.
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PREVIOUS LEARNING (Grade 4 ) |
TARGETED LEARNING (Grade 5 ) |
FUTURE LEARNING (Grade 6 ) |
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Apply information in illustrations, chapter headings, table of contents, glossary, charts, diagrams, graphs, glossary, captions and maps to comprehend text |
Apply information in format, graphics, sequence, maps, diagrams, charts and index to clarify and connect concepts to the main ideas R3A, CA3, 1.6 |
Analyze text features in newspapers and magazines to clarify meaning |
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Use details from text to
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Use details from text to § Restate main idea and supporting details § Sequence events § Identify and explain cause and effect § Compare and contrast § Make predictions § Make inferences § Evaluate the accuracy of the information § Identify and interpret author’s ideas and purpose § Make inferences about problems and solutions R3C, CA3, 1.6, 1.7, 2.4, 3.1, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7 |
Use details from text to § Paraphrase author’s states ideas § Make predictions § Make inferences § Evaluate the accuracy of the information § Identify and interpret author’s purpose, slant and bias § Respond to two or more sources § Sequence events § Compare and contrast details § Follow cause and effect § Identify problem-solving processes and explain the effectiveness of solutions
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In composing text: § Use complete declarative, interrogative, imperative and exclamatory sentences § Identify and write compound sentences |
In composing text: § Write compound sentences § Identify and eliminate fragments in writing W2F, CA1, 1.6, 2.1, 2.2 |
In composing text:
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Write informational reports, diary/journal entries, organized friendly letters, thank-you letters and invitations in a format appropriate to an intended audience and purpose |
Write well-organized communications in a selected form appropriate to a specific audience (e.g. parents, friend, younger child) and purpose W3E, CA4, 1.8, 2.1 |
Summarize information and construct workplace communication, such as a memo or set of simple instructions, appropriate to topic and specific audience |
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Technology Connections
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Passages on the theme of influential American women and appropriate for use throughout this unit can be found at the following websites:
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Burke, J. (2002). Tools for thought: graphic organizers for your classroom (pp. 25, 76, 144,
163).
Marzano, R., Pickering, D., and Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: research-
based strategies for increasing student achievement (pp. 58-63, 89).
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2004). Communication arts
grade level expectations glossary of terms.
Zwiers, J. (2004). Building reading comprehension strategies in grades 6-12: a toolkit of
classroom activities (p. 79-80).