SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Grade 03 Unit 01: Character/Fiction Revised: 7/25/2014

Revised: 7/25/2014
SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Grade 03 Unit 01: Character/Fiction
Reading Standards: RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.3.3, RL.3.7
Speaking & Listening Standards: SL.3.1, SL.3.2, SL.3.3, SL3.6
Unit Description: In this six week unit students will dive deep into fiction texts. Students will learn comprehension strategies
such as gathering information, chunking text, and using questioning skills as they read. Readers will pay close attention to
characters by analyzing their feelings, actions and changes throughout the story. To ensure that students will be able to
determine a moral or lesson they will think deeply about a text, form questions, and provide text based evidence to support
their thinking.
*Throughout this unit there will be check point assessments (bolded) to check for understanding. These were included to
give teachers feedback throughout the unit. Please be sure to administer these and use the data to inform your small
group instruction or reteach as necessary.
Implementation Dates: Sept 22 – Oct 31, 2014
Assessment Dates/Presentations: Oct. 29 & 30
Page 1
CCLS
Addressed
in this Unit
Coded Standard
(Concepts are underlined,
Skills are capitalized)
ASK and ANSWER questions
to DEMONSTRATE
understanding of a text,
REFERRING EXPLICITLY to the
text as the basis for the
answers.
RL3.1
RL.3.2
RECOUNT stories, including
fables, folktales, and myths
from diverse cultures;
DETERMINE the central
message, lesson, or moral
and EXPLAIN HOW IT IS
CONVEYED through key
details in the text.
Concept Elaboration
(Pre-requisite concepts/skills, what this standard
looks like in the learning progression)
 Ask and answer who, what, where, when,
why, how questions that pertain to a text
 Use genre structure to pose predictable
questions (What challenges does the
character face? How might the problem be
solved? etc...)
 Use the combination of background
knowledge and explicitly stated information
to answer questions they have as they read
 Restate a question using a complete
sentence and answering it oral and/or written
form
 Make explicit references to the text for
answering questions
 Express verbally using text evidence
 Determine story structure (characters, setting,
plot)
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Develop a bank of universal messages,
lessons or morals across cultures
Difference between central ideas and key
details in a story
Understand that messages, lessons or morals
can be applied to various texts
Differences between genres of fiction
Identify and apply characteristics of effective
retelling/recounting (characters, settings,
plot)
Have a bank of strategies to determine the
central message (in addition to using the
bank of messages)
Explain the message, lesson or moral by
providing 2-3 examples from the text
Page 2
Assessment Questions
(How this standard is assessed in the end of unit
assessment)
Question 1 (standard)
RL.3.1 (embedded after chapter 1)
What challenge does Freddy face in chapter 1?
Be sure to include details from the text to support
your answer.
Question 2 (standard)
RL.3.1 (embedded in the middle of chapter 2 after
the line "I AM FREDDY," he shouted. "I WANT TO BE
IN THE PLAY.")
Based on what you have read so far in the
chapters, what do you think will happen to Freddy
next? Give text evidence to support your answer.
Question 3
RL.3.2 (embedded at end of chapter 4). In this
story, one message the author wants us to learn is
that you should be happy to be who you
are. Explain how Freddy learns this lesson. Use
details from the both the beginning and end of
the story to support your answer.
CCLS
Addressed
in this Unit
RL.3.3
RL.3.7
Coded Standard
(Concepts are underlined,
Skills are capitalized)
DESCRIBE characters in a
story (e.g. their traits,
motivations or feelings) and
EXPLAIN how their actions
contribute to the sequence
of events.
Concept Elaboration
(Pre-requisite concepts/skills, what this standard
looks like in the learning progression)
 Identify key ideas and events in a story
 Sequence key ideas and events in a story
 Develop a bank of character traits
 Infer characters, traits and feelings (their
thoughts, words and actions) and events in a
story, drawing on specific details from text
 Determine character problems
 Understand and analyze how characters
act/react to an event(s) and why
 Describe how a character(s) changes
throughout the story
Assessment Questions
(How this standard is assessed in the end of unit
assessment)
Question 4
RL3.3 (embedded at the end of chapter 2)
Describe how Freddy is feeling at the end of
chapter 2? Why does Freddy feel this way? Explain
how this is different from his feelings in chapter 1?
Use details or examples from the text to support
your answers
RL.3.7 (embedded after page 37)
EXPLAIN how specific
aspects of a text’s
illustrations contribute to
what is conveyed by the
words in a story (e.g., create
mood, emphasize aspects
of a character or setting).
View the illustrations on pages 6 and 36. How
does Freddy feel about being in the middle in
each illustration? Use details from both illustrations
and the text to support your answer.
Spiraled Reading Standards: RL.3.10, RL.3.11
Spiraled Speaking and Listening Standards: SL3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d, SL.3.1e, SL.3.3, SL.3.3, SL.3.6
Embedded Writing Standards:
W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
 Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.
 Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.
 Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information.
 Provide a concluding statement or section
Embedded Speaking and Listening Standards:
SL.3.2 Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including
visually, quantitatively, and orally.
,,,
Page 3
Recommended Texts
Picture books/Short stories:
Novels:
(Choose 2-3 picture books to launch the unit during Weeks 1-2)
(Choose 1 novel to read during Weeks 2-4)
 Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig [Lexile 700; Level ])
 Shoeshine Girl by Clyde Robert Bulla [Lexile 330; Level N]
 My Rotten Red Headed Old Brother by Patricia Polacco [Lexile 480;
 Freckle Juice by Judy Blume [Lexile 370; Level M]
Level M]
 The Stories Julian Tells by Cameron, Ann [Lexile 430; Level N]
 Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes [Lexile 410; Level L]
 Miss. Rumphius [Lexile 680; Level M]
 The Piano by William Miller [Lexile 440; Level O]
Big Ideas
* Readers reflect on characters and the challenges they face.
* Readers read closely to infer ideas about characters.
* Readers learn lessons from characters in the story.
Vocabulary
Domain specific: refer, clarify, “right there”, explicitly, determine,
confusion, reaction, mood, spirit, text, identifying, defining, convey
 Character Words: character traits, actions, inactions, reactions,
emotional, physical, mental
 Moral, theme, chunking text,
 Character words: to be determined from text selection
(read this chapter on how to select Tier 2 words)
Essential Questions
How do readers interact with a story in order to learn about characters
and the lessons they teach us?
Assessment Links
Unit Assessment (Modified Unit Assessment for Beginner ELL)- The One in
the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo
Outcomes and
Outcomes and
Outcome Assessment #1
Outcome Assessment #2
Outcomes
Outcomes
 Readers ask themselves
 Readers find the lesson/moral
questions after reading a
or message by questioning the
section of text to clarify their
author’s purpose and using
understanding.
the clues in the story.
 Readers will use a text to
answer ‘right there’ questions.
Rubrics and Scoring Guide Links
Unit Assessment Rubric
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Anchor Charts
Temporal Words
Story Maps
Know/Wonder Chart
Descriptive Adjectives
Domain Specific Vocabulary
Thinking Maps
Fiction Roadmap – use to launch the unit with big ideas
Word Bank of Lessons or Morals Themes/ Literature
Outcomes and
Outcome Assessment #3
Outcomes
 Readers get to know the
characters by thinking about
their actions and emotions.
 Readers pay attention to
characters by tracking how
they change throughout the
story and how it relates to the
message or lesson/moral.
Page 4
Outcomes and
Outcome Assessment #4
Outcomes
 Readers use illustrations to
support and add additional
information in understanding
the events of a story.
Teaching Points
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4
CCLS RL.3.1
Outcome Assessments
 Readers will be given a piece
of text to search for details
that answer ‘right there’
questions. They will highlight,
underline, etc. evidence that
they find to answer the
question.
Standard/
Outcome
RL.3.1 Readers
will ask
questions about
a text.
RL.3.1 Readers
will answer
questions about
a text using a
“right there”
(directly from
the text)
response.
Teaching Points
1.5, 1.6, 1.9
CCLS RL.3.2
Outcome Assessments
 Readers will answer the
question “what character trait
would you use to describe the
main character?”
 Readers will answer the
question “what is the moral or
lesson of the story and how do
the character’s actions
contribute to the lesson or
moral?”
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
1.1 Readers pause after
reading a chunk of text and
ask questions about the
characters.
1.2 Readers gather information
from the story by asking
who, what, where, when,
why and how questions
about the text.
1.3. Readers clarify their own
confusion while reading by
asking questions to
understand meaning of the
text.
1.4 Readers will answer “right
there” questions by explicitly
locating the information in the
text. Right There Questions
Teaching Points
1.7, 1.8, 1.10, 1.11, 1.12, 1.13
CCLS RL.3.2, RL.3.3
Outcome Assessments
 Readers will complete a
graphic organizer that shows
how actions and words from
the text support a given
character trait.
Checks for Understanding
Stop and jot on a sticky note
“What does the author want
me to know about the
character so far?”
Write a “w/h” question for a
partner to answer.
Turn and talk to a partner
about the steps you might
take when you do not know
the meaning of a word or
phrase
Outcome Assessement #1:
Using a small piece of the text
readers will highlight,
underline, etc. answers to text
explicit questions. Collect as
formative assessment.
Page 5
Teaching Points
1.14, 1.15
CCLS RL.3.7
Outcome Assessments
 Not assessed at this time
Scaffolds and Supports
Intervention: Students
dictate questions and copy
if needed.
Have bank of “wh”
questions and examples.
Question flashcards
Extended practice with
“right there” questions in
other texts.
QAR Handouts
Instructional Resources & Tools
Strategies That Work
By Stephanie Harvey and Anne
Goudvis
Question-Answer Relationship
Using questioning strategies
Applying QAR to Pictures
Standard/
Outcome
RL.3.2 Readers
tell what a story
is really about
by explaining a
moral or lesson.
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
1.5 Readers can understand
lesson(s) of the story by thinking
about what the author might
be trying to teach them about
people and life.
Themes/ Literature
1.6 Readers determine the
lesson(s)/ moral (s) by using the
clues in the story.
Checks for Understanding
Turn and talk to your partner
“What lesson might the author
want us to learn? How do you
know?”
1.7 Readers look for ideas
about the character that come
up over and over again
(patterns) by asking: What
might the author want me to
learn?
1.8 Readers identify main
events by looking for places
where a character has strong
feelings or a character’s
feelings change.
RL.3.2 Readers
determine key
events/details in
the story.
RL.3.3 Readers
develop ideas
1.9 Readers identify the key
events that happen in the story
by explaining how the key
events relate to the lesson or
message.
1.10 Readers pay attention to
characters by identifying their
Scaffolds and Supports
Partner students (lower and
higher) Extension: Being
able to pull out the nonexamples (what is not
important)
Instructional Resources & Tools
*Learn 360 Website to view clips
SCSD Library Links
*Brain Pop on Myths SCSD
Library Links
*Book Flicks Website SCSD
Library Links
* Bubble Map for Folk Tales
As the class completes a
graphic organizer on chart
paper one column identifying
a key event another column
identifying the characters
reaction to the event and a
third column describing the
lesson(s) learned. Be sure to
refer explicitly to the text. 3
column chart
Outcome Assessment #2:
Readers will answer the
question “what character trait
would you use to describe the
main character?” Readers will
answer the question “what is
the moral or lesson of the story
and how do the character’s
actions contribute to the
lesson or moral?”
Divide students into 3 equal
groups have students
Page 6
Character Analysis: (4
square) Description of
Character,
Major Challenge or goal,
response to challenge
character changes over
time.
Intervention: Students order
and retell a story by
sequencing sentence strips
or story cards in a pocket
chart.
Extension: Develop
illustration based on
*Myths
*Learn 360 Website View clips
(ex: Why Mosquitos Buzz in
People’s Ears?)
*Book Flicks
* Kidspiration(Graphic Organizer
Site)
Graphic Organizer ((Fable
/Myth Dissection Chart)Myths
Two column graphic organizer
2 column chart
Thinking maps
Character Trait Lesson
Standard/
Outcome
about
characters’
feelings,
motivations,
and reactions.
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
emotional, physical, and
mental traits.
RL.3.3 Readers
explain how a
character’s
actions
contribute to the
sequence of
events.
1.12 Readers track changes in
characters’ actions across a
story by identifying key events.
RL.3.7 Readers
will use
illustrations from
the text to
understand the
events in a
story.
1.11 Readers pay attention to
characters by defining who
they are, what they do, and
what they say or think.
1.13 Readers get to know a
character by paying attention
to the characters’ actions and
inactions.
1.14 Readers notice
relationships by looking at
illustrations and telling how the
text supports the picture.
1.15 Readers notice how the
illustrator provides additional
information by reflecting on the
mood of the text.
Checks for Understanding
complete a graphic organizer
for one of the traits
(emotional, physical, or
mental)
Outcome Assessment #3:
Given a character trait
students will identify the
actions or words from the text
that support the trait.
(ongoing) Complete a flow
map or a sequence chart as
a whole group. Allow students
a think pair share before
responding.
Ask “What would happen if
the character made a
different choice?” Role-play
the new scene.
Complete an “I notice” chart
about the illustration. Have
students identify words in the
text that support the
illustration using a document
camera.
On a sticky note students will
respond to the question
“What feeling is the illustrator/
author trying to convey?”
Project the illustration/ image
onto a large screen; students
will place sticky note next to
the evidence in the
illustration.
Page 7
Scaffolds and Supports
Instructional Resources & Tools
character trait from the text.
( Use graphic organizer to
guide)
SmartBoard Lesson – Character
Traits
Extension: Role play again
with props that students
create.
Intervention: Students have
copy of illustration in front of
them and guidance from
adult with sticky note
activity.
Sticky note discussions
Flow map
Sequence chart
Post-It Note Project
Understanding the value of
illustrations when reading
“I notice” chart
Sticky notes
Projector with image
Video interview with Mark
Teague
Standard/
Outcome
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
1: Writers provide text evidence
to support claims/ideas by using
a graphic organizer:
Idea
 Place in the text that
supports this idea
 Place in the text that
supports this idea
 Place in the text that
supports this idea
Writing
Response
Lessons
2: Writers use strong transitions
to connect our evidence. We
rehearse these orally and use
them in writing. (One
example… Another place in the
text…). [Review graphic
organizer and model turning
outline into paragraph]
3: Writers include detailed
evidence from the text. We do
this by rereading a part and
thinking about which details
best support our theme.
4: Writers engage our readers
by writing introduction and
conclusion sentences. We do
this by thinking about our idea
and evidence, and then
thinking about the most
important things we want the
reader to understand.
Checks for Understanding
Writing Response 1:
Describe a character using
the box & bullets organizer.
Writing Response 2:
Describe a character using
text evidence and strong
transitions.
Writing Responses 3 & 4:
Describe a theme from the
story. Be sure to think about
what the author might be
trying to show us about
people and life.
 Explain the idea, lesson,
or message that the
author might be trying to
show us
 Evidence: Describe the
things characters do and
say that illustrate your
chosen theme.
 Include an intro and
conclusion sentence.
Page 8
Scaffolds and Supports
Instructional Resources & Tools
Pacing Calendar (if you prefer to pace it yourself) OR see pacing calendar below for suggested pacing.
TP = Teaching Point
Sept. 30
Oct. 1
Oct. 2
Oct. 3
Introduce Unit – Big
TP 1.2 Model
TP 1.1 Practice
TP 1.3 Model
Ideas/Essential Questions
TP 1.1 Practice
TP 1.2 Practice
Unit Launch- Introduce
Anchor Charts and Big Ideas
TP 1.1
Oct. 4
TP 1.3 Practice
Oct. 7
TP 1.4 Practice
Oct. 8
TP 1.4 Practice
Oct. 9
TP 1.5 Model
Oct.10
TP 1.5 Practice
Oct. 11
TP 1.6 Model
TP 1.5 Practice
Oct. 14
Oct. 15
TP 1.5 Practice
TP 1.6 Practice
Oct. 16
TP 1.7 Model
Oct. 17
TP 1.7 Practice
Oct. 18
TP 1.9 Model
Oct.22
TP 1.10 Model
Oct.29
TP 1.13 Model
Oct. 23
TP 1.10 Practice
Oct. 30
TP 1.14 Model
Oct. 24
TP 1.11 Model
Oct. 31
TP 1.15 Model
Nov. 5
Review
Nov. 6
Assessment
Nov. 7
Assessment
Oct. 25
TP 1.11 Practice
Nov. 1
TP 1.12 Practice
TP 1.13 Practice
TP 1.14 Practice
TP 1.15 Practice
Nov. 8
Reteach/Go over
assessment
COLUMBUS DAY
Oct. 21
TP 1.9 Practice
Oct. 28
TP 1.12 Model
Nov. 4
Review
Pacing Calendar Template:
Page 9
Sept. 30
Oct. 1
Oct. 2
Oct. 3
Oct. 4
Oct. 7
Oct. 8
Oct. 9
Oct.10
Oct. 11
Oct. 14
Oct. 15
Oct. 16
Oct. 17
Oct. 18
COLUMBUS DAY
Oct. 21
Oct.22
Oct. 23
Oct. 24
Oct. 25
Oct. 28
Oct.29
Oct. 30
Oct. 31
Nov. 1
Nov. 4
Nov. 5
Nov. 6
Assessment
Nov. 7
Assessment
Nov. 8
Reteach/Go over
assessment
Page 10