SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Health/Nutrition

Revised: 4/6/2016
SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Grade 03 Unit 06: Gathering Evidence to Persuade
Health/Nutrition
Reading Standards: RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.4, RI.3.6, RI.3.9
Speaking & Listening Standards: SL.3.1, SL.3.2, SL.3.3, SL.3.4
Unit Description : In this six week unit on gathering evidence to persuade, students will focus on nutrition. Students will learn
about the issue of healthy habits, and more specifically how school lunches, the type of milk we drink and the sizes of our
meals effect our health. To ensure students have a solid understanding of the topic they will collect, hold onto, and revise
important ideas and vocabulary about nutrition. They will also compare and contrast information on the topic and analyze
the point of view of their research before taking a stance. Once students have a solid understanding of the nutrition
debate they will express their thoughts by writing a public service announcement in the Writing unit that correlates with this
Reading unit.
*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: April 18 – June 3, 2016
Assessment Dates/Presentations: June 1-3, 2016
Page 1
CCLS
Coded Standard
Concept Elaboration
RI.3.1 ASK and ANSWER questions to demonstrate 
understanding of a text, REFERRING

explicitly to the text as the basis for the
answers.
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RI.3.2 DETERMINE the main idea of a text;
RECOUNT the key details and EXPLAIN how
they support the main idea.
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RI.3.4 DETERMINE the meaning of general

academic and domain-specific words and

phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3
Assessment Questions
ask and answer who, what, where, when, why, how
questions that pertain to a text
restate a question using a complete sentence and
answer it orally and/or in written form
make explicit references to the text for answering
questions
use strategies for defining unknown words
use text features (headings, captions, highlighted
text, diagrams, labels, italic, directions) to answer
questions about the text
while reading make and revise predictions
use a combination of explicitly stated information,
and background knowledge to answer questions
while reading.
understand the difference between main ideas and
key details in a text
identify informational text features and/or structure(s)
that help suggest the main idea
recognize how ideas are organized in informational
text
identify the main topic of each paragraph
distinguish between relevant and irrelevant details
understand that a topic sentence is what the
paragraph is mostly about
retell key ideas in the passage to support the main
idea
identify recurring ideas
Use context clues to determine the meaning of words
and phrases.
Analyze text features or search tools that are available.
Page 2
The Writing Unit Public Service
Announcement on nutrition will be
used as the assessment for Reading
topic or subject area.
RI.3.6 DISTINGUISH their own point of view from
that of the author of a text.



RI.3.9 COMPARE and CONTRAST the most

important points and key details presented 
in two texts on the same topic.

Identify main idea and key details.
Identify the author’s purpose of the text (what the
author wants to answer, explain, or describe).
Summarize the text by: calling forward key story
elements, determining important details, and
Identify important points and key details.
Analyze which points and key details are similar in both
texts.
Analyze which points and key details are different in
both texts.
Embedded Standards:
SL.3.1 PREPARE for and PRACTICE effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and
EXPRESSING their own clearly and persuasively.
SL.3.2 INTEGRATE and EVALUATE information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
SL.3.3 EVALUATE a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.
SL.3.4 PRESENT information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization,
development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Assessment Links
Rubrics and Scoring Guide Links
No Assessment for the Reading Unit. The Writing PSA will serve as the assessment Unit Assessment Rubric
Recommended Texts
Topic/subtopics of study
Mentor Texts:
The Monster Health Book: A Guide to Eating Healthy, Being Active, and Feeling
Great for Monsters and Kids by Edward Miller
Good Enough to Eat: A Kid’s Guide to Food and Nutritrion by Lizzy Rockwell
Gregory the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat
Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith
Grade 3 Health Textbook – McGraw Hill (pgs. 101-128)
School Lunches – Healthy or Not? (packet)
Chocolate Milk vs. White Milk (packet)
Supersized Meals (packet)
Other Non-fiction Articles (packet)
Page 3
Multi-Media Resources
“We are Hungry” Music Video
“Jaime Oliver: This is Chicken?”
Article “How Fat Food Hooks Us.”
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Big Ideas
People need to make informed choices about what they eat.
Readers evaluate an author’s point of view on a topic.
Writers support their points of view with reasons, facts, and details.
Calories
Carbohydrates
Issue
Minerals
Obesity
Standard/Outcome
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Vocabulary
Moderation
Nutrients
Nutrition
Portion
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Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
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Protein
Stance
Variety
Vitamins
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Essential Questions
Why is nutrition so important?
How can we support our opinions? What do I believe
based on what I have read about this topic?
Anchor Charts
Sentence Stems Anchor Chart
Vocabulary
Nonfiction Roadmap
Author’s purpose
Food Pyramid Chart
Nutrition Label
Checks for Understanding
Supports & Scaffolds
INDEPENDENT
PRACTICE
Researchers collect
6.1 Readers get oriented to a topic by
important ideas
reading a text all the way through once
Eat Veggies: School Lunch
and vocabulary
and asking: So what are some of the
Gets a Makeover. Students
about a topic
ideas about this topic?
will highlight the
(RI.3.1, RI.3.2,
vocabulary words that are
RI.3.4)
challenging to them.

Using the article, Let Them



Students should also be
coding text on post it
notes or in the margin.
Page 4

Provide more modeling of
Students read one text on
text coding
nutrition (see
Pre-select a certain section of
recommended texts) and
the text to read for some
code the text on post-it
students.
notes or in the margins.
Modify the text (lower-level
This should be done in
article.
centers or partner work
Provide some students with
time.
partners
Standard/Outcome
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Supports & Scaffolds
INDEPENDENT
PRACTICE
6.2 Readers find important information
Students will work in partners to

Strategic partner pairings
Students should be
in a text by looking for words and
create a list of words or ideas

Pre-select sentences from the
practicing looking for
ideas that repeat. When a word or
that repeat within the article.
text and have students decide
words and ideas that
idea comes up again, we pause to
if the ideas repeat and
repeat when applying this
jot it down.
organize them by repeating
strategy during
ideas.
independent/center time.
They can use the same
text/article from TP 6.1.
as they use their close
reading strategies.
Teachers should limit
frontloading. Students
should focus on
annotation (text coding)
and asking themselves
text dependent questions
while they are reading.
6.3 Readers stop and jot information
Students will work in groups

Strategic Partners
After reading their
that might be important. At the end
and be assigned one

Partially filled in ‘Give One to
article/text during
of a section, we write down the main
paragraph of the article.
Get One’
independent/center time,
idea, or what the part is mostly
Students review their coded
Student choice for which
they should try to come
about.
text and the list of repeated
paragraph they read and
up with what they think
ideas and come up with
identify the main idea
the main idea is for their


what they think the main
text. They should discuss
idea of their paragraph is
this with partners and be
about. They will write their
able to support their
main idea statement on
main idea with details
the “Give One to Get One”
from the text.
template and provide textbased evidence to support
Teachers should break
their main idea.
text into sections for
Page 5
Standard/Outcome
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Supports & Scaffolds
INDEPENDENT
PRACTICE

Then students will
students to figure out the
participate in the activity
main idea (Learn Zillion
“Give One to Get One” to
Lesson). Students should
share their main idea
focus on the first and last
statement. The students
sentence to help them
must make sure they see
determine what each
students from all of the
section is about.
paragraphs (A,B,C) in order
Students should put the
to fill in all of the columns on
main ideas of the sections
their Give One to Get One
together to summarize
template.
what they think the text is
about.
6.4 Readers grow bigger ideas by
Students will analyze their Give
Students will repeat and
looking across jots and asking, “So
One to Get One to determine
practice TPs 6.1 -6.4 in
how do these different ideas fit
how the different ideas from
independent/center time
together? What is this whole text
each paragraph fit together to
with another text/article
saying about [topic]?”
see what the whole text is about.
(see the suggested text to
help select a text).
Researchers use
6.5 Partners retell. We read a part, close
Teacher discusses how

Preview the book with
Partners will use a book
partner talk to hold
the book (or cover the section). Then
researchers hold onto
students needing more
(see suggested texts) on
onto and revise
we use our own words to say:
information about a topic by
support
nutrition to practice with
ideas about a topic

The author is saying…
stopping and thinking after a
a partner during
(SL.3.1, SL.3.2,

What this means is…
section of the text. (Share an
independent/ center time.
SL.3.3, SL.3.4)

This part teaches me ___
anchor chart with sentence
They will practice reading
by…
stems on them.) Using the
a section of the book,
article, No Appetite for Good-
covering it up or closing
for-You School Lunches, teacher
it, and completing the
models the first couple of pages
sentence stems to their
using the stems from the anchor
partner.
chart emphasizing paraphrasing
in their own words. Students
Page 6
Standard/Outcome
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Supports & Scaffolds
INDEPENDENT
PRACTICE
then practice the skills with a
couple of the pages.
6.6 Partners discuss their ideas about a
topic by trying out talk prompts:
Students complete one of the

Students have time to
Students will continue
sentence stems on a post it (with
rehearse what they will
working in partners

This makes me think…
text evidence). Students
say.
during independent/

This makes me realize…
participate in an Inside/Outside
Teacher support with
center time to practice

I used to think, but now I’m
Circle. They will then have
finding text evidence –
TPs 6.5 -6.6. They should
understanding…
conversation about their
identifying the section it
have opportunities to
sentence stem and explain how
came from
apply these strategies to

the text impacted their opinion.
Researchers
6.7 Readers compare and contrast the
Students should:
compare and
most important ideas presented in
contrast
two texts. We say: They are both
Cooked Meals vs. Fast
information about
about ___, but this one ____
Food Meals” and take
a topic
(RI.3.9)
1.
Read the article “Home
notes/code text based
6.8 Readers compare and contrast the
different texts.

Provide modified texts
Students will practice

Answer question stems
applying TPs 6.7 -6.9
with a partner
during independent/
Partially filled in Venn
center time while looking
diagram
at two texts. (They can

on their non-fiction
use texts that they have
roadmap.
already read and new
Read the article “Eight
texts in the suggested
Readers look for text based support
Benefits of Eating at
texts section.) They
to explain what they think the main
Home” and take
should be practicing their
idea is.
notes/code text based
nonfiction road mapping
on their non-fiction
as they read their texts.
roadmap.
They will use the
Independently answer
sentence stems and Venn
that overlaps, it goes in the middle;
question stems about
Diagrams to compare the
different ideas go on either side of
how the texts are similar
texts and come up the
the circles.
and different.
main ideas of both
most important details presented in
two texts. We say: They both
mention ___, but this one _____.
2.
6.9 Readers can take notes on two
different texts by using a Venn
Diagram. When we find information
3.
4. Complete group Venn
articles. They need to
diagrams on chart
make sure that they are
paper to share out.
supporting their ideas
with text based evidence.
Page 7
Standard/Outcome
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Supports & Scaffolds
INDEPENDENT
PRACTICE
Researchers analyze
6.10
Readers determine an author’s

Students re-read the texts

Provide pre-selected text
Students will practice
the point of view in
point of view about a topic or issue.
and highlight details that
set that includes
applying TPs 6.10-6.12
a text
We read, asking: What is this author
support the author’s point of
reference to author’s
during independent/
saying about this topic?
view. Then students have a
purpose
center time. Students will
(RL.3.6)
of view on the same topic. We know
authors’ points of view are
that there are usually two (or more)
the same or different.
sides to every issue. We read a new
Students need to be able to
determine what the
author is trying to teach
them (Learnzillion
lesson) by stopping after
text on the same topic and ask,
support their thoughts with
chunks of text and asking
“Does this author say the same thing
text based details that they
themselves what new
as the last one, or is it something
should have highlighted.
information am I learning.
6.11
conversation about if the
Readers consider multiple points
Students also should
different?”
6.12
Readers determine our own
determine what both

Students decide which side
point of view about a topic. We
of the topic they believe.
think about all we’ve read and
They prepare notes for every
learned, and decide which stance we
reason why they feel that
want to take – and why.
way using details from the

Support finding text
based details
sides of the debate are in
addition to what is
common and different
from other texts they
have read on the topic.
Once students have read
text. Then students
from several sources they
participate in a debate to
should choose the side of
determine who has the
the debate they agree
strongest argument.
with.
Students receive bonus
points for every text based
detail they use.
Suggested Pacing Calendar:
4/7
4/8
Unit Launch
TP 6.1
4/14
4/15
4/9
TP 6.2
4/16
4/10
TP 6.3
4/17
Page 8
4/11
TP 6.4
4/18
Review TP 6.1-6.4
TP 6.5
TP 6.5
TP 6.6
No School
4/21
4/22
4/23
4/24
4/25
SPRING BREAK
4/28
Review TPs 6.1 – 6.6
4/29
Review TP 6.1 – 6.6
4/30
Review TP 6.1 – 6.6
5/1
5/2
Review TP 6.1 – 6.6
Review TP 6.1 – 6.6
5/5
TP 6.7
5/6
TP 6.8
5/7
TP 6.9
5/8
Review TP 6.7 – 6.9
5/9
5/12
5/13
TP 6.11
5/14
TP 6.11
5/15
TP 6.12
5/16
TP 6.12
5/19
Review all Teaching Points
with different Texts
5/20
Review all Teaching Points
with different Texts
5/21
Review all Teaching Points
with different Texts
5/22
Review all Teaching Points
with different Texts
5/23
Review all Teaching
Points with different Texts
May 26
May 27
Review
May 29
PSA Presentations from
Writing Unit
May 30
Re-teach Day
MEMORIAL DAY
May 28
PSA Presentations from
Writing Unit
Pacing Calendar (if you prefer to pace it yourself)
Apr 7
Apr 8
Apr 9
Apr 10
Apr 11
Apr 14
Apr 15
Apr 16
Apr 17
Apr 18
Apr 21
Apr 22
Apr 23
Apr 24
Apr 25
Apr 28
Apr 29
Apr 30
May 1
May 2
May 5
May 6
May 7
May 8
May 9
TP 6.10
Page 9
Review TP 6.7 -6.9
May 12
May 13
May 14
May 15
May 16
May 19
May 20
May 21
May 22
May 23
May 26
May 27
May 28
May 29
May 30
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