SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Revised: 2/9/2015
SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Grade 04 Unit 04 Literary & Informational Text Unit
The Declaration of Independence/ American Revolution
Reading Standards:RL.4.4, RL.4.6, RI.4.4, RI.4.6, RI.4.7, RI.4.9
(RL.4.1, RL.4.2, RL.4.3, RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.3)
Unit Description: In this unit, fourth grade students learn how to use a primary source (The Declaration of Independence) and historical fiction (Colonial Voices)
to obtain and analyze information about this time period. Readers use non-fiction reading skills to learn about a time period, draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Students will be expected to use non-fiction text and historical fiction to extract information
from text.
From February 9-February 13, teachers should lead students through a close reading mini-unit from the ACT Now Resources; remember, these serve as
a resource and not a script and should be used to inform teacher planning. In order to fit this into your current unit pacing, you will need to work with your
team and coach to consider which teaching points you could consolidate or incorporate into the close reading mini-unit.
Implementation Dates: January 23-March 6, 2015
*Close Reading Mini-Unit “Anne to the Rescue”: February 9-February 13
Common Core Learning Standards:
RL 4.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama drawing on specific details in the text.
RL 4.6 Compare and contrast the points of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference
st
rd
between 1 and 3 person.
Teaching Points:
4.6 Historical fiction readers analyze the emotional setting and its effects on the characters as they read.
4.8 Read and analyze the author’s choice in choosing one point of view over another.
4.9 Readers analyze the author’s point of view by asking “How would the story be different if it was told from a
different point of view.
Unit 4 Assessment: March 5-6
Page 1
CCLS
Coded Standard
RL.4.3 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)
Concept Elaboration
Assessment Questions
Fourth graders need to combine these skills and concepts: Describe the physical and emotional
setting of this excerpt.
Describe:
 Describe or graphically represent characters (traits,
thoughts, words, feelings, and actions.)
 Describe and explain how characters actions contribute
to the sequence of events (character change or conflict
from beginning to end)
 Describe characters motivations throughout the text
 Describe the setting of a story or drama
 Explain how the setting is influencing the character and
the plot (e.g., in Sarah Plain and Tall the setting is the
prairie, lonely desolate place...drives the plot)
 Identify and describe the plot and events in a story or
drama (turning point, conflict, resolution, character
roles)
 Express verbally or in written form understanding of story
elements
Draw on specific details:
 Recount specific story details that show how an idea has
developed in the text.
 Use text-based evidence to support thinking.
RL.4.4 Determine the meaning of words and
Fourth graders need to combine these skills and concepts: What does ____ mean?
phrases as they are used in a text, including
 Reread & analyze other sentences, paragraphs and
those that allude to significant characters
pictures in the text to identify context clues.
found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).
 Use context clues to determine the meaning of unknown
words or phrases and multiple meaning words.
 Understand and interpret technical, connotative and
figurative meaning of words and phrases in the text.
 Analyze and interpret figurative language (simile,
metaphor, personification, hyperbole) and literary
devices (alliteration, repetition, rhyme, and dialogue).
 Analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or
tone.
RL.4.6 Compare and contrast the point of view
Fourth graders need to combine these skills and concepts: Who is telling this story? How do you
know?
from which different stories are narrated,
 Understand that first person narration means the story is
Why might the author have chosen
including the difference between first- and
being told by one character at a time, speaking for or
Page 2
CCLS
Coded Standard
Concept Elaboration
third-person narrations.
Assessment Questions
about himself.
to use this point of view?
 Understand that third person narration means the author
is describing the action that happened to someone else.
 Use two related texts to compare and contrast point of
view.
RI.4.2 Determine main idea of a text and explain Fourth graders need to combine these skills and concepts: What is the main idea of this first
paragraph?
how it is supported by key details,
Determining Main Idea:
summarize the text
 Recognize reoccurring ideas across paragraphs.
 Identifying the structure of ideas and concepts.
 Understanding domain specific words or phrases and
the author's meaning.
 Relevant vs. irrelevant details.
Explaining how it is supported by key details:
 Use the text to support and elaborate their answers.
Summarizing the text:
 Think about historical events and tell how they are
connected.
 Determine important ideas in the text.
RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or
Fourth graders need to combine these skills and concepts: Why is the “Mayflower Compact”
considered important? Give specific
concepts in a historical, scientific, or
 Use text features and context clues to determine
details.
technical text, including what happened
unknown content vocabulary.
and why, based on specific information in
 Read and interpret graphic sources within the text.
the text.
 Identify the events, key ideas/concepts, steps in
informational text (verbally and in writing).
 Distinguish between key ideas and explanatory details.
 Analyze text structure in informational texts (time,
sequence, cause and effect, steps).
 Identify words/phrases that signal explanations in a
sequence of events (first, next, then, last).
 Use specific information to explain what and why key
events, ideas, procedures, events happened with textbased support.
RI.4.4 Determine the meaning of general
Fourth graders need to combine these skills and concepts: What does ____ mean? What clues
did you use?
academic and domain-specific words or
 Reread & analyze other sentences, paragraphs, and
phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4
features of the text (pictures, captions, and graphics) to
topic or subject area.
identify context clues.
Page 3
CCLS
Coded Standard
Concept Elaboration
Assessment Questions
 Use context clues to determine the meaning of unknown
words or phrases and multiple meaning words.
 Understand and interpret literal, connotative, and
denotative meaning of words and phrases in the text.
 Analyze and interpret figurative language (simile,
metaphor, hyperbole, personification).
 Analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or
tone.
 Determine meaning of academic (process function)
words and domain specific (content) words relevant to
the subject of study.
RI.4.6 Compare and contrast a firsthand and
Fourth graders need to combine these skills and concepts: Assessed throughout the unit when
text choices allow
secondhand account of the same event or
 Describe similarities between firsthand and secondhand
topic; describe the differences in focus and
accounts.
the information provided.
 Describe differences between firsthand and
secondhand accounts.
 Compare/contrast two accounts related to the same
topic or event.
 Use specific text based details to differentiate between
the focus of the information in each account (i.e.expository non- fiction vs. narrative nonfiction).
RI.4.7 Interpret information presented visually,
Fourth graders need to combine these skills and concepts: Assessed in research
paper/corresponding writing unit
orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts,
To interpretgraphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or
 Prior to reading or listening to a text students should
interactive elements on Web pages) and
orient themselves to the text or presentation (i.e. locate
explain how the information contributes to
text features such as captions, photos, etc.).
an understanding of the text in which it
 During reading or listening attend to features like charts,
appears.
graphs, diagrams, timelines, animations, and interactive
elements that support the text.
 Analyze the elements of the text and text features to
pick out relevant information in order to demonstrate
understanding of the text.
To explain Share the relevance of the features included in the text.
 Use details from the text and text features to support
how the information contributes to understanding.
Page 4
CCLS
Coded Standard
Concept Elaboration
Assessment Questions
RI.4.9 Integrate information from two texts on the Fourth graders need to combine these skills and concepts: How does what you read in
nonfiction help you understand a
same topic in order to write or speak about  Locate relevant information in each text.
historical fiction excerpt?
the subject knowledgeably.
 Organize information from both texts (i.e. graphic
organizer, highlighted text, etc.).
 Synthesize information from both texts into written or
verbal expression.
Spiraled Reading Standards:
RL.4.1, RL.4.2, RL.4.3, RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.3
Embedded Writing Standards:
W.4.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
a) Apply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “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.”).
b) Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., “Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points
in a text”).
Assessment Links
Rubrics and Scoring Guide Links
Unit Assessment Rubric
Unit Assessment
Recommended Texts
Social Studies Resources
Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak by Kay Winters
Harcourt SOCIAL STUDIES (New York)
Student Text and Leveled Readers
Social Studies Leveled Readers (Harcourt): Building a Democracy, Women
of the American Revolution, The Battle of Saratoga, Washington Irving
TCI History Alive Presentations
-To Declare Independence or Not
-The Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence (whole text)
Declaration text sections: 1 and 2
* Ask your school library media specialist for additional titles .
●
Big Ideas
Characters’ lives are affected by the historical setting in which they
lived.
Page 5
●
●
Essential Questions
How does a historical setting affect a character’s life?
How did the signing of Declaration of Independence impact the
●
The tensions between the colonies and Great Britain led to armed
conflict.
Vocabulary
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY
● Physical setting
● Emotional Setting
● Historical Fiction
● Interdependent
lives of colonists?
What role did women, Native Americans, and African Americans
play in the American Revolution?
Anchor Charts
KNOW/WONDER Chart (same as Habits Unit)
●
Setting Graphic Organizer
Add content specific vocabulary as needed throughout
Outcomes and
Outcome Assessment #1
Outcomes
 Readers find the main ideas in nonfiction
text to build historical background
knowledge.
 Readers explain what the text says using
text details and making inferences
 Readers use text features and structure
to enhance understanding
Outcomes and
Outcome Assessment #2
Outcomes
 Readers use information about the
physical and emotional setting of a story
to build understanding
Outcomes and
Outcome Assessment #3
Outcomes
 Writers research a topic investigating
different aspects of the topic
 Writers create an extended written
response that informs readers about a
specific topic
Teaching Points
4.1, 4.2, 4.3
CCLS
RI.4.1, RI.4.2,
Teaching Points
4.4, 4.5
CCLS
RI.4.2, RI.4.3, RI.4.5, RI.4.7
Teaching Points
4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9
CCLS
W.4.2, W.4.7
Outcome Assessments #1:
Stop and Jot:
Who are the characters?
What is their problem?
How does the theme develop through the text?
Outcome Assessments#2:
Stop and Jot:
“How are the characters feeling in this part?
Are the feelings caused by something
happening in the time period?”
Outcome Assessments #3
Think-Ink Pair-Share:
What might we hear if we were reading this
through another character’s point of view?
Page 6
Standard/Outco
me
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Supports & Scaffolds
*Note: some teaching point numbers will be
Instructional
Resources & Tools
taught out of chronological order.
Launching the Unit: Historical Content
Colonists declared independence from
the King of England in order to develop
a new country with a democratic
government.
Britain and the colonies disagreed
about how to pay for the French and
Indian war. The colonists’ opposition to
new British tax laws began their
movement toward independence.
SWBAT find the
main ideas in
nonfiction text
to build
historical
background
knowledge.
(RI.4.1, RI.4.2)
*4.1 Readers use nonfiction reading
skills to learn about a time period.
Here’s how: Read a chunk. Pause and
ask, “What is the author teaching me
so far?”
*4.2 Readers use nonfiction reading
skills to learn about a time period.
Here’s how: Readers use coding of text
to monitor and adjust their
understanding of new information.
Launch: Historical Content
Share John Adams and School house Rock videos
John Adams video
School House Rock
WHAT IS THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE?
Close reading of Declaration of Independence section 1
ACTIVITY: Students read the text silently.
1.The teacher then reads the text out loud to the class and students
follow along in the text.
2.After listening, students re-read the text and attempt to translate it
into their own words.
3.The teacher asks the class a small set of guiding questions about
the text.
4.After the discussion, students rewrite their translation.
INTRODUCING THE REVOLUTION
Use the excerpt from Phoebe the Spy (Harcourt Social Studies text p.
150) along with the Social Studies leveled reader titled Women of
the American Revolution to illustrate the role women played in the
American Revolution. Consider a graphic organizer (web) to track
the information from both texts.
Turn and talk:
Sum it up- Make It Real by
Declaration of Independence
Linda Hoyt (2002)
Section 2 (for close reading with
teaching points 3.1/3.2))
What has the author taught us so
far?
What feels most important?
Pair share/ small group share to
Revisit the concept from the
discuss their understanding of the
Habits Unit: Focus on what’s
text
happening, what are people
What did you find important?
saying, doing, and thinking?
What was new information?
Refer to text coding process in
Page 7
TCI History Alive:
-To Declare
Independence or
Not
-The Declaration of
Independence
Standard/Outco
me
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Supports & Scaffolds
*Note: some teaching point numbers will be
taught out of chronological order.
SWBAT analyze
the physical
and emotional
setting of a
historical fiction
novel
(RL.4.1, RL.4.3)
What questions do you have?
the Habits unit.
4.3 Readers apply everything they
know about fiction when they
encounter a new fiction text.
Here’s how:
 Track the characters – names,
details
 Look for seeds of a problem
 Pay attention to theme and how it
develops through the text
*see the 3.7 (note to teachers: you may
include 3.7 in this lesson as well)
Use Readers’ Theater Script –
Patriots and Loyalists 1175
4.4 Historical fiction readers analyze the
physical setting as they read.
Use Readers’ Theater Script –
Patriots and Loyalists 1175
Here’s how: Readers look for small
clues the author gives to show the time
and place.
4.5 Historical fiction readers analyze the
emotional setting as they read.
Here’s how:
Readers ask themselves…
“What problems do I know people
faced in this time period?”
“How are the characters feeling in this
part? Are the feelings caused by
something happening in the time
period?”
Stop and Jot: What clues have you
collected about the time period
so far?
Reader’s Theater: Declaring Our
Independence
Revisit and Review: Go back to
a previously shared fictional
text read aloud and review the
story elements.
 Review a graphic
organizer/story map that
has been done before
reminding students how to
keep track of story
elements while navigating
through fictional text.
EXTENSION- 5W’s and H: Write
a newspaper clipping to share
the who, what, when, where,
why, and how from the story
students read.
5w chart
4.6 Historical fiction readers analyze the
emotional setting and its effect on the
Stop and Jot- (collect this as a
checkpoint assessment)
Who are the characters?
What is their problem?
How does the theme develop
through the text?
Turn and Talk: “What problems do I
know people faced in this time
period?”
Stop and Jot: (collect this as a
checkpoint assessment)
“How are the characters feeling in
this part? Are the feelings caused
by something happening in the
time period?”
Reader’s Theater: Declaring Our
Independence
Page 8
After the initial read and
analysis of emotional setting:
Divide Students into groups
and allow time for them to
practice their part. Each group
will present one section of the
text in theatrical play format.
Instructional
Resources & Tools
Standard/Outco
me
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Supports & Scaffolds
*Note: some teaching point numbers will be
taught out of chronological order.
SWBAT to
determine who
is telling a story
and to analyze
the author’s
choice in point
of view. (RL.4.6)
characters as they read.
Here’s how: Readers ask themselves…
“What problem(s) is the character
facing right now?’
“What do I know about this time period
that helps me understand the
character’s problem and his reaction
to the problem?”
*4.7 Readers determine who is telling
the story.
Here’s how: Paying close attention to
the pronouns (I, you, me, we, us…) and
asking themselves, “Is the narrator a
part of the story?”
Turn and Talk:
“What problem(s) is the character
facing right now?’
“What do I know about this time
period that helps me understand
the character’s problem and his
reaction to the problem?”
Read the first 5 pages from
Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak
Stop and Jot Who is telling the
story, how do you know?
4.8 Read and analyze the author’s
choice in choosing one point of view
over another.
Here’s how:
(If the story is told in 1st person)
 List characteristics that describe
the main character
 Ask: Why would the author choose
to have this narrator tell the story?
Read the remainder of Colonial
Voices: Hear Them Speak
4.9 Readers analyze the author’s
choice of point of view by asking,
“How would the story be different if it
was told from a different point of
view?”
Use Colonial Voices to anchor this
Teaching Point
Think-Ink Pair-Share(part 2) Collect
this as a checkpoint assessment:
What might we hear if we were
reading this through another
character’s point of view?
Think-Ink-Pair Share (part 1):
“What are some clues that show
who is telling the story? Why do
you think the author chose this
narrator?
Page 9
See character Trait Anchor
Chart from Unit 1
Instructional
Resources & Tools
Standard/Outco
me
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Supports & Scaffolds
*Note: some teaching point numbers will be
taught out of chronological order.
SWBAT solve
new, unknown
words
(RL.4.4, RI.4.4)
4.10 Readers use context clues to
determine the meaning of unknown
words in a text.
Here’s how:
Think about what is happening in the
paragraph
Literary Text: Ask, “What is the
character thinking, doing or saying that
could help me determine the meaning
of the unknown word?”
* see 4.13 (use this teaching point in
conjunction with 3.10)
4.11 Readers use text features to
determine the meaning of unknown
words in a text.
Here’s how: Think about what is
happening in the paragraph/text
features.
Informational Text:
How are the context clues/text
features helping me understand the
unknown word?
SWBAT solve
new, unknown
words
(RL.4.4, RI.4.4)
* see 4.13 (use this teaching point in
conjunction with 3.11)
4.12 Readers determine the meaning
of unknown words in a story by
breaking words into parts and asking
what does each word part mean?
Here’s how:
Readers ask themselves…
“Is this a compound word? What does
Use Social Studies Leveled
Readers: Building a Democracy,
Battle of Saratoga, and
Washington Irving to anchor this TP
Link to POV Lesson
Give each student an index card
or post-it and have them take it to
their independent reading (or
group reading…) and jot:
 A word they don’t know
 A possible definition
 A brief explanation of how
they tried to figure it out
Use Social Studies Leveled
Readers: Building a Democracy,
Battle of Saratoga, and
Washington Irving to anchor this TP
See Unit 2 for Text Features
Give each student an index card
or post-it and have them take it to
their independent reading (or
group reading…) and jot:
 A word they don’t know
 A possible definition
 A brief explanation of how
they tried to figure it out
Use Social Studies Leveled
Readers: Building a Democracy,
Battle of Saratoga, and
Washington Irving to anchor this TP
*Teacher Models strategies for
breaking down multisyllabic words.
Page 10
Teacher create an anchor
chart for prefixes and suffixes
Instructional
Resources & Tools
Standard/Outco
me
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Supports & Scaffolds
*Note: some teaching point numbers will be
Instructional
Resources & Tools
taught out of chronological order.
each word mean?”
“Does this word have a prefix or suffix?
How do they impact the meaning?”
“What is the base word?”
SWBAT use
informational
text to deepen
understanding
of historical
fiction (RI.4.6,
RI.4.7, RI.4.9)
4.13 Readers deepen their
understanding of historical fiction by
cross checking with an informational
text.
We do this by:
- picking a confusing part in our novel
- reading an informational text about
the time period
- returning to the book and rereading,
asking: Now what do I understand that
I didn’t before?
Monitor student fluency in guided
groups paying specific attention
to how they attack unknown
words.
Two column chart (after teacher
models this skill, students work on
their own or with a partner)
I was confused
by…
(Historical
fiction text)
This cleared up
my confusion…
(Informational
Text)
Choose two related texts:
One historical fiction and one
informational text.
For example- continuing to use
Colonial Voices by Kay Winters
in conjunction with the NEW
YORK 4th grade Social Studies
text.
*Note to teachers: this teaching point should be
taught across at least two days so students have
a chance to try it out more than once.
Small Group Teaching Points and Resources
Students who need support with literary text (as determined by Unit 1 assessment):
 Determining the theme of a story: LearnZillion lesson
 Develop ideas about characters: LearnZillion lesson
 Identifying the narrator: LearnZillion lesson
 Find and paraphrase text evidence: LearnZillion lesson
Suggested Pacing Chart
Jan. 27
Jan. 28
Jan 29
Jan. 30
Jan. 31
Lesson Launch
Lesson Launch
Lesson Launch
4.1/4.2
4.1/4.2
Feb. 3
Feb. 4
Feb. 5
Feb. 6
Feb. 7
4.3/4.4
4.3/4.4
4.5/4.6
Feb. 10
Feb. 11
4.5/3.6
Feb. 13
4.3/4.4
Feb. 12
Page 11
Feb. 14
-Complete the
QAR chart use the
“Unwrap” Your
Thinking Questions
-QAR concept
map
-Graphic Organizer
Professional Text
STRATEGIES TO
ENGAGE THE MIND
OF THE LEARNER
by Rachel Billmeyer
4.3.5/4.6
4.7/4.8/4.9
4.7/4.8/4.9
4.7/4.8/4.9
Feb. 24
Feb. 25
Feb 26
Feb. 27
Feb. 28
4.10/4.11/4.12
4.11/4.12/4.13
4.11/4.12/4.13
4.11/4.12/4.13
Mar. 4
Mar.5
Mar.6
Mar. 7
4.10/4.11/4.12
Mar. 3
Review TP’s
Assessment
Assessment
Page 12
Reteach
3.10/3.11/3.12
Reteach