SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Grade07 Unit 04 Unit Template

Revised:
10/13/2015
SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Grade07 Unit 04 Unit Template
Reading
Reading Standards: RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.5, RL.7.6, RL.7.7, RL.7.9
RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.5, RI.7.6, RI.7.7, RI.7.9
Writing Standards: W.7.2, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, W.7.7, W.7.8, W.7.9
Speaking and Listening Standards: SL.7.2, SL.7.3, SL.7.4, SL.7.5, SL.7.6
Language Standards: L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3, L.7.4, L.7.5, L.7.6
Unit Description: This unit focuses on literature and non-fiction texts that highlight themes of discrimination and prejudice during the time of slavery.
As students read the main text, Chains, they should be encouraged to deeply analyze the attitudes and behaviors regarding slavery. During the
reading, students should pay attention to things such as: What skills did slaves possess? How did slave owners treat their slaves? How did slaves resist
their masters? By what means did slaves escape? Through making inferences about the nature and characteristics of slavery, students will craft a
research question which they seek to answer. Students should continuously be directed to think about the implications of discrimination and
prejudice and analyze multiple perspectives around the topic of slavery.
In addition to the main text, the resources in the unit can be used to support whole class instruction, as well as independent research. The
culminating project for student research is designing an informational children’s book through which they share the answers to their research
question. This project could be an individual student product or done collaboratively with partners. Time should be set aside for some kind of whole
class sharing of the final project.
Please note that, unlike previous units, reading and writing are integrated together throughout the research unit. Reading, research, and writing will
go hand-in-hand and many of the teaching points can carry through multiple days. The teaching points in this unit are not designed to be taught in
a linear order, as has been in the past. Teachers have to be thoughtful about choosing teaching points that match the specific sections of text
students are encountering or researching. Teachers should use the pacing calendar below to map out teaching points to include days for reading
text, days for research, and days for writing.
Implementation Dates:
May 9, 2016 – June 22, 2016
Page 1
Planning Suggestions:
Main Text Selection: Before students can begin to grapple with a research question, they need to have read a large chunk of the main text
selection. This text should serve as an emotional hook for the reader and spur ideas and questions to which students want answers. Teachers should
encourage students to take notes while reading either through roadmapping in a notebook/ sticky notes/Cornell notes or using any of the organizers
suggested in the unit.
Resource selection: Teachers should preview each of the linked resources and choose carefully which resources they will use whole class to support
instruction, guide questions, or build background. Some of the resources can be shared with students for starting points to dig deeply into research.
Some of the information and images are intended for mature audiences so teachers need to choose carefully what students can maturely handle
and plan thoughtful, appropriate discussions around these resources.
Teachers should seek the assistance of the school librarian, instructional coach, and social studies teachers if support is needed.
Technology: Teachers may want to work with the school librarian to secure technology access for students to either research or publish the final
writing product. As teachers identify technology needs, they should be purposeful in choosing resource information for students. When looking at the
reading material in the unit, they should think, “Would this resource be a good text for all students to read or will I direct some students to this
resource for individual research?”
*If technology will present a road block, teachers are encouraged to consider using research folders for students to use. Teachers could selectively
choose resources, print them, and group them in folders. As students dig deeply into research, they would refer to the documents within the folders
the teacher has gathered. (Example of Research Center)
Spiraled Reading Standards: RL.7.3, RL.7.4, RI.7.3, RI.7.4, RI.7.8, SL.7.1
Embedded Reading and Writing Standards: RL.7.10, RL.7.11, RI.7.10, W.7.10
Assessment Links
The research project will take the place of the assessment for this unit.
Rubrics and Scoring Guide Links
Nonfiction Picture Book Rubric
Page 2
Recommended Texts
Main Text:
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Resources
*Disclaimer: Some of the information and images below are intended for
mature audiences, and may be considered by some to be offensive or
frightening. Please make informed choices as to what your students can
handle and discuss in an appropriate manner. Some of these resources
can be used whole-class or as research materials when students branch
off into their respective questions.
Websites:
Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Slavery in the Colonial Period
Multiple Websites to Explore
Supportive Texts:
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs
Videos:
The Underground Railroad:A Record of Facts, Authentic Narrative, Letters,
BrainPop: Frederick Douglass, Slavery, Underground Railroad
and C. by William Still
Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from
Photos:
Interviews with Former Slaves
Slavery Images
Chapter 7 from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick
Douglass
Songs:
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
“Follow the Drinking Gourd”
Explanation of the Lyrics of Follow the Drinking Gourd
Slavery Songs
Poetry:
“The Anti-Slavery Alphabet” (Anonymous)
“The Slave in the Dismal Swamp” by Longfellow
“The Witnesses” by Longfellow
“The Slave's Dream” by Longfellow
Play:
Robert and Hannah Smalls Discuss Escaping to Freedom
Children’s Books:
Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson
Follow the Drinking Gourd by H. B. Parks
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole
Boston Weatherford
Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by
Ellen Levine
Page 3
Big Ideas
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Essential Questions
Connections to non-fiction and media can be made with
fictional works of literature.
These connections help to create a complete picture about a
topic in the world.
Readers read deeply and broadly about a topic, determining
some big ideas that authors put forth about a topic.
Readers begin to organize these big ideas and support them with
evidence from more than one text.
Researchers use creative mediums to express understandings
about the world around them, especially with complex issues.
●
●
How do we use fiction, non-fiction, and media to develop ideas
about the world?
What important ideas can we learn from the past?
Vocabulary
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Credentials
Impact
Implicate
Lens
Perspective
Primary
Secondary
Source
Synthesize
Valid
●
●
●
Standard/
Outcome
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Build Background
Knowledge
A day or two should be devoted to
building background knowledge
around the topic as a whole. Use
non-fiction and/or media to
introduce the topic using the
Building Background Knowledge
Protocol.
RL.7.1, RI.7.1
RL.7.2, RI.7.2
Anchor Charts
Non-Fiction Roadmap
Fiction Roadmap
Poetry Roadmap
Checks for Understanding
Notice Wonder Chart
It Says, I Say, and So Chart
Supports and Scaffolds
Teachers allow students to
work with a partner or
small group.
Teachers can work with a
small guided group to
frontload information.
Instructional Resources
& Tools
Building Background
Knowledge Protocol
Photo for Mystery Piece
of Building Background
Knowledge Protocol
Origins of Slavery in
Page 4
Standard/
Outcome
Critically Read
RL.7.1, RL.7.2,
RL.7.5, RL.7.6,
RI.7.1, RI.7.2,
RI.7.5, RI.7.6,
SL.7.3
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
4.1 Readers identify, track, and
analyze text evidence by creating
a roadmap. They roadmap for
theme/central idea, patterns,
character motivations, author’s
perspective, and the interaction of
story elements.
*This teaching point will carry
throughout the reading of any text
in the unit. Additional teaching
points can be paired with this one,
as appropriately identified by the
section of text being tackled daily.
4.2 Readers look for patterns by
asking themselves:
Why does this keep coming up?
What might the author be showing
us with these patterns?
4.3 Readers analyze characters’
motivations by asking themselves:
Why would a character say, do, or
Checks for Understanding
Think-Pair-Share or Quick Write:
What have I chosen to include in
my roadmap? What is the gist of
this section?
Getting the Gist Protocol
Supports and Scaffolds
Teachers may provide
some of the information
for students in the charts
to get them started.
America
Students use a Double
Entry Journal with
chapter/page number in
the left column and their
roadmap comments in
the right column.
Chains Trailer
Other potential Quick Write
Questions:
 What interests me about
this idea or topic that
drives me to investigate it
further?
 What questions do I have
about this topic?
3-2-1 Summarizer
Think-Pair-Share or Quick Write:
 How is this information
contributing to my
understanding of the
topic?
 What am I beginning to
wonder about on this
topic?
Conferencing Question:
 What is this mostly
about?
 What is the author
saying about this
topic?
 Which events are
important to the
theme/ central
idea?
Students complete Quick Write/
Quick Draw to portray their
understanding of the main
Page 5
Instructional Resources
& Tools
What Do I Know About
the Content?
KWL Chart
Chains Trailer
Inspiration for Chains
Chains Teacher’s Guide
Introduction to Historical
Fiction-Chains
Common Core Activities
for Chains
The Teaching Channel
Video:
Teaching Theme
Analysis in Layers
Finding THE MEssage:
Grasping Themes in
Literature
Focused Question
Worksheet
LearnZillion Video:
Determine the theme of
the text
Conferencing Questions:
 What are the
characters
LearnZillion Video:
Develop ideas about a
character by analyzing
Standard/
Outcome
Critically Read
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
think that?
RL.7.1, RL.7.2,
RL.7.5, RL.7.6,
RI.7.1, RI.7.2,
RI.7.5, RI.7.6,
SL.7.3
Checks for Understanding
character/ person in the main
text.
*Students should focus on details
that describe the character’s
traits, feelings, motivations, and
changes. In addition to symbols
and pictures, students can
include words or phrases. This
can be done a second time
towards the end of the book to
highlight how the character
changes from beginning to end.
Supports and Scaffolds




motivated by?
What feelings are
they expressing?
How did the
character say
that?
How did the
character look?
What ideas do I
have about who
the character is?
Instructional Resources
& Tools
what he does, says and
thinks
Open Mind Portrait
*This is an alternate to the
Quick Write/Quick Draw.
4.4 Readers study a central idea
through its relationship to
supporting ideas. As they do this,
they ask:
In what ways do these ideas
support the central idea?
Students complete a Central
Idea Organizer to connect
supporting ideas to the central
idea.
Four More Organizer
LearnZillion Video:
Determine the Central
Idea of a Nonfiction
Article
4.5 Readers pay attention to
author’s perspective and point of
view by noticing the emotional
impact of the author’s choice of
words.
Students should dig for words
with emotional connotations
that are related to the author’s
perspective. They record these
words on post-it notes, explaining
the impact these words can
potentially have on the reader’s
perspective on the topic. Once
students have compiled a bank
of words, class participates in a
Board Relay or Pass the Plate
activity to share out words
identified as having an
emotional impact.
Double Entry Journal:
Students record the
author’s words in the left
column and the
emotional connotation in
the right column.
Board Relay
Page 6
Conferencing Questions:
 What emotions are
you feeling now?
 Is the author taking
a neutral stance
on the issue or
making you feel
more for one side
Pass the Plate
Chains Quotes
Standard/
Outcome
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Supports and Scaffolds

Generate
Research
Question
W.7.7
4.6 Research writers read some text
to get enough ideas to generate
thoughts for their research question
by asking:
What do I find most interesting
about this topic?
What do I want to know more
about?
What opposing perspectives can
be analyzed around this topic?
*Now that students have built
background knowledge and done
some preliminary reading in the
fiction text, students will generate a
question to focus their reading and
research. Teachers can begin to
introduce non-fiction and media
texts to help students create the
complete picture of the topic.
Gather and
Respond
to Facts and
Information
RL.7.6, RL.7.7,
RL.7.9,
RI.7.6, RI.7.7,
RI.7.9, SL.7.2
4.7 Researchers gather information
by reading multiple texts (print and
digital) on a topic with their
research questions in mind. Then
they begin to focus their research
questions into one that is relatively
specific and manageable.
Turn and Talk: With a partner,
share the research question that
has been generated. Discuss the
question and possible ideas that
can be explored with the
question and topic. (An
alternative could be an insideoutside circle.)
Quick Write: Respond to the
following questions:
 Can my question be
answered through
investigation and
research?
 What do I expect to find
in my research?
Three Column Chart: Students
will collect research ideas on a
three column chart, around the
research question they have
generated.
Factual Text Evidence/
Connections to the Main Text/
What this is telling me about my
research question?
Page 7
Instructional Resources
& Tools
than another?
Are you able to
see multiple sides
of the topic or is
the author slanting
the perspective to
only one side?
Mini Lesson: Teacher and
class generate a concept
map around the unit
topic.
Students complete a
Notice Wonder notecatcher, as they begin to
form questions around the
topic.
Mini Lesson: identifying
central idea and
supporting ideas; finding
the gist of each chunk of
text; keeping track of
information.
Open Sentence Frames
 “In this book, it
LearnZillion Video:
Determine a Research
Question
Teacher’s Guide to
Writing Research
Questions
Inside Outside Circle
LearnZillion Video:
Grow Research by
Reading Informational
Text Resources
LearnZillion Video:
Generate Research
Questions
Standard/
Outcome
Gather and
Respond
to Facts and
Information
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
*This teaching point may extend
for multiple days as students
research information and read
multiple texts with their research
questions in mind.
Supports and Scaffolds

RL.7.6, RL.7.7,
RL.7.9,
RI.7.6, RI.7.7,
RI.7.9, SL.7.2


4.8 As researchers collect ideas
from multiple sources (both primary
and secondary), they make
decisions about how much and
what kind of information to record
from each source.
4.8a Researchers gain a deeper
understanding of a topic by
exploring both fiction and
nonfiction texts.
4.8b Researchers compare and
contrast multiple medium versions
of the same text by analyzing the
effects of techniques unique to
each medium.
*These teaching points may extend
for multiple days as students
research information and read
multiple texts with their research
questions in mind.
says_____, but this
text makes me
think …”
“This fits/doesn’t
fit…”
“Another
important idea
seems to be …”
“From this book, I
could
add/change…”
Three column chart: Students will
collect research ideas on a three
column chart, around the
research question they have
generated.
Factual Text Evidence/
Connections to the Main Text/
What this is telling me about my
research question?
(Continuation of 5.7)
Reflective Notetaking
Students complete a Venn
Diagram.
What needs to be
emphasized with students
here is how learning about
a topic through fictional
pieces like Chains or
“Follow the Drinking
Gourd” differs from
learning about the same
topic from a strictly
informational text like a
textbook for example. We
want them to make the
connection that fiction
For example, students will
compare and contrast “Follow
the Drinking Gourd” lyrics with
the picture book and/or the
youtube video recording.
Page 8
Instructional Resources
& Tools
Notes on Main Ideas and
Supporting Evidence
Analyzing an Author’s
Evidence
Multiple Websites to
Explore
Standard/
Outcome
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Revise Research
Question
W.7.5, W7.7, W7.9
Instructional Resources
& Tools
can provide an emotional
connection that draws
the reader in while the
informational texts can fill
in factual gaps that may
exist.
Gather and
Respond
to Facts and
Information
RL.7.6, RL.7.7,
RL.7.9,
RI.7.6, RI.7.7,
RI.7.9, SL.7.2
Supports and Scaffolds
4.9 Researchers remain alert to
authors’ biases and think about
how an author may be
manipulating our emotions by
asking:
Is the image or story the author is
sharing stirring up my emotions and
making me feel more sympathetic
to a certain side of the issue?
Quick Write:
What “loaded words” or visuals
are the authors using that may
be causing the reader to feel
strongly one way or the other?
Open Sentence Frames:
 One word that
jumped out to me was
_____; this shows…
 I’m noticing a pattern
in words; they all….
4.10 Research writers look at the
original question and evaluate
whether the evidence collected
supports the question, leads to a
different question, or has sparked
their interest in another direction.
Quick Write or Turn and Talk:
After students have selected
their topics, they will need to
focus or make the question more
specific. Ask these questions:
 Can the topic be limited
to an event or place?
 Can the topic be limited
to a short period of time?
 Can the topic be limited
to one person, one
group, or one example?
 Can the topic be limited
to one aspect of the
general topic?
Refining Research
Questions
4.11 Research writers make a final
decision about their question and
identify the evidence they have
collected by asking:
Do I have enough support or do I
30-Second Expert
Is the research I have collected
sufficient to answer my question
or do I need more?
Notetaking to Answer
Questions
Page 9
Prezi Presentation on
Author’s Bias
Learn Zillion Video:
Simplify Research Notes
Standard/
Outcome
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Supports and Scaffolds
Instructional Resources
& Tools
need to research further?
Organize,
Evaluate, and
Interpret
Information
4.12 Readers evaluate sources by
checking facts, validating an
author’s credentials, noting the
publisher or website sponsor, and
checking the publishing date.
Quick Write:
 How does the source or
author’s credentials
impact the information
presented to the reader?
 How is this information
impacting my emotions
and thinking about the
topic?
Source Comparison
4.13 Research writers organize
chunks of information by using
boxes and bullets.
Graphic Organizer: Students
complete a Box and Bullet
Graphic Organizer on the
information they have collected
thus far.
Noting What I’ve Learned
Gathering Information
for Research Resource
4.14 Researchers give credit to
their sources by using quotation
marks when writing down or
quoting word for word from the
text.
Turn and Talk: With a partner,
review quotations and citations
made in research notes. Check
for accuracy in format and
usage. Teacher can collect and
redistribute these to assure
accuracy.
Mini Lesson on plagiarism
Ideas for mini lessons on
plagiarism
RL.7.7, RL.7.9,
RI.7.7, RI.7.9,
W.7.6, W.7.8,
W.7.9
Page 10
Conferencing Questions:
 What are the
different positions
or perspectives we
can imagine
existing within this
topic?
 What are the
extremes of the
topic? Are there
pros and cons?
 Are there people
or others who are
likely to benefit
from some aspect
of this topic? Or
are there people
likely to suffer or be
upset about this
topic?
How to Evaluate the
Information Sources You
Find
Evaluating Sources
Evaluating Sources 1
How to Integrate
Quotations
Standard/
Outcome
Organize,
Evaluate, and
Interpret
Information
RL.7.7, RL.7.9,
RI.7.7, RI.7.9,
W.7.6, W.7.8,
W.7.9
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
Supports and Scaffolds
4.15 Researchers keep careful
track of their sources by keeping a
running bibliography of the author,
title and page number(s) or the
URL of a digital source on index
cards or in a notebook.
Quick Write: In bulleted form,
have students respond to the
following questions:
 What are all of the
sources that I have used
thus far?
 Which sources have
been most useful and
valuable?
 How did I locate these
sources?
 What did I find within
each source?
 How do I evaluate the
information that I have
found?
Mini Lesson on citation
4.16 Research writers synthesize
information by grouping similar bits
of information together, looking for
patterns or themes or trends and
identifying the key points.
Students continue to interact
with the three column chart/box
and bullet graphic organizer,
refining the information they are
choosing to include in the
research. They may highlight
information that is becoming
more important. They look for
emerging patterns.
Picture Note Making
4.17 Research writers organize
information they have collected in
subsections to best teach the
reader. They state the larger, more
general ideas before getting to the
more specific details.
Students continue to interact
with the three column chart/box
and bullet graphic organizer,
refining the information they are
choosing to include in the
research. They may highlight
information that is becoming
more important. They look for
patterns that may be emerging
from their notes.
My Top Ten List
Page 11
Using Different Sources
Instructional Resources
& Tools
LearnZillion Video:
Cite Research Sources
Used in an Informational
Text
Bibliography Worksheet
Citation Resource
Standard/
Outcome
Organize,
Evaluate, and
Interpret
Information
RL.7.7, RL.7.9,
RI.7.7, RI.7.9,
W.7.6, W.7.8,
W.7.9
Structure of
Product
W.7.2, W.7.4,
W.7.7, W.7.9
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
4.18 Researchers wonder, think
deeper, make connections, and
consider the implications of what
they read by keeping their
research question as a lens with
which they read.
Quick Write: Have students
choose one or more sentence
frames to respond in writing.
 “This text made no
impact on my position on
this subject because…”
 “I’d like to read more
about ____ to fully make
up my mind.”
 “This text changed my
position on this subject
because…”
4.19 Writers make decisions about
how to structure their picture book
by exploring a variety of examples
from other authors.
Think-Pair-Share:
 Where are the words and
illustrations located on
the pages?
 How do the illustrations
support the text?
 Who is the audience?
 What vocabulary does
the author use that helps
the reader visualize the
information?
 What do you notice
about the sentence
structure and length?
 How does the author
transition to the next
page?
 How does the author
capture the readers’
attention in the
beginning?
 How does the author end
the book?

*Students spend some time
reading and analyzing nonfiction
picture books.
Page 12
Supports and Scaffolds
Teacher reads a
nonfiction picture book
aloud to class or small
group and guides
discussion of the text
structure using the checks
for understanding.
Instructional Resources
& Tools
Picture Book:
Moses: When Harriet
Tubman Led Her People
to Freedom by Carole
Boston Weatherford
How to Write a
Children’s Book
Standard/
Outcome
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Checks for Understanding
4.20 Writers consider the format
and audience of a final product
when planning what information to
include.
Quick Write:
 What age group is your
audience?
 What information would
you consider putting into
an informational
children’s book on
slavery?
How to Write a
Children’s Book
4.21 Using their research question
as a lens, writers choose the
information to be included in their
book by sifting through all of their
research and notes.
Researchers indicate by
highlighting or other marking
system which pieces of
information they intend to
include. Teacher can check
student marks.
How to Write a
Children’s Book
Product
DevelopmentWriting
4.22 Writers get their ideas on
paper by creating a draft of text
and illustrations.
First draft of book
W.7.4, W.7.5,
W.7.6, W.7.8,
W.7.9
4.22a. Writers show their expertise
about a topic by purposefully using
vocabulary that is specific to the
topic in their writing.
*These teaching points will extend
for multiple days as students create
their draft.
Revise and Edit
4.23 Writers reread and revise their
work by asking:
 Do the illustrations match
the text on the page?
 Does the text give enough
information to answer my
research question?
 Is the text appropriate for
the age group?
 Have I met all of the
Organize
Information
W.7.4, W.7.5
W.7.4, W.7.5,
W.7.6, L.7.1, L.7.2,
L.7.3, L.7.4, L.7.5,
L.7.6
Supports and Scaffolds
Instructional Resources
& Tools
Audience
Photo Finish
Nonfiction Storyboard
*Teachers can use this to
help students plan their
picture book.
How to Write a
Children’s Book
Quick Write: Students reflect on
their work using the rubric.
Teachers conference with
students on their work.
Alternatives to “Says”
Page 13
Standard/
Outcome
Revise and Edit
W.7.4, W.7.5,
W.7.6, L.7.1, L.7.2,
L.7.3, L.7.4, L.7.5,
L.7.6
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Supports and Scaffolds
Instructional Resources
& Tools
requirements of the task?
4.24 Writers polish their writing by
reviewing their text for errors in
mechanics.
Think-Pair-Share: Have you
proofread your draft?
4.24 a. Writers reread their work to
look for proper use of punctuation
and capitalization.
Partner Activity: Using a
proofreading checklist, review
essays together to find and
correct errors.
4.24 b. Writers reread their work to
verify proper grammar usage.
Publish and
Perform
Checks for Understanding
Mini-lessons on grammar
usage, capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling.
Peer or Self Editing
Checklist
Resource for Proof
Reading
Glencoe: Writing and
Grammar Workshop
Transparencies
Proofreading Symbols
Praise-Question-Suggest
4.25 Writers finalize their work by
completing a final copy of their
book.
Writers polish and recopy final
drafts.
Students share their book
with a partner, teacher, or
a small group using the
rubric to provide
feedback.
4.26 Writers showcase their work by
sharing it with others.
Students provide peers with
feedback using one of the
presentation rubrics:
Oral Presentation Rubric
Provide time for practicing
with a partner, teacher, or
small group before the
whole class.
SL.7.4, SL.7.5,
SL.7.6
Oral Presentation Rubric 1
Page 14
Tips on Reading Your
Work Aloud