SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Revised: 9/3/2015
SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Grade 08 Habits Unit Template
Habits of Literacy
14 Instructional Days
Standards: RL.1, RL.3, RL.4, SL.1, SL.4, SL.6, W.3, W.5
UNIT DESCRIPTION
This Habits of Literacy unit is designed to support students’ development of skills, strategies, and behaviors that promote
student ownership and high levels of engagement with rigorous texts/tasks through evidence-based discourse. Using the
text(s) as a vehicle, teachers will provide explicit instruction and guided practice opportunities for students to support
learning outcomes that include: building the capacity for literacy routines that lead to the achievement of grade-level
reading goals, the use of various techniques to analyze the meaning of text, the utilization of rich evidence-based
conversation, and the ability to evaluate ideas and construct knowledge from the text. Additionally, students should
develop particular habits and behaviors that support their learning including, but not limited to: independent and
partner reading, annotation, management and organization of texts and work, and evidence-based conversation
protocols. Finally, students will craft clear and coherent evidence-based responses to the text(s) based on NYS 2 point
rubric for short responses. Emphasis should be on the methods writers employ to develop and strengthen their writing
addressing the effective use of details, literary devices and appropriate attention to task, purpose, audience and time
management. Students will need equal amounts of time to explore the revision process and to complete on demand
writing in a timed environment.
Implementation Dates: September 8, 2015 –
September 25, 2015
Habits Unit
Power Standard – Reading Standard 1
Unit Description
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

Lesson types and protocols/structures
Use the lens of Standard 3 to practice the lesson types and protocol structures
Outcome assessments are timed—crafting a 2-point response question
Kids need extended time to practice the habits that we are teaching
Habits to Support College & Career Readiness
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
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Partner Reading
Independent Reading
Close Reading
Engaging in Academic Discussion
Writing Evidence-Based Responses to Text
Writing Clearly & Coherently
Recommended ELA Procedural Mini-Lessons: The following structures are not planned into the Habits unit, but teachers should develop brief (5-minute),
mini-lessons to teach necessary classroom procedures when they are first introduced in class.
 Gathering Materials
 Partner Talk
 Stop-N-Jot
 Active Listening
 Reading Logs/Reading Goals
Unit Outcome
By the end of this unit, students will demonstrate knowledge of skills and procedures good readers use to access, analyze, and communicate about ideas in text.
Students will be able to independently apply these skills to complete a close-reading of a text, construct a short written response to a text, and participate in an
academic discussion around a text.
Unit/Year-Long Tools & Assessments



Reading Closely for Details Checklist
Text-Centered-Discussion Checklist
EL Protocols and Resources
Day
Lesson Overview
Habit Focus:
Partner Reading
1
RL.3,
RL.1
Lesson Type:
Reading Mini-lesson



Day
CCLS
th
Sample 6 Lesson
th
Sample 7 Lesson
th
Sample 8 Lesson
Lesson Overview
Habit Focus:
Annotating Text
RL.3,
RL.1
Lesson Type:
Targeted Exploration
3
Lesson Overview
Habit Focus:
Partner Reading &
Annotating Text
RL.4,
RL.3,
RL.1
4
Lesson Overview
Habit Focus:
Partner Reading &
Close Reading
Lesson Type:
Close Reading
 Partner Reading Protocol
CCLS
 6 How Characters Change/Respond to
Others
th
 7 How Characters Influence Each
Other/How the Plot Shapes Characters
 8th How Dialogue Develops Character/Plot
th
ELA Protocol/ Structure
 Annotating Text Protocol (EL p. 54)
o
Readers determine connotative or figurative
meanings of words/phrases using context clues
and textual evidence.
Short Story
Excerpt
 Fiction: Annotating Text Anchor Chart
ELA Protocol/ Structure
Text/Excerpt
Short Story
Excerpt
Classroom Supports / Resources
How do the author’s use of words and
phrases affect/reveal…
th
 6 How Characters Change/Respond to Others
th
 7 How Characters Influence Each Other/How
the Plot Shapes Characters
 8th How Dialogue Develops Character/Plot
Readers analyze how specific words/phrases
create meaning in a text (using character lens).
I analyze the details I find through my
questioning.
Text/Excerpt
Classroom Supports / Resources
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)

Short Story
Anchor Chart (EL p. 53)
Analyzing Character Grade-Level Focus:
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)
 I begin my reading with questions to help me
understand the text.
 I annotate the text, marking details that relate to
my guiding questions.
 I pose new questions while reading that help me
deepen my understanding.
Text/Excerpt
Classroom Supports / Resources
 I take note of key information about the text.
o Readers always read with a pencil in order to jot
down ideas and note important sections of text
related to an assigned purpose or “lens.”
o
RL.3,
RL.4,
RL.1
ELA Protocol/ Structure
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)
CCLS
Lesson Type:
Targeted Exploration
Day
 I am aware of my purposes for reading.
th
o 6 Readers explain how characters change in
response to plot.
th
o 7 Readers will analyze how characters influence
each other.
th
o 8 Readers explain how a character’s dialogue,
thoughts or actions reveal aspects of his/her
character.
CCLS
2
Day
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)
ELA Protocol/ Structure

Helping Students Read Closely (EL p. 57)
Classroom Supports / Resources

Poetry: Annotating Text Anchor Chart
Text/Excerpt
Poem
Day
Lesson Overview
CCLS
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)


5
Habit Focus:
Writing EvidenceBased Responses to
Text


Lesson Type:
Mini-Lesson
I develop new ideas based on my analysis that
cause me to re-read more deeply and confirm
my ideas.
I explain my ideas clearly in a manner
appropriate for my task and audience.
I cite details and evidence to support my
explanations.
Writing Focus (will support Academic
Discussion/Talking About Text):
o
o
o
o
Day
6
Lesson Overview
CCLS
SL.1,
SL.4,
Habit Focus:
SL.6,
Engaging in Academic RL.1
Discussion
Lesson Type:
Mini-Lesson
Day
7
Lesson Overview
Habit Focus:
Partner Reading &
Independent Reading
Lesson Type:
Mini-Lesson
ELA Protocol/ Structure

Writing Evidence-Based Responses
(Odell)
Short Story or
Poem
Classroom Supports / Resources
 NYS 2 point Short Response Rubric
th
6 - How do characters develop and change?
th
7 - How do characters influence one another and/or
interact with the plot?
th
8 - What can we learn about a character from their
words/dialogue with other characters?
Specific moves (word choice) the author employed to
develop characters and create meaning in the text.
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)
ELA Protocol/ Structure
 6 Grade – Discussion Appointments
(EL p. 11)
th
 7 Grade – Give One/Get One (EL p. 15)
 8th Grade – Concentric Circles (EL p. 10)
th

Text/Excerpt
I am a prepared and active participant in
academic discussions.
o Students use their writing/responses to the poem or
short story to participate in a discussion.
Text/Excerpt
Short Story &
Poem
Classroom Supports / Resources
 Accountable Talk Anchor Chart
 Discussion Stems
CCLS
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)
RI.3,
RI.1
 I am aware of my purposes for reading.
th
o 6 Readers identify the specific ways an
individual is presented in the text and how the
development of key details shape’s the
understanding of the individual
th
o 7 Readers evaluate the extent to which the
relationship between/among individuals affect
each other.
th
o 8 Readers determine the relationship between
the events and the individual.
ELA Protocol/ Structure

Say Something Protocol (EL p. 28)
Classroom Supports / Resources
Text/Excerpt
Biography or
Historical
Perspective
Excerpt
Day
Lesson Overview
CCLS
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)
 I take note of key information about the text.
Habit Focus:
Annotating Text
o
8
Lesson Type:
Targeted Exploration
Day
9
Lesson Overview
Habit Focus:
Independent Reading
& Close Reading
CCLS
RI.3
RI.4
RI.1
Lesson Type:
Close Reading
Day
Lesson Overview
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)
 I begin my reading with questions to help me
understand the text.
 I annotate the text marking details that relate to
my guiding questions.
 I pose new questions while reading that help me
deepen my understanding.
o
CCLS
RI.3
RI.4
RI.1
10
Lesson Type:
Close Reading


I develop new ideas based on my analysis that
cause me to re-read more deeply and confirm
my ideas.
I explain my ideas clearly in a manner
appropriate for my task and audience.
I cite details and evidence to support my
explanations.
Writing Focus (will support Academic
Discussion/Talking About Text):
o
o
o
o
 Annotating Text Protocol (EL p. 54)
Classroom Supports / Resources
 Nonfiction: Annotating Text Anchor
Chart
ELA Protocol/ Structure
 Helping Students Read Closely (EL p. 57)
Classroom Supports / Resources
Text/Excerpt
Biography or
Historical
Perspective
Excerpt
Text/Excerpt
Biography or
Historical
Perspective
Excerpt
Readers analyze how specific words/phrases
create meaning in a text (focusing on the
important individual)
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)


Habit Focus:
Close Reading &
Writing EvidenceBased Responses to
Text
Readers always read with a pencil in order to jot
down ideas and note important sections of text
related to an assigned “lens” (Important
Individual).
ELA Protocol/ Structure
th
6 – How is an individual presented in the text?
Which key details helped shape your understanding of
the individual?
th
7 – What relationships could you identify between
individuals in the text? How did the relationships
affect the individuals?
th
8 - What relationships could you identify between
individuals and events in the text? How did the events
influence the individuals and/or vice versa?
What specific moves (word choice) did the author
employ to develop individuals/events and create
meaning in the text?
ELA Protocol/ Structure
o Writing Evidence-Based Responses
(Odell)
Classroom Supports / Resources
o Accountable Talk Moves and Functions
in ELA from IfL
Text/Excerpt
Biography or
Historical
Perspective
Excerpt
Day
11
Lesson Overview
Habit Focus:
Close Reading &
Engaging in Academic
Discussion
CCLS
SL.1,
SL.4,
SL.6,
R1.1
Lesson Type:
Mini-lesson
Day
12
Lesson Overview
Habit Focus:
Writing Clearly &
Coherently
13
Lesson Overview
Habit Focus:
Writing Clearly &
Coherently

I am a prepared and active participant in
academic discussions.
o
Students use their writing/responses to the biography
or historical perspective to participate in a discussion.
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)
RL.3,
RL.4,
W.3
 I can identify techniques, details and events an
author uses in a story to help develop a reader’s
understanding of a character.
 I can write a draft narrative that uses details,
events, or specific techniques to develop a
character.
CCLS
W.3,
W.5,
ELA Protocol/ Structure
th
o 6 Grade – Discussion Appointments (EL p.
CCLS
Lesson Type:
Mini-lesson
Day
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)
11)
th
o 7 Grade – Give One/Get One (EL p. 15)
th
o 8 Grade – Concentric Circles (EL p. 10)
Classroom Supports / Resources
ELA Protocol/ Structure
 Write-Pair-Share Protocol (EL p. 35)
Classroom Supports / Resources
Biography or
Historical
Perspective
Excerpt
Text/Excerpt
Mentor Text –
Excerpt from
Habits Unit short
story selection
 Narrative Rubric
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)
 I can revise and strengthen my writing by using
precise words, phrases and sensory language to
convey experiences and events.
Text/Excerpt
ELA Protocol/ Structure
 Praise-Question/Suggest Protocol
(EL p. 25)
Classroom Supports / Resources
Text/Excerpt
Mentor Text –
Excerpt from
Habits Unit short
story selection
Lesson Type:
Mini-lesson
Day
14
Lesson Overview
Habit Focus:
Writing Clearly &
Coherently
Lesson Type:
Mini-lesson
CCLS
W.3,
W.5,
SL.4
Teaching Point (Lesson Objectives)
ELA Protocol/ Structure
 6 Grade – Discussion Appointments
(EL p. 11)
th
 7 Grade – Give One/Get One (EL p. 15)
 8th Grade – Concentric Circles (EL p. 10)
th
 I can incorporate dialogue to develop a character,
experience, and/or event in my narrative.
 I can present my work to a group, using
appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and
clear pronunciation.
 Triads Protocol
Classroom Supports / Resources
 Writing Dialogue Anchor Chart
Text/Excerpt
Mentor Text –
Excerpt from
Habits Unit short
story selection
6th
Short Story:
“Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros
(pp. 299-303, 790 Lexile)
Biography:
“Primary Lessons” by Judith Ortiz Cofer
(pp. 607-618, 1080 Lexile)
Poem:
“Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” by Maya Angelou
(p. 340)
Recommended Text Sets
7th
Short Story:
“Amigo Brothers” by Piri Thomas
(pp. 20-33, 890 Lexile)
Biography:
From Zlata’s Diary by Zlata Filipovic
(pp. 676-681, 680 Lexile)
Poems:
“The Rider” by Naomi Shihab Nye (p. 150)
“I’ll Walk the Tightrope” by Margaret Danner
(p. 152)
8th
Short Story:
“Raymond’s Run” by Toni Cade Bambara
(pp. 15-26, 1270 Lexile)
Biography:
“Miracle Man” by Sam Blair (pp. 3-5)
Historical Perspective:
From Sojourner Truth: Ain’t I A Woman By Patricia
and Fredrick McKissack (pp. 35-38, 880 Lexile)
Poem:
the lesson of the moth by Don Marquis (pp. 325-326)