SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Teaching Points Scaffolds and Supports

SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Grade 08 Unit 01 Reading
Special Education and Consultant Teacher Resource Guide
Revised October 2014. Revisions/additions are in Red
Teaching Points
Scaffolds and Supports
1.1 Readers generate ideas about the
theme of a text by asking, “What is this
mostly about? What is the author
saying about this topic?”
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: Generate theme and author.
Family Calendar
(e.g., This is mostly about hope…The
author seems to be saying that we
have to maintain hope and faith in the
hardest circumstances)
Probing questions:
What is this mostly about?
What did the characters learn?
How did the characters grow and change?
Why did the characters act this way?
Create a class list of common themes or give a list of the most
common themes attached. Have students choose from the themes if
they cannot think of their own and support the idea by going back
to the text and highlighting what the author says to prove this.
(Common theme chart)
The theme of this story is____________________ I know this because the
author said__________________________________________.
or
The message the author wants us to get from the text
Page 1
Teaching Points
Scaffolds and Supports
is________________. (Show that the word theme is in the message)
or
T- Chart (Theme/ evidence)
or
I think this__________because this___________
1.2 Readers study a theme through
different elements (characters, setting,
plot). As readers consider a theme,
they think: In what ways does the
development of the
[character/setting/action] support this
theme?
Common Themes
Common Themes in Literature
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: Elements, character, setting and plot.
Chapter Book Graphic Organizer
Concept web: with pictures (setting, plot, theme & character)
Create.
Pair share questions to create a group or class chart.
How is the theme shown in the setting?
How is the theme shown in the plot?
How is the theme shown in the character?
Mini lesson: Read a line from the text that refers to the theme; have
the students use formative assessment cards labeled, setting, plot
and character. Once the line is read the students need to discuss
how the theme is being supported in the text. One partner shares out
verbally.
Model a text scavenger hunt to find examples of setting, plot and
Page 2
Teaching Points
Scaffolds and Supports
character that are described in the text. Students can use post it
notes to label on the text where they found the example.
Students can work in pairs to find examples of theme through setting,
plot and character in leveled text or with high/ low partner grouping.
1.3 Readers look for patterns by asking
themselves, “Why does this keep
coming up?” What might the author
be showing us with these patterns?”
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: Pattern. Show a picture pattern and tell how a pattern
can also be in a text.
Model how to find a pattern and mark the text. If a book is being
used make copies of the pages so the students can write directly on
the text.
1.4 Readers connect specific, relevant
details in a text to the theme. They look
for lines in the text (related to any of
the story elements) that support a
theme.
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: Relevant, detail and support.
See 1.4 text support
1.5 Readers summarize key events by
asking themselves “Which events are
important to the theme?
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: Summarize, key and events.
Summary star
Sum it up
Pyramid
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: Character traits.
1.6 Readers pay attention to what the
Page 3
Teaching Points
Scaffolds and Supports
character does, says, and thinks to
determine character traits.
Character trait PDF
Character trait word bank
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
1.7 Readers track changes in a
character by looking closely at the
character’s actions and reactions.
They ask: “How did the character say
that? How did the character look?
What idea do I have about who the
character is?”
1.8 Readers analyze characters’
motivations by asking themselves.
“Why would a character say, do or
think that?”
Vocabulary: Track, Action vs. Reaction.
T- Chart: Action vs. Reaction
Getting into character map
Character map
Story mountain
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: Analyze and motivation.
Think aloud: I do, we do, and you do with a partner.
Character Connections
Character consideration
Character StudyGO
1.9 Readers know that authors use
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
specific words to create a tone. They
reread to note words that evoke strong Vocabulary: Tone, note, evocative and evoke
reactions.
Author’s Tone Resource
Page 4
Teaching Points
Scaffolds and Supports
Mini lesson 1.9
Choose 1 line from the text. Cut up the mat. (See attached) Have
student read the line with one of the tones listed. The class has to
guess the tone. Activity could be done as pairs or table groups.
Keep a copy of the word board available on the table so students
can check off as they find a tone.
1.9 Poster or desk template
Tone and mood Anchor chart
Video of tone words
What tone word from the video describes what we are reading?
Model quick write with examples of tone and how to find tone in the
text.
Tone and mood mini lesson
1.10 Readers can identify and
differentiate between words with
connotative and denotative meanings
that connect to the tone.
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: Differentiate, connotative and denotative. .
Denotation and Connotation Resource
Casey at the Bat Den vs. Con
1.11 Readers identify when an author
uses figurative language by locating
examples of metaphors, similes,
alliteration and personification.
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: figurative language, metaphors, simile, alliteration,
personification.
Create a grid. Have the students identify examples of metaphor,
Page 5
Teaching Points
Scaffolds and Supports
simile, alliteration and personification by placing x marks. Higher kids
may be recruited to create the grid examples.
Figurative language flow chart
Figurative language graphic organizer
Use the text to find examples.
1.12 Readers can explain what effect
figurative language has by asking.”
Why does the author use this device?”
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: device
Figurative language graphic organizer
1.13 Readers use text structure to
predict how information will be
revealed in a literary text.
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: text structure, predict, revealed and literacy.
Venn Diagram: Students can be provided categories of things that
they are using for comparing and contrasting. For example: Length,
paragraph structure, stanzas.
Text structure PDF
1.14 Readers pay attention to how an
author has structured a text and think
to themselves. “Why would the author
use this structure? What is he or she
trying to show me?”
- Provide a structure and literary device bank
- Color Marking
Flow chart. 1.14
Page 6
Teaching Points
1.15 Readers compare and contrast
information that is revealed in texts by
referencing text structure and literary
devices.
1. Writers provide text evidence to
support claims/ideas by using a
graphic organizer:
2: Writers include detailed evidence
from the text. We do this by rereading
a part and thinking about which
details best support our theme.
Scaffolds and Supports
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: Compare, contrast, reference, text structures and literary
devices.
Provide a word bank with definitions for literary devices and a word
banks with definitions for text structures.
Venn diagram
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: Evidence, support and claims.
Close essay organizer.
Highlight words in the text.
Compare and contrast chart
Readers explore
Model rereading and think aloud.
Ask questions: What is this about? What is the theme? What details
support the theme? How do we know?
Walk through the process verbally and in writing for the class to see.
Page 7
Teaching Points
3: Writers create objective summaries
that connect the theme to the
characters, setting, and plot.
Scaffolds and Supports
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: Objective
Graphic organizer: State theme. How do the characters connect to
the theme? How does the setting connect to the theme? How does
the plot connect to the theme?
Theme
Characters
Plot
Setting
4: Writers use tone to influence their
audiences
Explicit vocabulary instruction when reviewing the objective.
Vocabulary: Review tone, influence and audience.
Watch utube Walt Disney’s Casey at the Bat 1946
Tone and mood Anchor chart
Casey at the Bat Tone
District Recommended Readings
Modifications to text
Poems
Provide a copy of the poem while showing the NikeAd
Harlem
Nike-Ad
Harlem (A Dream Deferred) Langston Hughes
Page 8
District Recommended Readings
Modifications to text
“Casey at the Bat” Ernest Thayer
Provide a copy of the poem or read the picture book
format. The district has copies.
Casey at the Bat
While showing Walt Disney 1946 Casey at the Bat HQ
Provide a copy of the poem and watch Mother to
Son (An Encore presentation)
“Mother to Son” Langston Hughes
The House on Mango Street
Modified Stories from house on Mango Street:
The House on Mango Street (p. 3-6)
My Name (p.10-12)
The First Job (p.53-56)
Smart Cookie (p.90-92)
Linoleum Roses (p.101-103)
* House on Mango Street is already chunked into small
sections. Students can work with partners, teacher
can read or the district has 3 audio versions of the
book.
Jamestown Education Literature – Adapted Readers:
The Medicine Bag
The Treasure of Lemon Brown
Children’s Books:
For teaching character
development: Coming On Home Soon by Jacqueline
Woodson (Read-Aloud/ Think-Aloud Protocol)
Novel
Novel: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
(Lexile 870; Level W)
Page 9