Grade 5 Unit 4

Unit Title

Thinking, Talking, Reading, and Writing aboutComparisons of Story Elements and Text Structures

Nonfiction Focus

Sample lesson

Objective: Students will compare and contrast the overall structure of two or more texts by analyzingstructures used by the author referring to details in the text to support their comparison.

INFORMATIONAL

Learning Target: I can compare and contrast the structures used in narrative and expository informational texts.

Suggested texts: SanFrancisco Shakes, by C.A. Barzelay (science leveled reader) Science textbookMini Lesson: (RI.5.5) Read aloud the first page of San Francisco Shakes. As you read, stop to think aloud about the structure of the “story.” (suggested language) There are characters: Dewitt Baldwin as a main character. There is also a problem evolving, a strong earthquake shook Dewitt’s house as he was eating breakfast with his family. We know the setting is SanFrancisco, California in 1906. Dewitt’s family was in their house. Sounds like a story, right? But this is a TRUE story, which makes it informational. Discuss and chart the characteristics of narrative informational texts (see anchor chart below).

In your Science text, locate the section on earthquakes. Discuss the characteristics of the structure of this expository text. Chart the characteristics. (See sample anchor chart below.)

Ask questions such as, How do you know this is informational text? Would you say this has the characteristics of a narrative or expository text? How do you know? Do you think the author could have given you the same information in anarrative [or expository] structure? Why or why not?What might be some of the section headings if an author wanted to present this information in an expository format? Some students will expect all expository informational texts to have section headings.

Anchor Chart

Thinking Stems: What is the difference between a literary and a narrative informational text? Why might an author decide to structure information as a narrative? Why might an author decide to structure information in an expository format? What are the major differences/similarities between a narrative informational and anexpository informational piece?

Formative Assessment Opportunities:The goal of this seed is to push students to analyze the organization or structure used by an author ofinformational texts. Students should understand that information can be presented using differentstructures and many times, authors will rely on more than one structure within the same text. Mostnarratives are chronological and also contain problem(s) and solution(s) or cause and effect. Thebiggest difference is the structure of expository text is held together by ideas, while the structure of anarrative (both literary and informational) is held together by a plot. As you experience moreinformational texts with your readers, continue to analyze the structures and refer to anchor chartscreated during previous learning experiences. Asking students to respond to the following thinkingstems will help you understand how well your students analyze text structures: Describe the overall structure used by the author. Compare and contrast the overall structures of two different articles. Describe the structures used by the author of this article and explain how they contribute tothe overall structure.

Grade 5 Unit 4

Sample lesson

Objective: Students will compare and contrast the overall structure of two or more texts by analyzingstructures used by the author referring to details in the text to support their comparison.

INFORMATIONAL

Learning Target: I can compare and contrast the structures of a narrative informational text and literary texts.

Suggested texts: San Francisco Shakes by C.A. Barzelay, “Earthquake Terror” by (Houghton Mifflin Grade 5)Mini Lesson: (RI.5.5) Read aloud the first several pages of San Francisco Shakes or another narrative informational text Reading a narrative informational text is much like reading a literary text. It will have characters, a setting, a problem and a solution. Students must consider their background knowledge to better understand the time and place (setting). Now read the first few pages of “Earthquake Terror”. Both have characters, a setting, a problem, events, , and solution.

Analyzing Characters and Setting in Narrative Informational Text:Remind students that authors of literature often begin their stories by introducing the readers to themain character. Once we know or understand the main character, we can begin to understand thedepth of their problems and begin to empathize with the character. The same is true for narrative informational text. Ask students to turn and talk about Dewitt Baldwin (the main character). What do they know about Dewitt from these first few paragraphs of the story? Remind them that we analyze characters based on their words, actions, and thoughts. Locate a paragraph that provides insight into Dewitt’s thoughts. Locate a paragraph that provides insight into what it would have been like to live during this time.

Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart: Explain how narrative informational texts are similar to literary texts. How are they different? What is a benefit of reading a narrative informational text over reading the same informationpresented in an expository format?

Formative Assessment Opportunities:Reading narrative informational texts and depending on the familiarity of story structure, studentsshould be able to better understand the information presented. Thinking stems such as the followingwill help you know if your students are learning from the narrative informational texts they read: Describe the “main character” using information from the text. Using information from the text, explain what you learned about the main character fromreading this article. Using information from the text, explain what you learned about the setting in which thisnarrative occurs. Using information from the text, describe what it would have been like to live during this timeor in this place.

Grade 5 Unit 4

Sample lesson

Objective: Students will compare and contrast the overall structure of two or more texts by analyzingstructures used by the author referring to details in the text to support their comparison.

INFORMATIONAL

Learning Target: I can describe how a text’s structure helps me understand information.

Mini Lesson: (RI.5.5) Thoughtful readers preview the text, activate background knowledge, vary their reading rate, monitor their comprehension, and consider the main ideas as they read fact-laden expository text. Sometimes readers find it helpful to take notes (W.5.8) to deepen theirunderstanding as they read.. Be sure to explicitly model thoughtful reading such as rereading, varying reading rate, stopping to think, and note taking when the text is difficult.

The article entitled, “Sports: For Fun or Money” is mentioned in this seed although anyexpository text can be used. It is important that all students have access to the text.

The goal of this seed is for students to not only recognize the overall structure, but to think about howthe structure is used to provide the reader with information. Read aloud the section entitled “From Heroes to Rich Bums”. . The overall structure of this the text is compare and contrast because the author is comparing professional athletes of years ago to professional athletes of today.Begin reading aloud the section, stopping to think aloud about the structure whilemodeling how to read information-laden texts thoughtfully (see anchor chart below).. Stop to reread and think aloud about how the author is giving us information about athletes and fans of years ago, while helping us understand athletes and fans of today. Continue reading and stopping to think aloud about how the compare/contrast structure used by the author helps the reader better understand athletes and fans then and now.

Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart:

Formative Assessment Opportunities:Thinking stems can be used during guided practice or as an entry/exit slip. Possible thinking stemsinclude: Explain a comparison the author made between scuba diving and snorkeling that helps thereader better understand snorkeling and/or scuba diving.

Grade 5 Unit 4

Sample lesson

Objective: Students will compare and contrast the overall structure of two or more texts by analyzingstructures used by the author referring to details in the text to support their comparison.

INFORMATIONAL

Learning Target: I can compare and contrast the overall structures of two texts.

Mini Lesson/Activity: (RI.5.5) Provide students with two articles on the same or similar topic, but having different text structures. Explain to students that they are going to compare and contrast the overall structures of these two articles. Place students in groups of four and assign two students from each group to analyze and discuss the overall structure of one of the articles, and the other two students to analyze and discuss the overall structure of the other. After discussions with their partners, each group of four will orally compare and contrast the overall structure of both articles, then draft a paragraph comparing and contrasting the overall structures.

Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart:Questions to ask as students work with their partner or small group: Explain the overall structure of this article. How do you know? How is the overall structure of the articles similar? How is the structure different? How do youknow?

Formative Assessment Opportunities:To assess students’ ability to compare and contrast text structures, listen in during their conversationswith a partner and with their small groups and note students who are unable to orally explain thestructure utilized by the author and provide instruction as needed. This lesson seed or learning targetcan be repeated using Standards Based Guided Practice passages or any previously read articles.

Grade 5 Unit 4

Sample lesson

Objective: Students will determine the meaning of words and phrases used in a text in order todeepen their understanding of the text.

INFORMATIONAL & LITERATURE Learning Target: I can determine the meaning of words and phrases within a text.

Mini Lesson/ Activity: (RI.5.4 and RL.5.4) In literature, students need to understand words and phrases that include use of figurative language such as metaphors, similes, personification, idioms, and hyperboles. In order to understand the use of figurative language, students need exposure to a lot of grade level text and time to discuss and process the author’s meaning. This cannot be taught during one instructional session, although a session may be necessary to introduce the work. Opportunities to think deeply about short excerpts of text and/or phrases are key as students learn to determine the meaning of words and phrases used in text.

In informational text, determining the meaning of content specific words and phrases within textrequires students to use text features and context clues to determine the meaning. Again, this cannotbe taught during one instructional session, but may require a session in order to introduce the work.

To introduce thinking deeply about unknown words or phrases, read a short excerpt from any text, think aloud about a word or phrase, and orally think through the meaning of the word or phrase.Within your think aloud, you will want to share specifically what you used from the text to determinethe meaning. Record your thinking on a chart similar to the one shown below. Students shouldcreate a similar chart in their reader’s notebook and record their thinking as they think through wordsand phrases during guided practice and independent reading.

Students will need repeated, ongoing-guided practice. Provide students with a copy of a familiar text.This may be a previous assessment article, previously read article from classroom subscription such as Time for Kids or Weekly Reader, or an excerpt from a current read aloud. Identify a word or phrase that will be difficult for students. Students should reread with the purpose of trying to determine the meaning of the word or phrase. Ask students to turn and talk with a partner or small group about the meaning. Students should record their thinking followed by whole group discussion.

As students read independently, they should learn to identify words and phrases that are unfamiliarto them and use the chart in their reader’s notebook to record their thinking.

Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart:

Formative Assessment Opportunities:

Assessing students’ ability to determine the meaning of unknown words and phrases will require you to listen carefully to students’ conversations as they turn and talk to a partner and read their reader’s notebook. Students who have difficulty using the context to determine the meaning of words and phrases should be provided more guided practice in a small group setting. Small group instruction should include numerous opportunities for students to hear you think aloud as you determine the meaning of unknown words and numerous opportunities to talk to a partner as they analyze text and think through the meaning of unknown words and phrases.

Grade 5 Unit 4

Sample lesson

Objective: Students will use specific information from a text to explain relationships and interactionsbetween concepts and ideas, events, and individuals.

INFORMATIONAL

Learning Target: I can explain how ideas in an informational text are related.

Note to teachers: Within one article, it is likely to have ideas and concepts that relate and/or interactin several ways. The most common interaction between ideas, concepts, and events is cause andeffect.

Mini Lesson/Activity: (RI.5.3) Provide students with an article illustrating cause and effect text structure. Tell students that they are going to think about the relationship between ideas within a text. Direct students’ attention to the anchor chart from seed #3

and allow time for them to preview the article. Remind them once again that the purpose for today’s lesson is to explain the relationship between ideas in an informational text.

Read aloud the first section of the article and think aloud about how the author is presenting information to show a relationship between things or events.A graphic may help the students visualize and conceptualize this relationship. Continue reading andthinking aloud about the relationship as you read. Have students turn and talk about the relationship of events or things.

Continue reading the article, thinking aloud, and gradually releasing responsibility to the students byhaving them turn and talk and complete a graphic organizer. See the example below.

To provide students with guided practice, you will need to provide students with articles. This is a great opportunity to repurpose articles and excerpts from books previously used. Most relationships will be cause and effect relationships.

Thinking Stems/Anchor Charts:Since the relationship between ideas vary, students may devise their own graphic organizer or chooseto use organizers similar to what you used as you modeled.

Thinking stems may include: How are these ideas related?

Formative Assessment Opportunities:As students begin to recognize the relationship between ideas within a text, they should learn toexplain the relationship orally, then in writing. Assessing formatively as students orally discuss therelationships will provide you with information needed to decide when to model a writtenexplanation of the relationship of ideas.

Grade 5 Unit 4

Sample lesson

Objective:

INFORMATIONAL

Learning Target: I can explain how an idea(s) influenced an individual.

Mini Lesson/Activity: (RI.5.3) The actions and ideas of people are greatly influenced by their own beliefs and ideasand/or the beliefs and ideas of others. The book entitled 50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet by Dennis Denenberg and Lorraine Roscoe provides short biographies.

The students can read the biographies and think about how ideas influenced these American heroes.Model the thinking behind this seed using a familiar person such as George Washington (page 106-107). The idea is why the individual acted as they did or made a particular decision. As you model,be sure to make your thinking visible by reading, stopping to think aloud, and recording your thinkingon an anchor chart. Provide small groups or partnerships with another biography and ask them toidentify an idea that influenced the individual.

Formative Assessment Opportunities:Provide students with a few short biographies to choose from and ask them to think about how anidea or thought influenced the actions of the individual and explain in writing. Students who havedifficulties thinking, speaking, and/or writing about the ideas or thoughts of a person and explaininghow their actions were influenced by their thoughts and beliefs will need to experience more thinkingaloud, talking through their thinking with a partner, and writing their thinking. This assessment willprovide you with information to guide your small group instruction.

Grade 5 Unit 4

Sample lesson

Objective: Students will use specific information from a text to explain relationships and interactionsbetween concepts and ideas, events, and individuals.

INFORMATIONAL Learning Target: I can explain the interaction between two scientific concepts using specific information in a text.

Mini Lesson/Activity: (RI.5.3) Students will need their own copy of a scientific article. Bring their attention back to the anchor chart created during seed #3 and allow time for previewing the article. You may want to discuss any background knowledge the students have about the topic. You may want to locate an appropriate YouTube video to build background knowledge. Explain to students that we are going to think about how two scientific concepts are related or how they interact.

Read aloud the first section of the article modeling note-taking, rereading for clarification,questioning, varying reading rate and other strategies used by a reader when approaching fact-ladentext. Think aloud and record your thinking on an anchor chart that studentscan use as a reference. (See the example below)

Continue reading, once again modeling strategies used when reading fact-laden text. As you read, jot the scientific concepts on the anchor chart. (see example below).

Have students turn and talk with their partner about an explanation of the interaction between thetwo scientific concepts. Listen in as students converse and ask two or three students to share theirexplanation. Turn and talk once more before individuals or partners jot their explanations. As students craft their explanations, confer and coach students on drafting a clear explanation usinginformation from the article (without copying). Repeat this process as needed before expectingstudents to practice independently.

Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart: What are the scientific concepts explained by the author? How can you explain the interaction between the concepts?

Formative Assessment Opportunities:

Exit slip: Explain how _________________ interact (s) to create ____________________.

Grade 5 Unit 4

Sample lesson

Objective: Students will use information from multiple sources to solve a problem or answer aquestion.

INFORMATIONAL

Learning Target: I can use information from multiple sources to solve a problem or answer a question.

To accomplish this learning target, you will need several different sources on the same topic. You may want to locate articles (such as Mini Pages Global Warming Article), and online resources such as GlobalClimate Change for Kids, Global Warming for Kids, and any other resource you have. You may want to contact the librarian and ask her to create a “teacher collection” of books on the topic.

Mini Lesson/Activity: (RI.5.7) Explain to students that sometimes we have to use information from more than one resource to answer a question. Display a question related to the topic. Model how you would use at least two resources to answer the question.

Think aloud as you use the resources to answer the question. Think aloud to model how you usesection headings, skimming, and locating information that will help you draft your response, andcombine information from multiple sources to answer the question.Place students in small groups or partnerships. Each student will need a chart with a question that can be answered from one of the resources you have provided them. You may choose to provide students with a choice of two questions. Students need to consider each of their available sources and decide which sources to use to find information to answer a question.

Possible questions(you can give more than one group the same question): Explain what has caused… Explain how _______ is contributing to __________. Explain how ___________ may be causing ___________. Explain how scientists know …

Confer and assess as students work to synthesize information to answer their question. This lesson may be repeated with the same resources by rotating the questions.

Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart: How do you know which resources to use to answer your question? Chart created during Lesson Seed #3 experience.

Formative Assessment Opportunities:Students’ responses to the questions will provide you with an assessment. You may also ask students to highlight the information on the various articles that contributed to their response and summarize the information from a video clip that they used as they answered their questions.

Grade 5 Unit 4

Sample lesson

Objective: Students will determine main idea(s) and key details to summarize the text.

LITERATURE

Learning Target: I can summarize a literary text.

Activity: (RL.5.2) If your students are overwhelmed with creating summaries of narratives, you maywish to introduce an organizer such as the one below. Model summarizing a familiar short story usingthe “Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then…” format and ask partners or small groups to do the same with additional familiar texts. Continue modeling and providing opportunities for guided practice before asking student to summarize independently. (See example anchor chart below).

Formative Assessment Opportunities:Read aloud a short story and ask students to summarize the text. Have students read a short storyand summarize independently. Standards Based Guided Practice passages or previous literarypassages from Reading Diagnostic or Proficiency Assessments may be used to assess and plan forwhole group and/or small group instruction on summarizing.

Grade 5 Unit 4

Sample lesson

Objective: Students will determine main idea(s) and key details to summarize the text.

INFORMATIONAL Learning Target: I can summarize informational text.

Summarizing informational text requires students to think about the main idea(s). If your studentsare having difficulty determining or inferring the main idea, begin by teaching (or re-teaching) this skill. Main Idea learning experiences are attached and can be repeated with any informational text,preferably a text with which the readers are familiar.

Mini Lesson/Activity: (RI.5.2) Provide students with a copy of a short informational text. Make your copy of the text visible as you read and take notes that will help you construct a summary. Read aloud, stopping to determine the main idea of each section and highlighting key words that will be important in constructing a summary. I n order to focus students, you may wish to just identify one main idea and summarize the main part of the article. Create a chart from which you will construct your summary. The chart will contain the key words or “gist words” as they are often called and the main idea they support. See the example below.

Think aloud as you consider any synonyms you might use for any of the gist words and actually write a summary as your students observe. Refer to the main idea and construct sentences using the gistwords. Be sure to refer to the anchor chart that has the elements of an effective summary as youwrite and think aloud. Keep your modeled summary and the poster of main idea and gist wordsavailable to students to refer to as they begin to write their own summaries. Provide students withshort articles to practice summary writing in pairs and provide feedback before asking them to draft asummary on their own.

Formative Assessment Opportunities:Analyze and provide feedback to students as they determine the main idea and gist words thatsupport the main idea. Provide small group instruction for students who have not mastered these skills. Observe students as they write summaries with a partner or individually. Determine next stepsfor whole group instruction by considering what most of your students need in order to produce

effective summaries.

Grade 5 Unit 4

Sample lesson

Objective: Students will analyze a character’s or narrator’s point of view.

Target: I can analyze a text and determine a character’s point of view.

Activity: (RL.5.6) Use any short story from which different points of view can be analyzed. Project the text so all students can see and read aloud the first page to determine from whose point of view the story is told. After reading part of the text, stop to think aloud and discuss the point of view of the main character and how his/her point of view influenced the event.Have students create a t-chart in their reading notebooks. Continue reading, stopping after the next major to think about how the character’s point of view influenced the event. Continue with the same process, gradually releasing the responsibility to the students by providing opportunities for partner work and independent work with feedback. See the example below from Freedom Summer, by Deborah Wiles.

What did you learn about the character from the speaker’s or narrator’s description? How does the character feel about ______? What did the speaker or narrator say that helpedyou understand the character’s point of view? How is the author’s/narrator’s point of view described?

Formative Assessment Opportunities:Review students’ reading notebooks, specifically looking for students’ explanation of how Joe’s (or the speaker’s) point of view influenced the events or his actions.

Main Idea Learning Experience #1(this experience assumes prior learning experiences on determining or inferring the main idea have occurred)Focus Standard:RI.5.2: Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.Learning Target:I can determine or infer main ideas and identify key details that support each main idea.Suggested Materials: Anchor chart on what main idea is and how to determine a main idea created duringprevious lesson(s) George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides by RosalynSchanzer (this book is part of the new 5th grade classroom libraries) OR anotherinformational text without section headings Copies of pages 10 and 11 of George vs. George or alternate text for students to useduring Guided Practice Document Camera Sticky Notes Informational books and/or articles for students to use during work time. Anyinformational article from the 4th or 5th grade CQ, articles from Time for Kids, NationalGeographic, or articles found onlineFormative Assessments Opportunities: Observe students during guided practice, listen in on their conversations and ask themto explain their boxes (main idea) and bullets (details that support the main idea) Analyze students’ main ideas and lists of details that support the main idea(independent boxes and bullets created during guided practice and work time)Background Information:The Common Core Standards emphasizes that informational text on the 5th grade level will often contain more than one main idea within a section of text and the expectation is that a 5th grader is able to recognize if the next part of text adds more information about the main idea or introduces a new main idea with supporting information. (RL.5.1) Within this experience, students are considering the main idea paragraph by paragraph. The following learning experience will introduce the concept of more than one main idea.Mini Lesson ComponentsLink to Prior Experience and State Learning Target:(sample language to use)We have been working on determining the main idea of a paragraph or short passage. We know that the main idea is what the text is about. It’s what the author is trying to teach us. We also know that sometimes the main idea is stated and sometimes it is inferred. Today we are going to determine or infer the main idea and locate key details that support the main idea.

Be sure to point to your posted Learning Target as you state the Learning Target.Teach/Model/Demonstrate:

(sample language to use)“Watch as I read a couple of paragraphs from the book George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides. As I read, I am going to think aloud so you can hear my thinking about the main ideas. Remember, we have learned that sometimes the author tells us the main idea and sometimes they don’t! As I think aloud, you will hear me explain how I determine the main idea if it is stated by the author or infer the main idea if it is not stated by the author.” I will also locate the key details and jot the main idea and details in a “boxes and bullets” format.

Place the book on the document camera so all students can see the text as you read and think aloud. Open the book to page 8 and begin reading, stopping to think out loud about the main idea after reading the first paragraph. The main idea of the first paragraph is stated in the first sentence. As you determine the main idea of the first paragraph, record it on a sticky note and put a box around it, leaving room on the sticky note for details that support the main idea. Be sure to think out loud. Students need to hear your thinking as some of the main ideas are explicitly stated in the first sentence and some are not stated at all. Under the box that contains the main idea for the first paragraph, write the details that support the main idea in a bulleted list.

Read the second paragraph out loud. Read it a couple of times to make the point that thinking deeply about the main idea requires careful examination of the text. The main idea is not explicitly stated and gives you the opportunity to explain how you used the details to infer the main idea. (sample language after reading aloud the second paragraph)

Hmmm…after reading this paragraph, I don’t think the author has stated the main idea. The first sentence, “George III was sometimes called farmer George because of his life-long interest in agriculture” is a not the main idea because the rest of the sentences in the paragraph are not all about his nickname or about his interest in agriculture. The rest of the sentences in the paragraph give us more examples about George Washington and George III and how they are similar. So, I’m thinking that the main idea is the same as the main idea in the first paragraph, but this time, it is not stated.

Write “more similarities between George III and George Washington” on a sticky note and put a box around it, then point to the posted learning target that states … identify key details support each main idea.

(Suggested Language) Now that I have inferred a main idea, I need to think about how the details in this paragraph support the main idea. The second sentence in the paragraph tells me how George Washington was actually a farmer so I can see that he and George III both have an interest in agriculture. Add this detail to the sticky note under the box that contains the main idea. Then, the author tells me that they both loved hunting and both were excellent horseman. That’s another similarity and I’m going to add this detail to my bulleted list under my main idea. The last two sentences tell us how both George III and George Washington believed that a King should rule America. That’s another similarity and another detail to add to my list under the main idea.

Read the main idea aloud and explain how the details in the bulleted list support the main

idea. (suggested language) See how all the details (the bulleted list) support the main idea? All the details are about the similarities between George III and George Washington.Sample main idea and supporting details from the second paragraph in the George vs. George in boxes (main idea) and bullets (supporting details) format:

Guided Practice:(suggested language)Now it’s your turn to determine or infer the main idea and supporting details of the last three paragraphs. You will write the main idea of each paragraph just as I did, draw a box around the main idea and create a bulleted list of the details under the main idea.

You may have students work in pairs or individually. As students work, circulate helpingstudents who have difficulty determining or inferring a main idea and supporting details. Since this is not the first lesson on main idea and details, students who need support may already be identified. If many students are struggling, get the attention of all students and clarify misconceptions. Notice a pair or an individual who is demonstrating mastery of the target. Ask them to share with the whole group. After a majority of students have main ideas and details for the three paragraphs, have the whole group come back together.Restate Learning Target/Share Student Thinking/Directive for Task:(suggested language)Remember we are working on (point to Learning Targets) determining or inferring the main ideas and identifying key details that support each main idea. Today, during work time, you are going to continue practicing determining or inferring the main idea of paragraphs in informational books from our classroom library. (You may choose instead to use articles) Take your time and dig into one paragraph. What is the main idea? Put it in a box and make a bulleted list of the supporting details just as we did today. You may have to read a paragraph several times and ask yourself, “What is this author teaching me in this paragraph?” just as I did today. I will be coming around to help you.

Work Time ComponentsConfer with Readers: As the students begin to work, identify students who may be slow to get started. Assist them by restating the directions if needed, repeating and directing their attention to the Learning Target, or helping them locate text.

Once students are working, identify students who are struggling with determining or inferring the main idea ad identifying supporting details. Offer individualized support as needed.

During this time, identify a student or two who can share their work at the conclusion oftoday’s lesson. Think about someone who can share something that will benefit the rest of the class. Ask them privately to share and remind them of their “smart thinking” that you want the others to hear. This makes your share time more intentional.Focus Group Opportunities:Prior to this lesson, you probably know students who are struggling to determine or infer a main idea that is not stated. Pull them in a small group and guide them through this process.

Use one of the students’ chosen texts or one of the paragraphs from the guided practice. Also notice students who struggled during guided practice and pull them to reteach today’s lesson.Share ComponentsTurn and Talk:Ask students to bring their boxes and bullets and text to the meeting area (or have them return to their seats if you do not have a meeting area). Ask students to share with a partner their work. This should take about 3 minutes per partner, so after 5-6 minutes, gather their attention.Whole Group Share:Complement the class on their work and restate the learning target, then end with oneexceptional example by asking the child you identified to share their thinking with the class. If they don’t make the point you wanted the class to hear, help them! This is additional learning time!Teacher Reflection:Whew! Take a deep breath and ask yourself: How did it go? How do I know? Who is showing evidence of meeting today’s learning target? Who is not? What are my next steps? Do I need to repeat today’s learning experience with a different text? Do I need to pull a focus group? Who needs to be in the focus group? How do I know?

Main Idea Learning Experience #2Standards:RI.5.2: Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.Learning Targets:I can determine more than one main idea for a passage.Suggested Materials: Anchor chart on what main idea is and how to determine a main idea created duringprevious lesson(s) George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides by RosalynSchanzer (this book is part of the new 5th grade classroom libraries) OR anotherinformational text without section headings Photocopies of pages 10 and 11 of George vs. George or alternate text for students touse during Guided Practice Document Camera Informational books and/or articles used during previous learning experience Boxes and bullets from learning experience #1 created during guided practice and worktime Large piece of construction paper for each student or pairFormative Assessments Opportunities: Observe students during guided practice, listen in on their conversations during turnand talk and ask them to explain how they determined or inferred their main idea(s) Analyze students work looking for more than one main idea and ask students to explainhow they determined the main ideas. Ask students to explain how the details supportthe two (or more) main ideas.Mini Lesson ComponentsLink to Prior Experience and State Learning Target:(sample language to use)Yesterday, we read paragraphs from the book George vs. George and we identified or inferred the main idea of each paragraph. Today we are going to think about these main ideas and ask ourselves if this passage as a whole actually contains more than one main idea. Take a look at today’s Learning Target. Today, we are going to determine more than one main idea for a text.Point to the posted Learning Target as you state the Learning Target.Teach/Model/Demonstrate:(sample language to use)Watch as I take all my sticky notes and think through the main ideas. I’m going to ask myself if all the main ideas are related to one central main idea, or does this author include more than one main idea in this section of text? Listen to me think, then I’m going to ask for your help!

The main idea of the first paragraph is George III and King George have a lot in common. The main idea of the second paragraph is the similarities between George III and King George. So far, readers, the main idea is the same. I’m going to turn the page and keep thinking. The third paragraph is mainly about the similarities between the PEOPLE of Great Britain and the PEOPLE of the American Colonies, not King George and George III. This is a different main idea. But wait, it is still about similarities so I see a connection between the main ideas. I need to keep reading and thinking to see if the main idea is similarities in the remaining paragraphs. Oh… in the box for my next paragraph, I have written that the main idea is all the ways the American Colonists helped England win control of North America from France. There are details in this paragraph about how the colonial soldiers joined forces with England to fight in the French and Indian War and how the colonists celebrated with the British when France gave up its territories in North America. This is about coming together, but not about similarities. So I can see the author is writing about a different idea.

Let’s keep reading and thinking about the main idea for the last two paragraphs. In the next paragraph, the main idea is that George III and King George became enemies and had different opinions. That is the complete opposite of the main idea of similarities. And in the last paragraph, the main idea is again how different the beliefs of these two men were. So now, I’m thinking that in this one section of the book, we are reading text developed around more than one main idea. We have main ideas of similarities, main ideas of differences, and main ideas of working together toward a common goal which was winning independence from France.

Many Students need to see a model of how all the main ideas of the paragraphs actuallycontribute to the main idea of the passage. Each box (main idea) essentially becomes a bullet (a detail) for the entire passage. Visual learners will need to see this demonstrated. The photo demonstrates one way to visually represent this thinking. Notice how nicely this supports note taking and outlining skills.

Guided Practice:Have students turn and talk about possible main ideas. This is a great opportunity for students to practice the speaking and listening skills you have taught. The listener should ask clarifying questions such as, “What makes you think that?” or “What about …?” Listen in and coach students as they consider and support their thinking about the author’s main ideas. Ask one or two partnerships to share their thinking, then give more time for partnerships to discuss and write their main ideas on sticky notes.

Write two main ideas on your chart in order to provide a visual.Restate Learning Target/Share Student Thinking/Directive for Task:(suggested language)Today we have thought about and noticed that an author may have more than one main idea within the same text. Today, you are going to revisit your work from yesterday. Think about the main idea of four or five paragraphs and infer more than one main idea.

You may want to individually talk to strugglers and English Language Learners about pairing up with other students for the independent work time. Help them form partnerships.Work Time ComponentsYou may have students work in pairs or individually. As students work, circulate and help students who have difficulty meeting today’s target. Based on formative assessments from previous lessons, meet with small groups of students grouped based on instructional needs. Helping students reach targets not yet met from previous experiences is critical as the skills quickly build on prior learning. If many students are struggling, get the attention of all students and clarify misconceptions.

Notice a pair or an individual who is showing evidence of mastering the target. Ask them to share with the whole group. After a majority of students have main ideas and details for the three paragraphs, have the whole group come back together.

Confer with Readers:As the students begin to work, identify students who may be slow to get started. Assist them by restating the directions if needed, repeating and directing their attention to the Learning Targets, and the chart completed as a whole group.

Once students are working, identify students who are struggling with inferring more than one main idea and/or supporting details. Offer individualized support as needed.

During this time, you also want to identify a student or two who can share their work at the conclusion of today’s lesson. Think about someone who can share something that will benefit the rest of the class. Ask them privately to share and remind them of their “smart thinking” that you want the others to hear. This makes your share time more intentional.Focus Group Opportunities:Prior to this lesson, you probably know students who are struggling to determine a main idea that is not stated. Pull them in a small group and guide them through this process. You can use one of their chosen texts or one of the paragraphs from the guided practice. You may also notice students who struggled during guided practice and pull them to reteach today’s lesson.Share ComponentsTurn and Talk:Ask students to bring work to the whole group meeting area (or have them return to their seats if you do not have a meeting area.) Ask students to share their work with a partner. This should take about 3 minutes per partner, so after 5-6 minutes, gather their attention.Whole Group Share:Complement the class on their work and restate the learning target, then end with one great example by asking the child you identified to share their thinking with the class. If they don’t make the point you wanted the class to hear, help them! This is additional learning time!Teacher Reflection:Whew! Take a deep breath and ask yourself: How did it go? How do I know? Who is showing evidence of meeting today’s learning target? Who is not? What are my next steps? Do I need to repeat today’s learning experience with a different text? Do I need to pull a focus group? Who needs to be in the focus group? How do I know?

Main Idea Learning Experience #3

Standards:RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining with the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.RI.5.2: Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.W.5.9.b: Apply grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., “Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which points”).Learning Targets:I can explain how the main idea is supported by details.Suggested Materials: Anchor chart prepared beforehand with a large T- Chart. On the top of the left side ofthe T-Chart, record one main idea (the box) of one of the paragraphs from George vs.George. Under the box, write all the details (bullets) that support this main idea. Thissample lesson uses the second paragraph on page 10. This chart will be completedduring your mini lesson.

George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides by RosalynSchanzer (this book is part of the new 5th grade classroom libraries) OR anotherinformational text without section headings Photocopies of pages 10 and 11 of George vs. George or alternate text for students to use during Guided Practice (reuse the same copies from the first learning experience) Students’ boxes (main ideas) and bullets (supporting details) and reading material from previous learning experienceFormative Assessments Opportunities: Observe students during guided practice, listen in on their conversations and ask themabout their boxes (main idea) and bullets (details that support the main idea). Observe students during work time, interact with them to better understand theirmisconceptions. Read students main ideas and lists of details that support the main idea created duringguided practice and work time. Ask individual students or groups of students to orally explain their thinking as they areworking to record how the details support the main idea. You will begin to notice students who are successful when orally explaining, but struggle in written explanations.Mini Lesson ComponentsLink to Prior Experience and State Learning Target:(sample language to use)We have been learning to determine or infer the main idea of a paragraph. We have placed the main idea in a box and the details as a bulleted list. (Point to your prepared anchor chart with the main idea and details) Today we are going to think about, talk about, and write about how the details support the main idea. (Point to the chart, moving your finger from each detail (bullet) to the main idea (box).

Draw your students’ attention to your posted Learning Target as you state the Learning Target.Teach/Model/Demonstrate:Reread the second paragraph on page 10, remind the students of how you inferred the main idea (because it was not stated). Make sure the students understand that the boxes and bullets are now on your T-Chart.

(sample language to use)Watch as I think about how the details from the paragraph support the main idea. The main idea was not stated by the author in the paragraph, but I inferred that the main idea was that the American Colonists were supportive of Great Britain. Point to the main idea you wrote in the box. Now we are going to explain how each of these details (point to the bullets) support this main idea (point to the box).

My first detail was that the colonial soldiers joined forces with British soldiers to fight against France in North America. This supports my main idea that colonists were supportive because they were willing to fight alongside the British knowing that if they won, the British would probably have an even stronger presence in North America. Record your thinking on the T-Chart as you explain your thinking to the students. They need to see you struggle with the process of recording your thinking on paper. Ok, let’s look at our second detail that supports our main idea. When I read the American Colonists celebrated after France gave up their territories, I knew the colonists were supportive of Great Britain. Write your thinking on the T-Chart. And look at the last bullet. This detail was small, but very telling. The author called the colonists “loyal citizens of Great Britain.” This supports our main idea of the colonist beingsupportive of Great Britain because if you are loyal, you are supportive.

Point at the T-Chart as you recap the Learning Target and the thinking you have done today. Today, we are working on explaining how the details support the main idea. I have written my explanation of how the details support the main idea right here. This is the thinking I did in order to infer the main idea. Sometimes we as readers and thinkers have to slow down and think about our thinking. You are going to give this a try today.Guided Practice:You may have students work in pairs or small groups. Each partnership or small group can choose a paragraph from page 11 and explain their thinking about how the details support the main idea. As students work, circulate, helping students who have difficulty. If you notice many students struggling, you will need to get the attention of all students and clarify misconceptions. As you circulate, you will notice a pair or an individual who is doing very well. Ask them if they will be willing to share with the whole group.Restate Learning Target/Share Student Thinking/Directive for Task:(suggested language)We have been learning to explain how the details support the main idea. You may have one group or individual share their explanation of how one detail supports the main idea if it would benefit the group or you can bring their attention back to the chart you created during the explicit teaching portion of this lesson.

During work time today, choose one of the boxes and bullets you created from a paragraph in your own informational text. You are going to reread the paragraph carefully, revisit your main idea and details (boxes and bullets) and create a T-Chart just as we did today. Then you will explain how your details support the main idea.

You may want to individually talk to strugglers and English Language Learners about pairing up with other students for the independent work time. Help them form partnerships.Work Time ComponentsConfer with Readers:As readers work, circulate and identify students who need your assistance. Work with students where they are struggling. You may find students who are struggling with the main idea. Maybe a student is realizing their details do not support the main idea.Focus Group Opportunities:Pull strugglers in a small group and guide them through the process. You can use one of their chosen texts or one of the paragraphs from the guided practice. You may also notice students who struggled during guided practice and pull them to reteach today’s lesson.Share ComponentsTurn and Talk:Ask students to bring their T-Charts and text to the meeting area (or have them return to their seats if you do not have a meeting area). Ask students to share their work with a partner. This should take about 3 minutes per partner, so after 5-6 minutes, gather their attention.Whole Group Share:Complement the class on their work and restate the learning target, then end with one great example by asking the child you identified to share their thinking with the class. If they don’t make the point you wanted the class to hear, help them! This is additional learning time!Teacher Reflection:

Whew! Take a deep breath and ask yourself: How did it go? How do I know? Who is showing evidence of meeting today’s learning target? Who is not? What are my next steps? Do I need to repeat today’s learning experience with a different text? Do I need to pull a focus group? Who needs to be in the focus group? How do I know?

Main Idea Learning Experience #4

Standards:RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.RI.5.2: Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.W.5.9.b: Apply grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., “Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which points”).W5.10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.Learning Targets:I can explain in writing how details support the main idea.Suggested Materials: Anchor chart from previous learning experience and a piece of blank chart paper tomodel using T-Chart to draft a written response that explains how key details supportthe main idea.

Reading material and students’ charts created during previous learning experience(s) George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides by RosalynSchanzer Photocopies of pages 10 and 11 of George vs. George or alternate text for students to use during Guided Practice (reuse the same copies from previous learning experiences)

Formative Assessments Opportunities: Read students’ written explanations; are they able to use the chart created during theprevious learning experience to draft a written response?Mini Lesson ComponentsLink to Prior Experience and State Learning Target:(sample language to use)We have been learning to explain how details support the main idea. Today we are going to use the thinking we did yesterday about how details support the main idea to create a written explanation so someone else can understand our thinking. Let’s look at our learning target. Point to posted Learning Target. Today we are going to explain in writing how our details support the main idea.

I’m going to begin my writing with the main idea. Point to the box on the anchor chart that contains the main idea. Write the main idea on the blank chart paper in a complete sentence thinking aloud as you write. After writing the first sentence, think aloud as you write a sentence explaining how the first detail supports the main idea. (sample language) The first detail that support the main idea is the colonial soldiers joined forces with British soldiers to fight against

France in North America. We thought about how this shows us that the colonists are supportive because they were willing to fight alongside the British and help them forceFrance out of America. As you think aloud, craft your response so the students hear your thought process and watch you draft a response. Be sure to model rereading to make sure it makes sense and thinking about what should come next. Show them how you use the T-Chart as you craft your response.

Point at the T-Chart as you recap the Learning Target.You are going to give this a try today.

Guided Practice:You may have students work in pairs or small groups. Each partnership will use their T-Chart to draft a written response. As students work, circulate, helping students who have difficulty. If you notice many students struggling, you will need to get the attention of all students and clarify misconceptions. As you circulate, you will notice a pair or an individual who is doing very well. Ask them if they will be willing to share with the whole group.Restate Learning Target/Share Student Thinking/Directive for Task:(suggested language)Today, you are going to revisit the T-Charts you created during your own reading and use the T-Charts to craft a written response. Your goal is to explain, in writing, how the key details support the main idea.Work Time ComponentsConfer with Readers:As readers work, circulate and identify students who need your assistance. Work with students where they are struggling. You may find students who are struggling with the

main idea. Maybe a student is realizing their details do not support the main idea.Focus Group Opportunities:Pull strugglers in a small group and guide them through the process. You can use one of their chosen texts or one of the paragraphs from the guided practice. You may also notice students who struggled during guided practice and pull them to reteach today’s lesson.Share ComponentsTurn and Talk:Ask students to bring their T-Charts and text to the meeting area (or have them return to their seats if you do not have a meeting area). Ask students to share with a partner their work. This should take about 3 minutes per partner, so after 5-6 minutes, gather their attention.Whole Group Share:Complement the class on their work and restate the learning target, then end with one great example by asking the child you identified to share their thinking with the class. If they don’t make the point you wanted the class to hear, help them! This is additional learning time!Teacher Reflection:Whew! Take a deep breath and ask yourself: How did it go? How do I know? Who is showing evidence of meeting today’s learning target? Who is not? What are my next steps? Do I need to repeat today’s learning experience with a different text? Do I need to pull a focus group? Who needs to be in the focus group? How do I know?

The Importance of Paul Revere's Ride

Paul Revere's famous horseback ride is considered by many Americans to be animportant historical event. The reasons for the status of his ride are both political andcultural. It is worth looking at the making of the event in order to analyze why Americanstreasure the memory of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.

The SettingRevere lived in Boston Massachusetts in 1775. Massachusetts is on the EasternCoast of the land we now know as the United States of America. This setting wascrucial to the events that unfolded on April 18th and 19th.

The ConflictMany people who lived in the thirteen colonies disliked the taxes imposed uponthem by parliament.

The PlayersRevere was both a silversmith and a courier. A silversmith fashions and fixes articles of silver. A courier carries messages and items from place to place. In Revere's time, a courier carried news by horseback. It was his career as a courier that equipped Revere for hisrole in the event that unfolded.

Samuel Adams and John Hancockwere two very important patriot leaders living in Lexington, Massachusetts. As you will read, their capture was important to the British.

Portrait of Paul Revere by J.S. Copley

Minutemen were a select group of men out of the militia (armed forces) normally under25 years of age. About 1/4 of the armed forces were Minutemen, who had to be armedand ready to fight within 30 minutes of being warned. They were chosen for theirstrength, spirit, and reliability.

Robert Newman was the caretaker of the tallest building in Boston, the Old NorthChurch. He was Revere's trusted friend. His role in the following event put him indanger. William Dawes and Samuel Prescott were two patriots who rode with Paul Revere that night.

British soldiers, called regulars and later referred to as redcoats, were already livingamong the colonists on the East Coast. Some British officers were housed in RobertNewman's home.

The EventRevere found out from his friend, Dr. Warren, that the British soldiers were ontheir way to take possession of the food and weapons hidden by colonists in Concord,Massachusetts. More importantly, they hoped to capture Adams and Hancock inLexington, Massachusetts. If the British could accomplish those two missions, then theywould have advantages in keeping control over the colonies. Revere and the othercouriers felt strongly that they could not let the regulars have any further advantages.The British already had strengths—a professional army, uniforms, powerful weapons,

and control. The patriots would have to wrestle control away from them and overcomeall of the other odds.

Revere's trusted friend, Robert Newman, had the job of warning Concord that theBritish were planning to invade by sea. Newman boarded British officers in his home,which made his mission very dangerous. Having excused himself for bed, he secretlycrawled out his upstairs window and hung two lanterns in the church steeple. Otherpatriots knew what the double lanterns signaled.

As the plan unfolded, Revere crossed the Charles River in a rowboat. Otherpatriots, called the Sons of Liberty, met Revere on the other side. They brought him anexcellent horse for his long and difficult ride. The British captured Revere before hereached Concord; Samuel Prescott escaped and went on to Concord. The Britishreleased Revere in or near Lexington, where he went on to warn Samuel Adams andJohn Hancock to flee for their lives.

The OutcomeAdams and Hancock were not captured, and neither were most of the weaponsof the patriots because of the warning by Revere and 40 other couriers. The patriotsand the regulars fought the first battles of the Revolutionary War there in Lexington andConcord. Revere and the other couriers made it possible for the Minutemen and othermilitia to be prepared to fight by delivering the warning on time. The patriots showedthemselves to be strong and eventually overcame all odds to become a separate, unitednation—the United States of America.

Why Revere is More Famous than the Other Heroic CouriersA well-known poet named Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem forchildren about Paul Revere. This beautiful poem by the famous poet has made thememory of Paul Revere endure longer than those of the other couriers who were out onthat dangerous night in 1775. Here are a few parts of that poem:

Paul Revere's Rideby Henry Wadsworth LongfellowListen my children and you shall hearOf the midnight ride of Paul Revere...He said to his friend, "If the British marchBy land or sea from the town tonight,Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch

Of the North Church tower as a signal light,One if by land, and two if by sea;And I on the opposite shore will be,Ready to ride and spread the alarmThrough every Middlesex village and farm,For the country folk to be up and to arm."

You know the rest. In the books you have readHow the British Regulars fired and fled,How the farmers gave them ball for ball,From behind each fence and farmyard wall,

Chasing the redcoats down the lane,Then crossing the fields to emerge againUnder the trees at the turn of the road,And only pausing to fire and load.

So through the night rode Paul Revere;And so through the night went his cry of alarmTo every Middlesex village and farm,A cry of defiance, and not of fear,A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,And a word that shall echo for evermore!For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,Through all our history, to the last,In the hour of darkness and peril and need,The people will waken and listen to hearThe hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,And the midnight message of Paul Revere.

Longfellow's poem is a cultural treasure but contains historical errors, includingthat Revere shouted an alarm. Since he needed to be very quiet for the purpose ofavoiding detection by the British, Revere likely did not do that. However, thanks in partto this poem, Americans have been able to grasp the sacrifice and courage of thecouriers out on the night of the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.To read about this ride in Revere's own words, go to the transcription of his letter toJeremy Belcamp at http://www.masshist.org/database/doc-viewer.php?item_id=99 .Choose "transcription" as your page viewing option.

What myths do each of these two images of Paul Revere's ride promote?