Literacy Planning

Unit 4: 8 weeks –

Concept Question: How have those who’ve gone first influenced those who have gone after?

Weeks 3 and 4 – 9/15 to 9/27

The Chimpanzees I Love – Why is it important to study animals responsibly?

Genre: ExpositoryNonfiction

Vocabulary strategy: Dictionary/Glossary

Comprehension skill: Author’s Purpose

Comprehension strategy: Answer Questions

9/15 – YWBAT build vocabulary by finding words related to the lesson concept.

YWBAT listen and answer questions to determine the author’s purpose.

YWBAT use a dictionary or glossary to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.

  • Warm up: Quick Write – Why is it important to study animals responsibly? Discuss briefly.
  • Read: Elephants’ Silence
  • Comprehension check
  • Build a concept web
  • Teach: determining author’s purpose using Jane Goodall.
  • Activate prior knowledge on chimpanzees and animal research using KWL
  • Students read Zoos Then and Now
  • Discuss the vocabulary words and how to use a dictionary and/or glossary:
  • In pairs or threes fill out graphic organizer columns: word, definition guess, and dictionary or glossary definition.
  • Spelling pre-test (5 minute study first)

9/16 – YWBAT Identify and define pronouns and antecedents.

YWBAT Identify features of a story.

YWBAT use vivid words in a story about an animal.

  • Warm up – Quick Write: What is an author’s purpose? Can an author have more than one purpose? Give an example.
  • Daily Fix It
  • Reading-Grammar connection – pronouns and antecedents, direct and whole class instruction.
  • Reading-Writing connection – write a paragraph about an animal using vivid words.
  • Identify vivid words used in Jane Goodall story
  • Write paragraph about ONE feature of their chosen animal using vivid words.
  • Wonder

9/17 – YWBAT identify the author’s purpose to improve comprehension.

  • Warm up – look at the title and pictures in The Chimpanzees I Love. What do you think this selection is about? What is an expository nonfiction?
  • Read: Chimpanzees I Love
  • Guide comprehension/re-read
  • Assessment: complete questions 1 and 2 on page 448 using The Chimpanzees I Love.

9/18 - YWBAT use a dictionary or glossary to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.

YWBAT use pronouns that agree with their antecedents.

YWBAT spell words with prefixes dis-, de-, out-, and un-.

  • Warm up – What is a pronoun? What is an antecedent? Give examples of both.
  • Daily fix-it
  • Individual or pairpronoun and antecedent practice.
  • Whole class spelling word sort (prefixes)
  • Book Clubs/Wonder

9/19 - YWBAT answer questions to determine the author’s purpose.

YWBAT employ strategies to develop word choice.

  • Warm up – quick write: Do you think chimpanzees have feelings? Why or why not? and: How can you make a difference in the way animals are treated?
  • Look Back and Write: writing from the perspective of JoJo.
  • Frontload Writing Connection – Story about an animal.
  • Show example
  • Modeling
  • Rubric
  • Book clubs/Wonder

9/23-YWBAT use pronouns and antecedents correctly in writing.

YWBAT use vivid words in a story.

YWBAT focus on word choice.

YWBAT Use a rubric

  • Warm up – re-writing sentences to use correct pronouns and antecedents.
  • Daily Fix-it
  • Pre-write and draft story about an animal
  • Edit – can you upgrade your language choice to be more vivid?
  • Book Clubs meet

Story Writing Rubric:

4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Word Choice / Precise nouns, verbs and adjectives / Clear and interesting nouns, verbs and adjectives. / Vague or repetitive words / Dull and/or inaccurate word choices
Story entertaining and engaging with strong word choices / Story generally entertaining and engaging / Story weakened by lack of exact language / Story weak and/or dull with ineffective language
Story Components / Has a clear beginning, middle and end. / Has a somewhat clear beginning, middle and end. / Is missing a beginning, middle or end. / Has no clear flow.

9/24-YWBAT examine features of expository nonfiction.

YWBAT practice the test-taking strategy of drawing conclusions.

YWBAT compare and contrast across texts.

YWBAT Use a rubric

  • Warm up – Quick write: What do you think humans could learn from animals?
  • Read, “Going Ape Over Language” individually
  • Discuss strategy
  • Whole class application
  • Individual application
  • Finish drafting story
  • Wonder

9/25-YWBAT become familiar with pronoun and antecedent assessment on high-stakes tests.

YWBAT spell words with prefixes dis-, de-, out-, and un-.

  • Warm up – High stakes test prep, go over as a class
  • Spelling word matching puzzles in pairs
  • Peer edit animal stories
  • Wonder

9/26-YWBAT answer questions to determine the author’s purpose.

YWBAT Use a rubric

  • Warm up – quick write: why is it important to study animals responsibly? Give examples you learned from this week’s readings.
  • In pairs, read either The Great Apes or The Price of Knowledge and answer question 1 on the back cover regarding the author’s purpose.
  • Type animal stories
  • Illustrate animal stories (if time)

9/27-YWBAT spell words with prefixes dis-, de-, out-, and un-.

  • Warm up – re-read The Chimpanzees I Love
  • Spelling post-test
  • The Chimpanzees I Love story test.
  • Illustrate animal stories (if time)

Chimpanzees I Love spelling and vocabulary lists:

For use from 9/15 to 9/27

Vocabulary: / Spelling:
Captive / Discontent
Existence / Decline
Ordeal / Outward
Primitive / Dispatch
Stimulating / Unwavering
Companionship / Destruction
Sanctuaries / Disintegrate
Outstanding
Uncommon
Outburst
Outrageous
Defensive
Unappetizing
Disillusioned
Disarray
Unconscious
Outskirts
Unfasten
Disenchanted
Decompose
unbusinesslike
Disembark
Deactivate
Disenfranchise
Outlandish
Adolescence