Unit of Study: Synthesis & Summarizing Grade: 4
GoalsWhat do I want students to learn as a result of this unit? / · to develop, grow, and revise theories about characters and stories.
· to synthesize ideas in texts.
· to think about different perspectives.
· to summarize texts.
Prior Knowledge
What prior knowledge do students need to enter this Unit of Study? What routines do I expect students to know? / § Having ideas about texts
§ Familiar with story elements
§ Jotting ideas in notebooks or on sticky notes
Standards Addressed
What concepts will this unit address? / R–4–4
Demonstrate initial understanding of elements of literary texts by…
· R–4–4.1 Identifying or describing character(s), setting, problem/ solution, major events, or plot, as appropriate to text; or identifying any significant changes in character(s) over time (State)
· R–4–4.2 Paraphrasing or summarizing key ideas/plot, with major events sequenced, as appropriate to text (State)
R–4–5
Analyze and interpret elements of literary texts, citing evidence where appropriate by…
· R–4–5.5 Identifying author’s message or theme (State)
R–4–16
Generates a personal response to what is read through a variety of means…
· R–4–16.1 Comparing stories or other texts to related personal experience, prior knowledge, or to other books (Local)
R–4–8
Analyze and interpret informational text, citing evidence as appropriate by…
· R–4–8.1 Connecting information within a text or across texts (State)
· R–4–8.2 Synthesizing information within or across text(s) (e.g., constructing appropriate titles; or formulating assertions or controlling ideas) (State)
· R–4–8.3 Drawing inferences about text, including author’s purpose (e.g., to inform, explain, entertain) or message; or drawing basic conclusions; or forming judgments/opinions about central ideas that are relevant (State)
Bends in the Road
What bends (or series of lessons) will support each of the goals for this unit? / ü Readers develop, grow, and revise theories as they read.
ü Readers think about how information and ideas fit together as they are reading.
ü Readers consider the big ideas or messages in a text.
ü Readers consider the many perspectives in a text.
ü Readers can summarize stories they have read.
Ways to Challenge/Provide Extra Support
Which students do I anticipate needing a challenge? Which students do I anticipate will need extra support? / Challenge Strategies:
§ Readers can analyze the plot lines involving minor characters
§ Readers read other books with a common big idea or theme in mind
§ Readers read a text constantly questioning missing voices and think about why those voices are missing
§ Readers can write book reviews using what they know about strong summaries / Extra Support Strategies:
§ Retelling with story elements
§ Retelling with events sequenced (first, next, then, finally…)
§ Thinking about character/setting changes
§ Thinking about lessons learned
NECAP
What academic vocabulary should I consider? What sample test problems could use (Math)? / Vocabulary:
inference, plot, summarize, theme, message, lesson, point of view, evidence
Bend in Road: Readers develop, grow, and revise theories as they read. / Materials / Notes
Focus Lessons / Day 1 / Readers have theories about characters, events, etc as they start a new book. (refer to quote at beginning of Esperanza). When we develop theories and grow them, we call that synthesis. / · copy of RA text
· chart with sticky notes for ideas about character
· students’ books/sticky notes or RNB
Day 2 & 3 / Readers revise and grow theories as they read and encounter new events, new settings, and new characters. What do I think now? How does this fit with what I thought and read before? / · copy of RA text
· “timelines” for growing/revised sticky notes (could be in Reader’s Notebooks)
· students’ books/sticky notes or RNB
Bend in Road: Readers think about how information and ideas fit together as they are reading.
Focus Lessons / Day
4 & 5 / Readers focus on minor characters and their experiences, too, to get a sense of the whole story. We can think about what’s happening with them and how that fits in with other ideas too. / · copy of RA text
· chart
· names of minor characters
· students’ books/sticky notes or RNB
Day
6 & 7 / Readers can think about how things are fitting together as they read a text to create overarching ideas. What is an overarching idea for me as I read this book? / · copy of RA text
· chart w/”umbrella” and smaller ideas underneath
· students’ books/sticky notes or RNB
Day 12 / Readers think about the ideas they’ve had while reading and ask themselves, “Does this fit with what I thought I knew? How can I live differently because this book has been a part of my life?” / · copy of RA text
· students’ books/sticky notes or RNB
Bend in Road: Readers consider the big ideas or messages in a text.
Focus Lessons / Day
8 & 9 / Readers can think about the overarching ideas in a text that also exist in the world (use the idea of being a female—the identity of what it means to be a woman; looking at Esperanza, her mom, etc.). / · copy of RA text
· chart
· students’ books/sticky notes or RNB
Day 10 & 11 / Readers think and ask questions about a book as whole. What is this story about? / · copy of RA text
· chart
· students’ books/sticky notes or RNB
Bend in Road: Readers consider the many perspectives in a text.
Focus Lessons / Day 13 / What is the author trying to communicate? Readers take what we’ve been thinking about and think about the evidence the author has left us. Does what we think match what the author was thinking? What is the author’s point (if the author has written his or her point in ten words instead of all these words, what would he/she say)? / · copy of RA text
· chart
· students’ books/sticky notes or RNB
Day 14 / Readers think about whose story is being told? Readers think about whose voice is heard/missing? / · copy of RA text
· chart
· students’ books/sticky notes or RNB
Day 15 / Readers think about the missing voices/perspectives, and can imagine what those people would say if they had a chance to tell their story. / · copy of RA text
· chart
· selected scene
· students’ books/sticky notes or RNB
Bend in Road: Readers can summarize stories they have read.
Focus Lessons / Day 16 / Looking at different summaries of the same story. What makes a good summary? Noticing what is included, what’s not included, etc. / · copies of sample summaries
· chart with large copy to label
Day 17 / Readers think about the story elements of a story in order to help them think about a summary of a text.
Students are writing a summary. / · story element graphic organizer (adapted from E. Kissner)
· RA text to model summarizing
· Student RNBs
Day 18 / Readers think about important events in a story as they write a summary. We think about the plot by listing the main events or complications in order. (See Kissner p. 98)
Students are writing a summary. / · story element graphic organizer (adapted from E. Kissner)
· RA text to model summarizing
· Student RNBs
Day 19 / Readers include the overarching idea or author’s message at the end of their summaries of a text.
Students are writing a summary. / · story element graphic organizer (adapted from E. Kissner) from previous day
· RA text to model summarizing
· Student RNBs