Students read multiple biographical web pages about John Steinbeck (links to NobelPrize.org, NotableBiographies, and steinbeck.org) and complete a Student Activity Page prompting them to answer specific factual and inferential questions about his life. Students analyze connections between Steinbeck's experiences and themes in his work by answering questions about common themes and how those themes reflect his life. Students also read example sentences of literary vocabulary drawn from the novella and write their own sentences, reinforcing comprehension of context in nonfiction-related material.

Students are directed to read informational sources (Britannica entry, websites, an encyclopedia, and at least one book) about La Paz or pearl diving and to take notes on note cards (at least 15). Students must synthesize what they read into a travel brochure or a one-page oral presentation with visual aids, which requires summarizing and organizing information from those nonfiction sources. The activities require students to locate, record, and organize factual information (geography, culture, history of pearl diving) from multiple nonfiction texts.

Students read four short parables (The Parable of the Pearl, The Good Samaritan, Wo and Jah, and What About the Bike?) and are asked to explain the lesson of each to a parent. Students are asked to analyze author/creator purpose (Parent Plan: "Analyze the purpose of the author or creator by understanding the effects of the author's craft on the reader"), compare a parable to The Pearl, and practice oral retelling or illustration to show comprehension of the narratives.

Students are asked to take on the role of Investigator and "dig up some background information" on topics related to the book (geography, weather, culture, history of the book's setting, information about the author), and to record four or five bits of information in a journal. The lesson includes factual "Things to Know" (e.g., how cholera is spread) and a wrap-up prompt asking students to consider why survival rates differ between a village and a city, which requires reasoning with informational ideas. The Investigator prompt also directs students to consult informational material that may appear at the back of the novel or other sources.

Students are instructed to read the back-of-book section titled "The History and Peoples of Mozambique and Zimbabwe" and then complete the "A History of Zimbabwe and Mozambique" activity pages. Students answer specific factual questions (e.g., which country fought against the Frelimo, which tribes competed for power, where Portuguese migrants moved) and color/label flags, requiring them to extract information from nonfiction text. The Parent Plan skills explicitly ask students to "respond to informational materials" and "make connections to related topics/information," indicating comprehension tasks tied to informational reading.

The Parent Plan lists skills asking students to "synthesize and make logical connections between ideas within a text and across two or three texts... and support those findings with textual evidence." The activities ask students to "research baboons" and to create a guidebook or museum plaque, requiring students to find and record factual information about animals (e.g., "write 1-2 sentences about each one" and "print a picture from the Internet"). Students are assigned to learn more about the environment and animals Nhamo encounters, which implies locating and using informational sources.

Students are instructed to read Chapters 34–38 and take on the role of a "Real-life Connector," identifying and recording connections between the book, their own life, and the outside world. The activity asks students to connect events to community, country, and other times and places in history and to record those connections in a journal, which requires comprehension and synthesis of text details.

The lesson directs students to read informational biographies of J.R.R. Tolkien via two provided web links and then respond by writing five interview questions with reasons and three future items with explanations (Option 1), which requires comprehension of nonfiction material. The Parent Plan skills explicitly state that students will monitor comprehension, summarize information, and draw inferences and conclusions from informational materials. Option 2 asks students to select and justify images for a collage representing Tolkien's life (early life, interests, accomplishments, change), requiring students to identify important informational details and determine their significance.

Students are asked to read early reviews/responses to The Hobbit (Activity 1) and to write a two- to three-sentence summary of a literary critic's response in their journal. Students must identify whether the response is positive or negative, explain the critic's major points, and describe any literary elements the reviewer alludes to. The lesson includes a specific nonfiction example (Rayner Unwin's handwritten report) that students can read and analyze.

Students are directed (Activity 3) to read about Korea at several nonfiction websites (Ancient History Encyclopedia, Korean History Timeline, Koryo Dynasty, Britannica, National Geographic Kids) and to record information on an "Elements of Korean Culture" chart. The Parent Plan skills explicitly state students will "Evaluate information from different sources about the same topic," and students are asked to decide whether information fits under "Today" or "Centuries Past." Vocabulary and context activities require students to determine word meanings from context, supporting comprehension of the informational texts.

Students read biographies and interview transcripts about Linda Sue Park (links to the author's biography and video interviews) and take notes on important information she shares. Students answer specific comprehension questions on the "Linda Sue Park" page (10 targeted questions about her life, influences, and purpose). Students synthesize information by writing a short paragraph explaining how the author's experiences and relationships influenced her writing.

Students are directed to visit multiple nonfiction sources (Metropolitan Museum of Art, Asia Society, Wikipedia, and other Korean celadon pages) to read pictures and explanations about ancient Korean pottery. Students are asked to consider how the artwork reflects Korean culture and geography and to make connections between works, self, and related topics. The Parent Plan and skills list explicitly state that students will interpret explicit and implicit messages in various media, and discussion prompts ask students to explain what they learned about celadon and how pottery reflects environment and culture.

Students are directed to read the CNN article "Dakota Access Pipeline: What's at Stake" (Activity 2) and to use a "Point of View" handout to list how various stakeholders would view the pipeline. The Steps to Independent Study require students to find sources, record information to answer research questions, and write an argumentative essay, which requires comprehension of informational texts. The Parent Plan explicitly lists that students will "summarize the author's purpose and stance" and "draw inferences," tying reading to analytic tasks.

Students read and compare two historical newspaper articles, "Sir Sam Steps Down!" and "Hughes Fired from Cabinet," and complete a "Detecting Bias" handout to analyze portrayal and bias techniques. Students read the "How to Detect Bias in the News" and "U.S. Steps Up Leaflets to Sway Afghans" articles and answer journal questions about propaganda methods and purpose. Students watch two advertisements (Mac vs PC and Pepsi Generation) and identify propaganda techniques, intended audience, and effectiveness on a "Propaganda in Advertisements" activity page.

Students are asked to read and gather information from multiple nonfiction sources listed in the gathering grid (NRP Report, President Obama's speech, USA Today article, photograph, etc.) and to use periodicals, reference books, websites, and audio/video for research. Students evaluate websites using a rubric that requires them to read pages for purpose, authority, currency, and objectivity and to rate those criteria. Students locate at least three stakeholder opinions and record three supporting details for each, develop research questions, and extract supporting details to use as evidence in an argumentative essay.

Students read specified pages about Greek gods and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences (multiple Questions sections refer to specific page ranges and ask students to explain myths and causes of natural phenomena). Students create and annotate character cards, complete a family tree, and write short descriptions (Option 1 and Option 2), which require summarizing and explaining what each deity rules over. Students practice vocabulary in context by locating words in the text, matching definitions, and making vocabulary strips with motions to reinforce meaning.

Students read informational background paragraphs about medieval manors and feudalism and examine a historical map in the book. Students record observations on the "A Medieval Manor" activity page (jobs, clothing, homes, inventions & technology, military defense, comparisons) and use evidence from the map to complete the worksheet. Students also write 3–4 sentence commentaries from the perspectives of a knight, a lord, and a peasant and are prompted to analyze point of view and author's purpose in the Parent Plan.

Students read a short informational "Things to Know" paragraph about food in the Middle Ages and a longer informational introduction in the "Medieval Dishes" section that explains food sources, social status, and ingredient availability. Students are directed to follow web links to external medieval recipes and cooking pages, which requires reading nonfiction recipe/informational texts. The activities ask students to consider how those medieval recipes and food practices are similar to and different from modern meals, implying comprehension of the informational material.

Students read informational passages about the economic and cultural role of domesticated animals in the Middle Ages (e.g., the Activity 2 background paragraph describing uses of livestock, Heriot, and household practices). Students read assigned monologues from Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!! and are asked to identify examples of livestock in those texts. Students analyze and explain how animals influenced peasants' economics by drawing three animals and writing examples of their economic roles and consequences if animals or serfs were lost.

Students are instructed to read the biography of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (either from the back of The Little Prince or via the provided biography.com link). They answer specific comprehension questions about the biography, including why the writer used the word "prestigious," what else Saint-Exupéry did besides write, and what happened at the end of his life. The lesson provides a vocabulary focus (definition of "prestigious") and prompts discussion about the biography.

Students read the article "Early Modern English: Reading Shakespeare" and answer comprehension questions about strategies for handling confusing lines and meanings of archaic pronouns. Students compare original and modern excerpts of A Midsummer Night's Dream and use brackets to define or clarify underlined archaic words, practicing interpretation of challenging language. Students read a character list and group characters into categories, organizing information from a nonfiction character-summary source.

Students are asked to read pages ix–xii and answer specific content questions about Newton and Francis Bacon, showing direct practice with reading and extracting information. The unit directs students to focus on Chapters 13–31 of a nonfiction book about Newton, indicating students will read extended sections of a literary nonfiction work. Students practice identifying and defining nonfiction text features (table of contents, index, headings, graphics, sidebars, captions, bold words) by highlighting main ideas and writing definitions on an activity page.

Students are assigned repeated close readings of The Story of Science: Newton at the Center (multiple page ranges) and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences. They summarize technical explanations (e.g., restating the Inverse Square Law, summarizing calculus and a graph of a sprinter's speed) in writing and orally, and they analyze nonfiction text features (headings, graphics, italicized words) using guided worksheets. Scaffolding is provided through parent-guided checks, note-taking prompts, and stepwise tasks (highlighting/note-taking choices, graphic analysis questions, and a 2-minute oral summary).

Students are asked to read pages 164–171 of The Story of Science: Newton at the Center, a piece of literary nonfiction, and to highlight or take notes on important information and unfamiliar words. Students answer directed comprehension questions in complete sentences about Newton, Kepler, Hooke, and spectroscopy, and are prompted to monitor comprehension, summarize, and determine the importance of information. The lesson includes parent-supported scaffolding: prompting students to ask a parent about highlighting/note-taking, to present and explain material orally, and to discuss vocabulary and comprehension during a Q&A.

Students are assigned to read pages 172–183 of The Story of Science: Newton at the Center, a work of literary nonfiction, and to answer specific comprehension questions in complete sentences (who convinced Newton to publish, Newton's government jobs, evaluate accomplishments). The parent plan lists skills students will practice: monitor comprehension, summarize and determine importance, and analyze informational text features (chapter headings, bolded words, index, table of contents). Students are prompted to highlight or take notes, discuss comprehension with a parent, and complete performance tasks (dramatize two perspectives or write headlines) that require summarizing and interpreting the nonfiction text.

Students are instructed to read Chapter 18 of The Story of Science: Newton at the Center and the sidebar "Turning on the Light," and to highlight or take notes on important information and unfamiliar words. Students answer specific comprehension questions in complete sentences about key ideas (e.g., Roemer's calculation of the speed of light, Cassini's beliefs, Huygens' discovery, Young's experiment). The Parent Plan lists skills students practice, including summarizing, determining importance of information, and monitoring comprehension for understanding.

Students are directed to read Chapter 21 of The Story of Science and a NASA webpage, take notes on unfamiliar words and important information, and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences. The Parent Plan lists skills students practice, including monitoring comprehension, following multi-step instructions from text, and delivering an oral summary with inferences and conclusions. Students complete a Student Activity Page that requires them to record materials, procedures, and draw conclusions from demonstrations and to summarize how a wing works.

Students read multiple chapters of The Story of Science: Newton at the Center and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences (Days 1–4). Students take notes/highlight unfamiliar words, complete K-W-L charts, give an oral summary, and write a 1–2 paragraph sidebar, all of which require extracting and summarizing information from literary nonfiction. The parent plan explicitly lists monitoring comprehension, summarizing, and determining importance of information as targeted skills.

Students read a nonfiction book about Newton, highlight and take notes, and summarize key points from each chapter. Students compare their summaries to the "Things to Know" and "Readings and Questions" sections to confirm identification of main ideas and key facts. The unit test asks students to explain nonfiction text features (headings/sub-headings, types of graphics) and answers content questions about Newton, requiring comprehension of the informational material. Students synthesize information across readings when they brainstorm and outline an essay linking Newton's ideas to modern industries.

Students are directed to read the introduction (pages 5–15) of Poetry Rocks! Modern British Poetry and answer specific comprehension questions about historical influences and modernism. The assigned questions ask students to identify societal influences (e.g., Industrial Revolution, growth of cities, science), describe artistic changes between the wars, and compare poetic styles across eras, requiring literal and inferential understanding of the informational text. Parent notes and 'Things to Review' prompt students to review definitions (modernism, meter, iambic pentameter), reinforcing comprehension of the nonfiction background material.

Students read Chapter 1 about Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Chapter 2 about Robert Browning in Poetry Rocks! Modern British Poetry and answer targeted comprehension questions in complete sentences (e.g., rhyme scheme, why Browning's sonnet was unusual, burial locations). Students analyze how the poets' time periods and voices affect meaning through questions and parent discussion prompts (compare Elizabeth Barrett Browning's voice to Robert Browning's monologue in "My Last Duchess"). Students explain biographical and contextual details (e.g., reasons a sonnet by a woman was unusual, where each poet was buried), demonstrating literal comprehension of literary nonfiction content about the poets.

Students are asked to read Chapter 3 about Alfred, Lord Tennyson and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, demonstrating direct engagement with a literary nonfiction chapter. Students are directed to read an online nonfiction biography of Prince Albert and choose a prose statement that expresses the same idea as a line from Tennyson's "Dedication," then record and illustrate both, requiring comprehension and comparison of nonfiction and poetry. The Student Activity Pages require students to pull evidence or lines from the texts and record them, prompting textual support for their answers.

Students are instructed to "Read Chapter 4 about Matthew Arnold" and "Read Chapter 5 about Christina Rossetti" and then answer specific comprehension questions in complete sentences (e.g., identify the natural phenomenon Arnold uses in "Dover Beach," list similes, describe tone, and explain what is personified in a poem). Students also answer a factual question about the poets' historical context (the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood). These tasks require students to read informational chapters about poets and demonstrate understanding through written responses.

Students read multiple informational chapters about poets (Chapter 6 on W.B. Yeats, Chapter 7 on Edith Sitwell, Chapter 8 on Wilfred Owen) and answer specific comprehension questions in complete sentences about authors' roles, historical context, and imagery. Students locate, read, and analyze contemporary news articles (either on Time for Kids or local newspapers) and complete structured activity pages that ask for article titles, topics, locations, three vivid details, effects on the community, and a summary phrase. Students use information from these nonfiction sources to generate phrases and ideas that they then incorporate into original poems and to stage related artwork, demonstrating synthesis of informational content with creative work.

Students read Chapter 9 about Stevie Smith in Poetry Rocks! Modern British Poetry and answer guided comprehension questions in complete sentences. The questions ask students to identify a biographical detail (why she was called Stevie), summarize the nonfiction article that inspired "Not Waving But Drowning," and compare textual features (rhyme and meter) between Smith's poem and Browning's monologue. Students also practice citing differences between prose/article content and a poet's treatment of the same event.

Students read Chapter 10 (W.H. Auden) and Chapter 11 (Dylan Thomas) and answer specific comprehension questions asking for factual and inferential responses (e.g., why Auden married Erika Mann, whether "The Unknown Citizen" is about a real person, who praised Thomas' first book). Students compare themes and explain what poems and poet biographies communicate about their eras during the wrap-up discussion. Students also analyze how the poet's life and historical details influence understanding of the poems through written answers to guided questions.

Students read and review the "Summary and Explication" and "Techniques and Devices" sections for poems (Activity 6) and use those explanatory passages to write a two-paragraph analysis of their own poem. Students also read and fill in a timeline of historical events and poet biographies (Activity 1) and answer test questions in the unit test that require comprehension of literary concepts and nonfiction explanations about poetry. The rubric and parent plan direct students to refer to the nonfiction "Things to Know" and Q&A sections when preparing for the test.