Sixth Grade - ELA
• Literacy
1: Environment and Cycles
Unit 1: Weather and Climate
Lesson 1
Weather and Climate
Students watch local forecasts and note whether the meteorologist mentioned information about specific events (e.g., dangerous heat, skiing conditions), guiding them to observe how forecasters choose which facts to include. Students brainstorm five purposes or specific audiences that would want specialized forecasts, identifying audience-driven reasons for including particular facts (e.g., wind for sailors, rain for farmers). Students rewrite a forecast for a chosen audience, practicing how content is tailored to purpose and audience needs.
Unit 1: The Wanderer
Lesson 2
Preparations
The Parent Plan lists the skill to "Evaluate the author's use of various techniques, such as point of view, to influence readers' perspectives." The Introducing the Lesson text tells students the book is written from two different characters' journal points of view and prompts discussion of those viewpoints. Activity 1 and the Character Timeline ask students to compare how both characters view events and to record words/phrases describing character development across chapters.
Lesson 3
Juggling
Students are asked to compare two short passages and decide which writing is better and why, supporting identification of different voices and styles. Question #1 asks students to explain why the author chose to have two narrators, and activities direct students to identify whether a page is told by Cody or Sophie and to record words and phrases for each character on a Character Timeline. The Skills section explicitly lists "point of view, characterization, and style" as elements students will interpret.
Lesson 6
Marine Life
Students are asked to interpret symbolism when the text states that whales and dolphins "symbolize the peaceful environment" and that each crewmember assigns different meanings to the sightings (Activity 2). The Introducing the Lesson section directs students to notice that animals "symbolize different things to the different crewmembers," which prompts students to consider perspective. Discussion prompts ask students to explain how animal sightings affect crewmembers' emotions, and comprehension questions ask why Brian's comments are insensitive, engaging students in interpreting character perspective and reactions.
Lesson 7
The Storm
The Parent Plan lists skills that ask students to "analyze word choice," "determine the impact of word choice," and "determine the effect of literary devices on the reader." The "Identifying Voice" activity has students cut out quotes and match them to Brian, Cody, or Sophie and write how each character might speak or act in a given scenario. The Similes and Personification activities require students to label examples of figurative language from the text, explain what is being personified or compared, and create their own similes and personification about the ocean.
Final Project
Character Lapbook and Test
Students select a Character Quote and write why the quote is meaningful, which requires explaining the quote's relevance to character and events. The test asks students to "write a sentence that reflects the voice of the three main characters" and to "describe a theme of the book, using examples from the story," tasks that engage with voice and purpose-related interpretation. Multiple mini books (Character's Changes, Important Events) require students to identify key events and how characters change, providing material for interpreting reasons behind story elements.
Unit 2: Geography and Landforms
Lesson 1
Maps of All Kinds
Students are asked to consider how a map created by someone else might differ (e.g., a truck driver highlighting delivery houses or a dog showing locations of other dogs), which prompts them to think about a creator's interests and choices. Activities ask students to explain why they chose certain features or symbols for their neighborhood map and to share their map with a parent to see if the symbols communicate the creator's intent. In Activity 3 students must choose which of five maps best meets different users' needs, requiring them to match a creator's purpose to the map's content.
Lesson 8
World Map - Part I
Students read specified pages of Prisoners of Geography and answer questions that ask them to explain the author's claims (for example, interpreting what the author means that Europe is "blessed by geography" and explaining why the author says Europe has a "violent history"). Students also answer questions that require them to restate the author's explanations for why Moscow was hard to defend and why natural resources bring wealth to Russia. These tasks require students to attend to the author's stated claims and reasoning in the text.
Unit 2: The People of Sparks
Lesson 4
The Disaster
Students answer interpretive questions such as "What does the doctor mean when she says, 'Someone pushes, someone pushes back...'" that require them to infer meaning about revenge and its consequences. Students are asked to create a monument or write a ballad that explicitly reminds citizens of Sparks of the importance of peace, which requires them to recognize and express the text's lesson or purpose. The Parent Plan skills also state students should "develop an interpretation exhibiting careful reading, understanding, and insight," which frames interpretive work.
Lesson 5
Roamers
The Debate activity asks students to compose arguments and then "identify which statements in your arguments are facts and which are opinions" and to "discuss statements that appeal to the emotions of the audience." The Student Activity Page directs students to support arguments with evidence and to "appeal to the emotions of the listeners." The parent prompts also ask students to read arguments aloud and to discuss which statements are facts versus opinions.
Lesson 7
Tomatoes
The lesson's Skills section asks students to "analyze media as sources for information, entertainment, persuasion, interpretation of events, and transmission of culture" and to "consider the difference in techniques used in media," which requires thinking about purpose and persuasive strategies. Activity 1 asks students to choose a media outlet and write a paragraph explaining which they would select and why it would benefit the people of Sparks and Ember, which prompts students to articulate media purpose and intended effects. The parent/discussion prompts have students explain why characters view one another as "primitive," which asks them to consider perspective and implied judgment in the text.
Lesson 8
Unfairness
Students are asked to use a thesaurus to find synonyms for vocabulary words by examining the sentence and surrounding context and to record "clues in context," which focuses attention on word choice and connotation. The directions and example explicitly have students compare denotation and connotation (e.g., "down," "depressed," "despairing") and choose synonyms that fit the author's language in context. Discussion and comprehension questions (e.g., who is a more effective leader, what Tick's motives are) require students to interpret character motives and perspectives in the text.
Unit 3: Short Stories
Lesson 1
The Good Deed
Several discussion prompts ask students to consider how people's perceptions change and how Heather's impressions of Risa change, prompting students to interpret characters' perspectives. Questions ask students to describe Heather and Risa and to explain the lesson learned, requiring students to infer motives and implied viewpoints. The 'eye bouquet' activity has students analyze and produce vivid descriptive language, which involves noticing the author's use of sensory detail.
Lesson 2
Short Story Genre
Students are asked to record phrases and sentences that the author uses to describe settings (Activity 4), which requires them to notice descriptive language and how the environment is presented. Activity 2 asks students to find examples of rational versus non-rational events, prompting them to identify which narrative details the author includes as ordinary or extraordinary. Discussion questions prompt students to explain why the natural environment is important to each story, asking them to interpret how description and detail shape understanding of character and conflict.
Lesson 3
The Dog of Pompeii
The Parent Plan lists the skill "Interpret text by explaining point of view," and the Descriptive Language activity asks students to "locate words and phrases the author uses to describe Pompeii from Tito's (a blind boy) point of view" and to compare observations before and after the eruption. Activity 1 has students record actions and inferred character traits, and Activity 2 asks students to analyze the ironic ending and their emotional response, which engages with perspective and authorial choices about plot. The introduction and parent prompts have students discuss that the story is historical fiction and that the history of Pompeii inspired the narrative, prompting consideration of author purpose in choosing the setting.
Lesson 4
Rip Van Winkle
Students are asked to record words and phrases the author uses to describe the Catskill Mountains (Activity 1), which requires noticing the author's descriptive language. Students compare the short story and a poetic retelling (Activity 4), which asks them to consider how the versions are similar and different. Characterization and discussion questions (e.g., how Rip's actions support characterization; whether Rip regrets being asleep; feelings about Rip and his wife) require students to infer attitudes and draw conclusions from the text.
Lesson 5
Zlateh the Goat
Students are taught definitions of narrator types in the "Things to Know" section (first person, third person, omniscient, detached observer) and are asked to consider "How does the point of view of a story affect the reader?" Activity 2 asks students to identify the narrator's point of view in sentences and in short stories and offers an option that requires students to create sentences from different points of view. The answer key explicitly identifies "Zlateh the Goat" as third person omniscient, showing that students practice labeling an author's narrative perspective.
Lesson 6
Women in Short Stories
Students are asked to write a 6-8 sentence critique that includes a discussion of what they think the author was trying to communicate, requiring them to state the author's purpose. Students answer guided questions about symbolism and significance (for example, identifying that the sea birds flying out to sea symbolized that characters were put to rest). Students compare and contrast characters and discuss why readers feel sympathy for female characters, prompting consideration of how authorial choices develop reader response.
Lesson 7
Your Choice
Students are instructed to identify the narrator's point of view on the Plot Diagram and the Parent Plan explicitly lists explaining different forms of third-person points of view. Students are prompted to list "words and phrases the author uses to describe the setting" on the Elements of a Short Story page, and the skills section asks students to reference the text to determine the author's choice of words. The activity types (Text/Think and Search/Reader and Author) require students to generate questions that combine text information with their own knowledge, which can prompt consideration of author choices.
2: Force and Power
Unit 1: Slavery and the Civil War
Lesson 2
Slavery
Students read both primary (WPA slave narratives) and secondary (A History of US) sources and are asked to consider how reading a primary source differs from a secondary source. Activity 2 includes guidance that interviewers recorded dialect and that some accounts may be influenced by stereotypes or prejudices, and provides a list of nonstandard spellings for students to work through. The Parent Plan lists skills that include identifying different points of view and elements of frame of reference that influenced participants.
Lesson 3
Disunion and the Start of the Civil War
The lesson's skills list explicitly includes "Identify different points of view about an issue or topic." Activity 2 asks students to plan arguments for both sides of the debate on the expansion of slavery and to think about how each side might respond, requiring students to represent opposing perspectives. Question #1 asks students to interpret Lincoln's "A house divided..." remark, prompting students to analyze a speaker's viewpoint about the nation's future.
Lesson 8
Gettysburg and Beyond
Students read the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the Gettysburg Address and are instructed to highlight important ideas or powerful phrases in each document. Students then place those highlighted ideas into a three-way Venn diagram to note similarities and differences among the documents. The parent notes and wrap-up prompt ask students to notice tone differences and to discuss why Lincoln's words had such impact, guiding attention to language and purpose.
Final Project
Remembering the Civil War
Students are asked to identify different points of view in the Skills list and to present the Civil War from several perspectives when planning their museum exhibit or documentary. Students must research and write exhibit cards and a living-wax museum speech that require them to choose which facts and interpretations to include and to explain the significance of items. Students plan narration and select images or reenactments for the documentary option, which asks them to present 2–3 topics and to convey themes or ideas to an audience.
Unit 1: Bull Run
Lesson 1
Background on the Civil War
The Parent Plan lists skills students should practice including determining the importance of an author's word choice and focus, summarizing the author's purpose and stance, distinguishing fact and opinion, and exploring bias or emotional factors. In Activity 4 (Primary Sources) students read two firsthand journals and are prompted (in the Parent Plan) to discuss the perspective of both authors, explain the two perspectives, and identify facts and opinions in both letters. The closing Questions to Discuss explicitly ask how the points of view of the diary and journal accounts differed and how primary and secondary sources were useful in understanding the battle.
Lesson 2
Pink and Say
Students are asked to recognize that Pink and Say is told from Say's first-person point of view and to consider how the story would differ if told from Pink or an omniscient narrator, then rewrite a short passage from that new point of view. Students read Civil War letters and identify the writer, recipient, side of the war, and opinions expressed about the enemy, circling helping verbs as part of the activity. The parent plan and activities explicitly instruct students to identify and explain point of view in a written work.
Lesson 3
Joining the Ranks
Activity 2 directs students to read a Civil War speech, record three factual statements and three opinion statements, and identify at least two statements that could be propaganda. Students are asked to examine Civil War pictures and explain how each could have been used as propaganda to sway Northern attitudes. The Parent Plan lists skills students will practice, including exploring bias, hidden messages, emotional factors, propaganda techniques, and identifying underlying assumptions. The lesson also has students read multiple first-person accounts and compare perspectives, and asks them to summarize accounts and explain each character's perspective.
Lesson 4
Ready for Battle
The Parent Plan lists skills that ask students to "make informed judgments about propaganda," "explore bias, apparent or hidden messages, emotional factors, and/or propaganda techniques," and "identify and explore the underlying assumptions of the author/creator." Activity 2 asks students to locate historical propaganda posters, decide whether a poster would be for the North or South, and to design their own poster that 'grabs the attention' and 'influence[s] his or her way of thinking.' The parent guidance asks the student to explain the message the poster conveys and how it would influence the reader's way of thinking.
Lesson 5
Nerves
The lesson asks students to "review the names of some of the characters... and the different perspectives each one has" and includes a question asking how Shem Sugg's perspective on the war is unique. The Wrap-Up/Parent Plan prompts students to discuss A.B. Tilbury's quoted perception of southerners and to evaluate whether that perception is accurate. The lesson also asks students to reread a passage aloud and describe the irony of a scene, which prompts interpretation of viewpoint in context.
Lesson 6
The Battle Begins
Students are asked in the 'Questions to Discuss' to explain why the author made the entries shorter during this section and to consider how that choice affects the book's pace and tone. Students are prompted to discuss whether witnessing an actual battle can change a person's perspective on war and how society glamorizes violence, which engages them with authorial themes and effects. In Activity 2 Option 2 students are asked to write a fictional story from a character's point of view, requiring them to adopt and reflect on perspective.
Lesson 7
Fleeing and Death
Students are asked to reread character accounts and "cite evidence from the book" to describe Toby's feelings before and after Bull Run, which requires noting changes in perspective. Students answer a reflective question about how their perspective of the Civil War changed and respond to discussion prompts asking why southerners were not celebrating and why Flora cared for wounded soldiers, which ask students to consider different viewpoints. The parent plan explicitly tells students to "Recognize and develop the stance of a critic by considering alternative points of view or reasons," and the wrap-up states students "were able to see many different points of view."
Final Project
Argumentative Essay
Students are asked to introduce a topic, present both points of view, and end with a clear stated position, which requires awareness of viewpoint and purpose. The rubric and outline prompt students to use logical arguments, appeal to the reader's logic and emotion, and anticipate and address counterarguments, engaging with persuasive choices that reflect an author's purpose. Prewriting directions ask students to consider pros and cons, moral arguments, fears, and possible outcomes when choosing support, linking rhetorical choices to persuasive intent.
Unit 2: Albert Einstein
Lesson 1
Who Is Albert Einstein?
Students read an introduction that contains evaluative and loaded language (e.g., phrases like "one of the most influential people," "powerful mind," and "he possessed an amazing mind that changed the face of science"). Students are asked to summarize major events in Einstein's life and to discuss the meaning of Einstein's quote "Imagination is more important than knowledge," which invites interpretation of authorial emphasis. The Parent Plan lists the skill to "Use oral and written language to evaluate information and ideas" and asks students to generate questions about Einstein to pursue while reading.
Lesson 3
University Days and Beyond
Students are asked to identify the speaker and recognize the difference between first- and third-person narration (autobiography vs. biography) in the Skills section. Students summarize and paraphrase Chapters 3 and 4, which requires them to consider how the story is told and whose perspective is presented. Students complete a Biography Web and compare events, which has students organize life events and consider the type of biographical account being presented.
Lesson 4
Research and Discovery
The Parent Plan for Activity 4 directs students to listen for statements that are facts and those that are the narrator's opinions while watching videos. The skills list includes "Listen to and interpret a speaker's messages... and ask questions to clarify the speaker's purpose or perspective," which asks students to consider speaker purpose. The wrap-up discussion prompts ask students to compare how the book and video accounts are similar or different and whether one gave a better understanding, encouraging comparison of perspectives.
Lesson 6
Fame
Students compare an encyclopedia entry, a biography, and documentaries and answer directed questions about how each medium differs in style, purpose, and emotional impact. Students are asked to explain the benefits and limitations of each source and to orally communicate how each contributed to their understanding of Einstein. Students memorize and discuss Einstein's quotes and are prompted to "think about the power of your own words," which prompts consideration of word choice and emotional effect.
Lesson 7
War
The lesson's skill list and activities require students to distinguish between fact and opinion and to "monitor comprehension for understanding... by analyzing the characteristics of expressive works." Activity 4 asks students to watch a biography video and record at least three facts and two opinions, and the Parent Plan directs an adult to discuss the difference between fact and opinion before viewing. The lesson also asks students to "create criteria to evaluate print and non-print materials," which prompts evaluative thinking about sources.
Lesson 8
Peace
The Skills section instructs students to "Identify language devices in biographies" and to "Explain how authors create meaning through stylistic elements," and to "Analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about expository text and provide evidence from text." Option 2 asks students to "Describe 2 ways the author accomplished each of the elements of a biography" and to include "one idea how the author feels about the person," which requires citing text-based examples of author perspective. The Things to Know and Activity 3 prompt students to note how the writer's feelings are implied or noted, and to provide examples demonstrating those elements.
Unit 3: World Wars I and II
Lesson 1
World War I Begins
The lesson explicitly tells students that Where Poppies Grow is written from a Canadian perspective and asks them to read pages 4-21 to understand that perspective and place the U.S. role in a global context. Question #2 asks students to interpret the author's phrase that the archduke's murder "was the spark that lit this ready tinder," prompting students to consider the author's wording. The Parent Plan prompts caregivers to ask whether the photographs were primary or secondary and to discuss captions written by the author, which directs attention to different kinds of author-created content and perspective.
Lesson 2
In the Trenches and on the Homefront
The lesson defines propaganda as information designed to sway people's emotions and attitudes and asks students to identify examples (posters, paintings, songs, literature) that were distributed to influence opinion. A question and answers point students to consider the emotional impact and message of the poem "In Flanders Fields," noting it sent a powerful message about duty and the impact of war. The wrapping-up section prompts students to think about how an author knows about events and what primary sources an author might use, and discussion questions ask what kinds of sources historians can use, including propaganda posters.
Lesson 3
The End of World War I
Students read World War I soldiers' letters (Activity 1) and are asked to notice that soldiers could not state locations or actions and instead used vague references that only recipients would understand, directly addressing avoidance of particular facts. Students complete a Treaty of Versailles activity page that asks them to compare Wilson's Fourteen Points with the treaty outcomes and to explain why Wilson failed to achieve his goals, which asks them to consider differing political aims and motivations (e.g., Hakim's phrasing of a "hard peace"). Discussion questions prompt students to explain why soldiers needed secrecy and what penalties the Treaty imposed, encouraging analysis of which facts were included or omitted and leaders' purposes.
Lesson 5
Mobilizing for War
Students read and mark up President Roosevelt's December 8, 1941 speech, underlining or highlighting words and phrases they find powerful. Activity questions ask students to list adjectives Roosevelt used to describe the attack, judge whether he seems certain war is the correct course and certain of the outcome, and explain why he described the diplomatic situation before the attack. In the posters activity, students identify words, images, colors, emotions, what the artist wants the viewer to do, and what makes the poster effective, then plan persuasive words and audiences for their own poster.
Lesson 9
The End of World War II
Students are asked in Activity 4 to decide a monument's goal and whether it will "present just one side of the story, or ... present multiple perspectives," which requires thinking about purpose and perspective. Activity 2 instructs students to take objective reporter notes and to "focus on the most important details," prompting attention to unbiased presentation versus personal viewpoint. The parent plan for Activity 1 asks the child to explain which details from the readings led to their conclusions, encouraging students to refer to included facts when supporting interpretations.
Unit 3: Number the Stars
Lesson 3
The Button Shop
Students analyze historical propaganda posters, being asked to "look carefully at each poster," "pay attention to the techniques used and the message each poster is presenting," and to summarize each poster's message in a sentence. Students are instructed to interpret and discuss the intentions behind posters (e.g., identifying anti‑Jewish messages or calls for unity) and to design their own persuasive poster aimed at influencing attitudes. In the "Finding Symbols" activity, students underline symbols, circle associated words, and reflect on why those words or symbols would leave readers feeling impacted.
Lesson 5
In the Country
Students are asked to explain why Annemarie found Great-Aunt Birte's death suspicious because she had never heard of her and no one seemed sad, which requires noticing an omission of facts. Students discuss why Mama did not want the girls to see anyone and why the people of Denmark were short on food, prompting them to identify selective inclusion of details about danger and scarcity. Students are also asked to "consider the sacrifices the characters" make, which invites reflection on the author's purpose in portraying personal sacrifice during wartime.
Lesson 6
Aunt Birte is Dead
Students are asked to choose two or three passages that spotlight interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling, or important parts of the text and read them aloud, then explain their reasons for picking them, which asks them to justify textual selections. Discussion questions prompt students to explain why Uncle Henrik and Mama lied about Aunt Birte, which asks students to consider the inclusion or avoidance of particular facts in the narrative. In Activity 2 students read Barbara Rodbell's story, retell it, and answer how the author's message applies, which engages students with authorial purpose and intended message.
Lesson 8
Little Red Riding Hood
Students are given an explicit note that "when an author parallels two ideas or events, she draws a connection between their parts and points out their similarities," which teaches a specific authorial technique and purpose. In Activity 2, students read two versions of "Little Red Riding Hood," decide which version is most similar to Annemarie's story, and use a graphic organizer to show similarities and differences, requiring them to compare authorial choices. In the character sketch activity, students must provide examples from the text that reveal Annemarie's traits, which requires citing textual evidence of how the author portrays character.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students are asked to identify who would have used a WWII propaganda poster (Question 6 on the Number the Stars test), which requires recognizing the poster's persuasive purpose and viewpoint. Several Think-Tac-Toe tasks ask students to "write an article as if reporting for a newspaper" and to "write a letter from the perspective of a historical figure," which require students to adopt or simulate an authorial perspective. The activities also include analyzing nonviolent resistance and describing plans used to help Jews, which asks students to consider motives and actions described in the text.
3: Change
Unit 1: Tuck Everlasting
Lesson 3
Winnie
Students identify examples of personification in text and create their own personified sentences (Activity 2 Options 1 and 2). The Parent Plan and wrap-up prompt students to explain how personification "shapes the reader's feelings or perspective" and to "evaluate the use of figurative language to influence the reader's perspective." The skills list explicitly includes "Evaluate the use of figurative language to influence the reader's perspective."
Lesson 5
At Home with the Tucks
The Juxtaposition activity asks students to locate words and phrases the author uses to contrast the Fosters' home and the Tucks' home and to record those quotations, directly asking students to attend to the author's word choices. Option 1 asks students to write paragraphs using the author's descriptions and to put quotations around any words or phrases taken from the text, which requires students to identify and cite language the author used. The Parent Plan lists "Analyze the effect of author's craft on the reader," signaling tasks that ask students to consider how descriptive choices shape reader impressions.
Lesson 6
The Man in the Yellow Suit
Students read Activity 2 (Cycles and Change) where they read quoted passages and are asked to explain how nature changes and what might happen if a cycle were interrupted, and they are asked to collect items and explain the significance of each item. Students are asked to discuss Tuck's argument about why living forever is unnatural and to defend their own position. The Parent Plan Skills explicitly state that students should "Interpret text by recognizing and explaining theme," and the Things to Review prompt students to explain one or two themes found in the novel.
Lesson 7
Fishing
Students are asked to discuss why the author "chooses only to use the words of the man in the yellow suit" and why she omits the Fosters' dialogue, which prompts identification of inclusion/avoidance of facts. Students analyze how figurative language contributes to text through explicit simile/metaphor identification and by explaining how figurative language affects meaning. Students summarize chapters using vocabulary words, demonstrating they notice author word choice and its effect on meaning and tone.
Lesson 8
The Gallows
The lesson asks students to discuss why the author chooses not to give the man in the yellow suit a name, prompting consideration of authorial choice. The wrapping up and parent discussion questions ask students to evaluate character actions and the author's decisions (e.g., why Mae hit the man, how Winnie has changed), which can lead students to consider author purpose. The Activity 2 assignment (create a print ad or commercial) asks students to craft persuasive messaging, engaging them in thinking about purpose and audience.
Lesson 10
The Water and the Toad
The Parent Plan Skills explicitly instruct students to "analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the author's purpose... and provide evidence from the text" and to "draw conclusions... and evaluate how well the author's purpose was achieved," which directs student analysis of author purpose. The "Meet the Author" activity asks students to read an author interview and "consider how her interactions and experiences have shaped the course of her life," which supports students linking author background to purpose. The Book Quote activity requires students to select a meaningful quote and represent it visually, which asks students to interpret and justify the significance of author-chosen language.
Unit 2: Civil Rights
Lesson 1
Life Under Segregation
Students read assigned pages of Nobody Gonna Turn Me 'Round and view images of segregation, then answer a question asking what the artist was trying to convey about the painting on pages 6-7, prompting them to interpret intent and symbolism. Students analyze the text and images to describe the threatening atmosphere of the segregated South and identify places and practices that were segregated. In Activity 2, students imagine how modern locations might have been experienced under segregation, requiring them to infer the effects and purposes of segregationist policies.
Lesson 2
The Montgomery Bus Boycott
Students read pages 14–19 of Nobody Gonna Turn Me 'Round and answer comprehension questions that require interpreting the author's depiction of Rosa Parks (Question 2 notes the book makes clear Parks was ‘tired of being treated unfairly' rather than physically tired). Students prepare persuasive products (a flyer or a speech) and are explicitly prompted to "choose powerful words and phrases" and to decide what information and arguments to include to persuade others. The optional extension points students to primary resources that could support examination of sources.
Lesson 8
Conducting Your Research
The lesson asks students to document bibliographic details on the "Research Sources" pages (author, title, publisher, date, URL) and to link facts in notes to specific sources, which supports tracking who produced each text. The Parent Plan warns that Internet sites may contain inaccuracies or attempts to discredit activists and instructs parents to preview or limit sites, which draws attention to source reliability and potential bias. The Post-Interview Field Notes prompt students to summarize important topics and write "My Thoughts on the Interview," and interview guidance tells students to ask for clarification when they don't understand something, supporting reflection on what was said.
Final Project
Presenting Your Research
Students are asked to compare oral history interviews to books in reflection prompts that ask what can be learned from an interview that you can't learn from a book and whether you prefer learning from a person or a book. Students create and perform mock interviews in which they adopt the voice of a historical figure, writing script answers that reflect that person's perspective. The rubric and presentation options require students to produce clear written or spoken scripts and to incorporate interview excerpts with historical background.
Unit 2: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Lesson 1
School's In
Students are asked to "pay close attention to how the black children in the community were treated differently than the white children," and they complete "Recognizing Discrimination" pages where they record who was involved, what happened, and how it was an example of discrimination. Students watch primary-source Civil Rights videos and write three- or four-sentence journal responses describing what they learned and how the videos made them feel, guided by questions about surprising elements and community differences. Discussion prompts ask students to consider injustices, why change was necessary, and how people worked for change.
Lesson 2
A Visitor
Students use a Dialect Guide to interpret regional speech, and the Parent Plan explicitly asks them to "explain how authors use dialect to convey character," which involves identifying an author's language choices. Students answer discussion questions and a Wrapping Up prompt that ask them to consider why white men mistreated African Americans and why prosecutions did not occur, prompting students to reason about the author's portrayal of social injustice. Students research Mississippi's setting and history, which connects textual details to authorial framing of context and purpose.
Lesson 4
T.J.
Students are instructed to "keep track of instances of discrimination" on a Recognizing Discrimination page, which asks them to note how the text portrays racial treatment. Students are prompted by "Ideas to Think About" questions to consider how people of different racial backgrounds interacted and how society has changed, encouraging reflection on perspective. Discussion prompts (e.g., "What do you think about T.J.?" and "Why do you think Mr. Morrison said...?") ask students to consider characters' motives and viewpoints, which can connect to authorial perspective.
Lesson 6
Uncle Hammer
Students read Chapter 6 and answer questions that ask them to interpret characters' motives and meanings (for example, explaining what Mama means about respect vs. fear and why Uncle Hammer bought a car). Activity 2 asks students to create a persuasive poster promoting positive race relations and to describe why their poster would be effective, which requires them to think about purpose and emotional appeals. The Expanding Sentences activity has students add adjectives, adverbs, and descriptive verbs, giving practice with language choices that can affect tone and point of view.
Lesson 8
Taking a Stand
Students are asked to keep track of instances of discrimination on the "Recognizing Discrimination" pages as they read, which directs them to notice what the text depicts. In the "Integrated Bus Suggestions" activity students underline the three suggestions they think were most important and are asked to "Consider how the statements promote peace yet encourage strength and pride," which asks them to identify the flyer's purpose and persuasive tone. Discussion prompts (e.g., explain what you learned about the Montgomery Bus Boycott and why the school official told Mama to stop teaching) ask students to explain motives and reasons behind actions in the text.
Lesson 9
Papa's Accident
The Parent Plan Skills list explicitly tells students to "analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the author's purpose in cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts," indicating students are expected to consider author purpose. Discussion prompts (e.g., asking why Papa insisted on going to Vicksburg and how the system breaks down) require students to infer motives and societal forces that relate to author perspective. Comprehension questions and the wrap-up prompt to "explain the system of sharecropping" ask students to articulate contextual information that could support judgments about purpose or point of view.
Lesson 11
Trouble
Students are asked to "keep track of instances of discrimination on the 'Recognizing Discrimination' pages," which requires them to note how characters are portrayed and treated. Parent discussion prompts ask students to explain how T.J. is being discriminated against and what seems unfair, prompting consideration of bias in the narrative. A Parent Plan question explicitly asks students to consider "What do you think the author's purpose was in writing this historical fiction novel?"
Final Project
Unit Test and Presentation for Change
The Skills section asks students to "deliver oral responses to literature that summarize significant events and details and articulate an understanding of several ideas or images communicated by the literary work" and to "support opinions with detailed evidence." Students are prompted to discuss what they thought about the end of the book and to prepare a persuasive presentation to the mayor using evidence from the story and unit materials. The presentation rubric and parent prompts ask students to articulate important ideas and ensure visuals support the ideas presented.
Unit 3: The Giver
Lesson 1
The Community
Students are asked to discuss and evaluate the community's changes and whether the community would be a good place to live, weighing positive and negative outcomes. The Parent Plan includes discussion prompts about societal themes, family interactions, and an excerpt from the author's speech that parents are encouraged to use in conversations. The lesson emphasizes that "language is of utmost importance" in the book and has vocabulary activities where students define and use words that convey emotional states.
Lesson 2
Baby Gabriel
The Parent Plan lists as a skill: "Analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the author's purpose ... and provide evidence from the text to support understanding," which directly asks students to consider author purpose. The Introducing the Lesson prompts students to discuss whether the community is perfect and to explain why or why not, asking for reasoning about measures taken to protect citizens. The reading questions require students to record words or phrases to describe Jonas in Chapters 3 and 4, which asks students to cite textual details about characterization.
Lesson 3
The Ceremony of Twelve
The Parent Plan lists the skill "Explain whether facts included in an argument are used for or against an issue," which asks students to analyze how facts function in an argument. The reading task asks students to "record on the timeline words or phrases that describe Jonas," which has students note descriptive language. The Community Rules & Laws activity has students list positive and negative effects of rules and defend whether a rule should exist, requiring students to evaluate presented information and use evidence in support of a position.
Lesson 4
The Selection
Students are asked to identify euphemisms from the novel and record or predict their actual meanings using the Student Activity Page, directly engaging with language that masks reality. The lesson defines euphemism and gives examples, and asks students to be on the lookout for euphemisms in books, movies, and conversations. The parent/teacher prompts ask students to discuss "precision of language" and how verbal interactions reflect a society's culture and values, and the skills list includes recognizing exaggerated, contradictory, or misleading statements in text.
Lesson 5
Memories
The History activity states that Jonas' community has no memory of past events and asks students to think of three historical events and explain how each memory could help the community, prompting students to consider the author-presented absence of facts. The Parent Plan discussion asks students to explain the implications of the rule "You may lie," which requires students to infer how author-provided rules affect perspective and trust in the society. The wrap-up and discussion prompts ask students to reflect on how Jonas felt and how others treated him, encouraging students to consider narrative choices that shape reader understanding.
Lesson 6
Color
Students reread the sled-ride passage and select descriptive words and phrases to organize by the five senses, recording sensory language on a "Sled Ride" chart. The parent plan asks students to "understand, make inferences, and draw conclusions about how an author's sensory language creates imagery" and to "describe the function and effect of common literary devices, such as symbolism and imagery." Discussion questions ask students to explain why colors disappeared and to weigh advantages and disadvantages of Climate Control and Sameness.
Lesson 8
Love
Students are asked to interpret theme and "recognize underlying messages" (Skills) and to compare Jonas' community with real communities, discussing sacrifices and the theme of freedom, which targets author purpose. The capitalization section explicitly tells students that "authors sometimes bend the rules" (e.g., capitalizing Assignments, Instructor) and instructs students to look for and record unusual capitalization, abbreviations, and acronyms, prompting attention to authorial choices. Activities ask students to write persuasive letters or poems that explain freedom to the community, requiring them to explain the author's message in their own words.
4: Systems and Interaction
Unit 1: Esperanza Rising
Lesson 1
Tragedy in Mexico
Students are asked in Question #5 to state the author's purpose for the informational book and to compare how the viewpoint of the historical fiction novel will differ from that book. Students are directed to "consider the perspective" of each firsthand account in the Great Depression Photo Journal activity and to choose two accounts to analyze. The discussion prompt asks students to compare how primary-source photos and a secondary-source book are useful, which requires comparing viewpoints and purposes of different texts.
Lesson 2
Escape
The Parent Plan lists the skill: "Analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the author's purpose… and provide evidence from the text," which asks students to consider author purpose directly. The Wordsmith activity asks students to locate and explain passages that are interesting, powerful, puzzling, or important and to discuss why they selected them. Discussion questions prompt students to infer motives and outcomes (e.g., what happened to Papa, why the uncles set the fire), which requires students to consider character actions and implied author perspective. The phoenix symbolism activity asks students to describe how the phoenix might symbolize Esperanza's circumstances, requiring interpretation of author-constructed imagery and purpose.
Lesson 3
Train Ride
Students are asked to reread the section describing the train and to "pay close attention to the description of the train and the people on the train," prompting them to notice descriptive details that reflect social differences. Students are asked to create discussion questions as a Discussion Director about the big ideas in the chapters, which can lead them to probe author intent or perspective. The wrapping-up discussion prompts ask students to interpret specific quotes (e.g., about Spanish blood and class) and how those quotes relate to the social system, encouraging inference about the author's viewpoint.
Lesson 9
The Strike
Students are asked to examine reasons workers might strike and "record information from the book that could support the reasons," including summarizing examples from the text and providing page numbers. Students listen to two first‑hand interviews about migrant camp life and read quoted passages describing how Mexican immigrants were treated (e.g., "Americans see us as one big, brown group who are good only for manual labor"). Parent/teacher prompts ask students to explain examples from the text that support reasons for striking and to discuss how Mexicans were treated in America.
Lesson 10
Together
The Skills section asks students to "Discuss and analyze the effects on texts of such literary devices as figurative language and dialogue," which directs students to examine how wording and dialogue shape meaning. The parent/instruction prompts ask students to discuss what a reader can learn about character through the dialogue and what was learned about Mexican-American culture, which requires students to draw conclusions from author-presented dialogue and cultural details. The wrap-up and discussion questions ask students to compare two texts' approaches to the Great Depression and to consider characters' perspectives (e.g., Miguel's defense, discrimination against Isabel), prompting analysis of different textual approaches and viewpoints.
Unit 2: The Tree That Time Built
Lesson 1
Fields
Students are asked to read poems slowly and "think about what the author of each poem is trying to communicate," prompting interpretation of author intent. Students practice recognizing how tone or meaning is conveyed through word choice, figurative language, sentence structure, line length, punctuation, rhythm, repetition, and rhyme (listed under Skills). Students analyze punctuation/capitalization and rhetorical devices for intent and effect (Activity 2 and Skills) and answer interpretive questions such as why the author of "This World" finds it impossible to write a simple poem about the world.
Lesson 2
The Sea
The Parent Plan lists as a skill: "Explain how authors create meaning through stylistic elements and figurative language emphasizing the use of personification," and the activities ask students to find metaphors and personification in the poems (Activity 2) and to match objects with human traits on the activity page. Question #3 prompts students to explain why poets focus on obscure animals, asking students to infer reasons behind author choices. Activity 3 has students write their own poem using metaphor and personification, reinforcing attention to stylistic choices.
Lesson 3
Prehistoric
The Parent Plan lists skills that ask students to make inferences about the author's purpose, analyze effects of author's craft, and evaluate techniques used to influence the reader. Question #2 asks students to explain how the author uses personification in a poem, and Question #3 asks students to identify irony and notes a factual inclusion/mistake about T-Rex bones. Discussion prompts ask students how their perspective has changed after reading the poems, and the obituary activity requires students to research facts about an animal and decide how it will be remembered.
Lesson 4
Plants
Students are prompted in the Getting Started section to consider how poets address both the physical aspects of plants and their important role in the natural world, which invites thinking about author purpose. Activity 2 asks students to brainstorm ways humans and animals depend on plants, connecting poem content to larger systems and the poets' perspectives. Questions and the wrap-up require students to identify metaphors (e.g., in "The Dandelion") and to identify or perform with appropriate tone, mood, and emotion, which supports inferring an author's point of view.
Lesson 5
Amphibians and Reptiles
Students are asked to read poems and 'keep your eyes open for' word choice devices (metaphors, similes, imagery, personification) and to read aloud to notice rhyme and rhythm. The Skills section instructs students to 'define how tone or meaning is conveyed in poetry through word choice, figurative language, sentence structure, line length, punctuation, rhythm, repetition, and rhyme' and to 'analyze how poets use sound effects... to reinforce meaning.' Discussion prompts ask students how a poem made them feel and 'what language does the author use to make you feel that way?'
Lesson 7
Birds
The Skills section asks students to "Analyze the use of rhetorical devices for intent and effect," which directs students to examine how language conveys meaning. The Analyzing a Poem activity asks students to identify tone and to list the "words/phrases the author uses to convey the tone," giving students practice linking word choice and figurative language to author attitude. The D.H. Lawrence question requires students to interpret an author's line and infer meaning, prompting students to consider the poet's perspective in context.
Lesson 8
Mammals
Students are asked to identify the poet's observations and feelings in Activity 1, prompting them to state the author's perspective. Question 4 asks students to record words and phrases the author uses to appeal to emotions, which requires identifying emotionally loaded language. Question 2 asks students to identify irony and explain how the title and lines convey the poet's attitude, and Activity 2 has students compare a quoted paragraph to the original and insert ellipses, showing omission of information.
Lesson 9
Preservation
The Skills section instructs students to "Compare and contrast the stated or implied purposes of different authors writing on the same topic," and multiple activities ask students to identify the poet's message (e.g., question about "Landscape") and to list words/phrases that convey tone and meaning (Activity 1). Activity 4 directs students to create a Venn diagram comparing two buffalo poems, with parent notes pointing out similarities/differences in what each poem addresses. Discussion prompts ask why an author might include many poems about extinct or endangered animals, encouraging consideration of author choices.
Unit 3: Incas, Aztecs, and Maya
Lesson 9
History and Archaeology
Students classify short quotations by the Spanish motivations (Gold, Glory, God) in the "Name That Quote" activity, cutting/gluing quotes into themed boxes and composing their own quotes for each motivation. Students watch videos (with transcripts available) about the Spanish conquest and write two-paragraph summaries of the fall of the Aztec and Inca empires, requiring them to identify causes and motivations in the sources. Parent/teacher prompts ask students to explain the three motivations that drove the Spanish and to summarize why the empires fell, which directs students to identify actors' purposes and motives.
Unit 3: Secret of the Andes
Lesson 3
People Below
Students are asked to identify a figurative language device in Question #3 (recognizing a simile) and the Parent Plan lists "Analyze how authors create meaning through figurative language," which prompts students to examine authorial language choices. Discussion prompts ask students to interpret the sentence "Cusi did not feel sorry because his food was always the same..." and to explain why minstrels no longer exist, requiring students to explain the author's presentation of characters and cultural change. The lyric-poem activity asks students to reread the minstrel's songs, encouraging attention to how songs convey stories and perspectives.
Lesson 4
The Journey
The Parent Plan lists the skill: "Analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the author's purpose in cultural, historical, and contemporary context," which directs students to consider author purpose. The lesson prompts students to discuss author meaning with questions such as "What do you think the author means when she says the people are of two bloods?" and asks students to reflect on what they learned about Incan culture, which requires inferring author perspective. The introductory and wrapping-up prompts (asking whether Cusi will enjoy the journey and where the journey will take them) engage students in interpreting narrative choices and implied purpose.
Lesson 5
New Sights
Students are asked to interpret author meaning in Question #3, where they explain what the line "he must understand" suggests about Cusi and the narrator's presentation. In the Personification activity, students identify words and phrases that give animals and objects human traits and discuss whether those descriptions help Cusi understand them, which requires attention to how language shapes perspective. The Parent Plan and Skills statements ask students to reference the text to determine the effectiveness of figurative language, prompting analysis of word choice and characterization.
Lesson 9
Belonging
Students are asked to consider questions such as "What does this story teach us about family?" and the "Ideas to Think About" prompts about cultural identity, invasions, and traditions, which ask them to articulate the story's messages or purposes. The Reading and Questions section requires students to explain characters' feelings and relationships (e.g., how Cusi felt about the beggar, what Cusi discovered about his real family), which supports identifying narrative purpose and themes. The About the Author facts note that "her writing often reflected insights into diverse cultures," which students are asked to turn into an informative paragraph, connecting author background to possible purposes.
Final Project
Narrative Essay
The lesson requires students to write a five-paragraph narrative in first person as Cusi and asks them to 'pretend you are Cusi,' consider Cusi's personality, and reflect Cusi's 'voice' in their essay. The rubric explicitly evaluates 'Point of view consistency,' 'Narrator's perspectives,' and 'Representation of personality,' and the graphic organizers prompt students to describe how Cusi felt using the first person. Activities also ask students to ensure point of view consistency and to assess the narrator's perspective during revision.
1: Semester 1
Unit 1: Egypt and Mesopotamia
Lesson 3
Mesopotamia
Students are prompted to pre-read headings and sub-headings (Question 1) and write impressions of what the pages will be about, which asks them to preview organizational choices and likely purposes. Question 2 directs students to examine images and captions and to describe what a picture conveys, noting that authors and editors choose artwork to convey important ideas. Activity 6 asks students to summarize pages in their own words, which practices identifying main ideas and the likely purpose of a text.
Unit 1: The Pearl
Lesson 2
The Scorpion
Students are asked to record descriptive phrases and strong verbs from Chapter 1, focusing attention on Steinbeck's descriptive language. Discussion questions ask students to evaluate how social classes are portrayed and how Kino's feelings and status change, prompting consideration of how the author presents characters and society. The wrap-up explicitly directs students to read aloud the descriptive words and phrases they recorded and to explain verb phrases, which returns attention to language choices.
Lesson 3
The Pearl
Students are asked to analyze Steinbeck's use of verbs and adjectives by recording "Strong Verbs" and "Vivid Adjectives" from the second paragraph of Chapter 2 and to explain the effect of phrases such as "vagueness of a dream" and "things of the imagination" on the reader. Discussion prompts ask students to interpret quotations (e.g., about minds being "as unsubstantial as the mirage of the gulf" and how pearls "raised the King of Spain") and to explain what those lines suggest about meaning and consequences. Students also practice explaining how word choice creates imagery and affects the reader's perception.
Lesson 5
Songs
The skills section explicitly directs students to "Analyze the purpose of the author or creator by understanding the effects of the author's craft on the reader." The Stylistic Devices Log asks students to locate similes, metaphors, imagery, and irony and to "select phrases and sentence[s] that [they] feel are meaningful and effective." Parent-plan examples and discussion questions have students consider irony and symbolism (e.g., the pearl as a symbol, the irony of the pearl making Kino "everyone's enemy") and ask why the priest and doctor visit, prompting analysis of authorial motives and effects.
Lesson 6
For Sale
Students are asked to "be on the lookout for any effective stylistic devices and list them in your journal," which prompts identification of authorial language choices. The Parent Plan lists a skill to "determine the figurative meaning of phrases and analyze how an author's use of language creates imagery, appeals to the senses, and suggests mood," which directs students to analyze word choice and tone. Activity 2 asks students to brainstorm what the pearl symbolizes, prompting students to infer authorial purpose and thematic meaning.
Lesson 7
The Attack
Students are asked to add sentences and phrases to a stylistic device log and to "consider how each one affects the reader," which prompts attention to author word choices. The lesson includes an "Author and You" question type that requires students to combine information the author provides with their own knowledge to respond. Parent discussion prompts ask students to evaluate lines such as "Kino tells Juana, 'I am man.' The author tells us..." which asks students to interpret what the author is conveying about character and perspective.
Lesson 9
Parables
The Parent Plan lists as a skill: "Analyze the purpose of the author or creator by understanding the effects of the author's craft on the reader," and parents are instructed to ask the child to explain the lesson of each parable. Introducing the lesson asks students to compare the Parable of the Pearl to Steinbeck's The Pearl and to explain ironic differences in purpose/meaning, and asks students to state the lesson of the Good Samaritan and other parables. Activities ask students to retell a parable and then have the audience explain the lesson, prompting students to articulate authorial purpose and the moral intended.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
The lesson's Skills list explicitly asks students to "identify and trace the development of an author's argument, point of view, or perspective in text," which directs students to analyze authorial perspective. Part D asks students to identify stylistic devices Steinbeck uses and support answers with evidence, prompting analysis of language and techniques. The mock trial and speech activities require students to use evidence from the book and persuasive techniques to argue a position, engaging them in identifying and using aspects of the text that reveal purpose or viewpoint.
Unit 2: Africa Today
Lesson 1
Overview of Africa
Students read a short excerpt (pages 204-207) and answer a question asking what the authors mean by describing Africa as "a land of contrasts," which asks students to interpret an author's phrasing. The Parent Plan notes the book's brief use of the term "Negroid," instructing parents on how to explain that the term is outdated and potentially offensive if the child asks, which invites discussion of word choice and its connotations. Students complete brainstorming and summary prompts that ask what impressions they have of Africa, prompting them to reflect on language and perceptions they hold or encounter.
Unit 2: A Girl Named Disaster
Lesson 2
Sickness
Students read Chapters 5-7 that describe villagers attributing cholera to evil/witchcraft and are asked discussion questions about why the villagers thought the disease came and what that belief meant. Students are asked to take on the role of Investigator to dig up background information about the book's setting, culture, and history, and to record four or five bits of information in a journal. The "Ideas to Think About" prompt asks students to consider what can be learned about people/groups from exploring cultural traditions and family roles.
Lesson 3
A Visit with the Muvuki
Students are told up front that the muvuki is "evil" and "a hoax and liar," and are asked to "consider the Western influence the Portuguese have on the community," which foregrounds an authorial viewpoint for students to notice. Students are asked to write four discussion questions (including an inference and an open-ended question) about Chapters 8–10, which can prompt them to analyze underlying perspectives and implications in the text. The Parent Plan discussion prompts (e.g., how the muvuki tricks visitors, and how traditional beliefs prevent progress) direct students to think about characters' actions and cultural framing that reflect purpose or bias.
Lesson 4
Escape
The Literary Luminary activity requires students to choose two or three passages and "explain your reasons for picking them," which asks students to articulate what makes particular text selections significant. Discussion questions ask students to consider why characters lied and whether Nhamo should have listened to Ambuya, prompting students to analyze motives and the reasons behind events in the text. The history pages direct students to read background information and answer factual questions (e.g., which country fought against the Frelimo), engaging students in noticing which facts the text includes.
Unit 3: Australia and Oceania
Lesson 1
The Rainbow Serpent
Students read the Rainbow Serpent and a second creation story and use the "Comparing Creation Stories" worksheet to record what existed at the beginning, how the world and its inhabitants came into being, who the creator is, the order of creation, when and how humans were made, and similarities and differences between stories. Students are prompted to compare the Rainbow Serpent story to another creation story and to discuss how different people have understood the world and their places within it. Students may retell the story or present it creatively, which requires them to identify key story elements and roles given to humans in the narrative.
Lesson 2
Overview of Australia and Oceania
Students are asked to find and record news items from multiple newspapers and websites and the lesson notes that different newspapers may report different stories or have different perspectives. Students complete a Current Events Report that asks them to summarize a story, note the news source, describe their emotional reaction, and consider questions to ask interviewees. In the "Written and Non-Written Sources" activity, students list what written sources can reveal and consider objects that might be misinterpreted without written documentation.
Lesson 4
Stories of the Yorta-Yorta People
Students read Stories from the Billabong (pages 12–55) and answer Question #3 asking how scientific explanations of Uluru differ from Aboriginal explanations, which requires comparing perspectives. The Current Events Report directs students to find a news item about Aboriginal Australians, write a brief summary, and record their reaction, which asks students to engage with and respond to another author's presentation. Option 2 asks students to write a letter to the editor or create persuasive materials about Uluru policy, which has students adopt and argue a viewpoint in response to presented information.
Unit 3: The Hobbit
Lesson 2
Trolls
Students are prompted to describe the trolls using a list of suggested adjectives (e.g., "large, disgusting, gross, bloodthirsty, stupid"), which engages them in noticing the language used to characterize figures in the text. Students are asked to explain whether their opinion of Bilbo changed and why, requiring them to justify interpretations based on the narrative. Students are asked to "consider how Tolkien's life and experience influenced his writing" and to generate interview questions with reasons, which connects author biography to interpretation of author perspective or purpose.
Lesson 3
The Elves
Students are asked to interpret the narrator's comment about why certain stories are told and to explain what it means, which requires considering the narrator's perspective. Discussion prompts ask students to compare elves and dwarves and to connect themes and characters to real life, prompting consideration of how the author portrays groups and themes. The foreshadowing/flashback activity and charting events require students to identify narrative techniques and moments that reflect the author's choices about what to reveal and when.
Lesson 10
The Dragon
The Parent Plan lists a skill to "identify, analyze, and critique persuasive techniques (e.g., promises, dares, flattery, glittering generalities)," which directs students to consider author techniques. Activity 2 includes quoted author language about dragons and Smaug's rage and asks students to analyze greed and power as motivators, prompting students to interpret the author's characterization and language. A discussion prompt asks why the author describes dwarves as "not heroes, but calculating folk," which invites students to consider the author's purpose and portrayal choices.
Lesson 13
The Battle
Students read early reviews of The Hobbit and write two- or three-sentence summaries identifying whether the critic's response is positive or negative and explaining major points. Students are prompted to describe any literary elements the reviewer alludes to, and parents are asked to encourage the child to identify literary elements discussed in the review. Discussion questions ask students to identify themes (e.g., greed, power) and explain character motives, which requires inferring authorial message.
Unit 4: Ancient Asia
Lesson 3
Life in Ancient China
Students copy and illustrate a five-part passage from the Tao Te Ching and are asked to write a short explanation of what the Tao Te Ching is and what the passage says about wealth (Activity 5). The optional extension asks students to find quotations about wealth from multiple traditions and compare those ideas to the Tao Te Ching. Discussion questions prompt students to compare the description of wealth in the Tao Te Ching to their own ideas and to explain their thinking.
Unit 4: Ecosystems and Ecology
Lesson 10
Cause and Effect in the Ecosystem
The lesson text explicitly states a purpose: "The goal behind the lesson is for you to model the addition of a chemical... The purpose is to increase awareness of the need for careful and considerate practices..." Students are prompted by wrap-up prompts and ‘Ideas to Think About' questions to consider human responsibility and how activities alter ecosystems, which conveys an authorial purpose. The Reading and Questions section directs students to review the introduction and related text, exposing them to the author's framing of human impact on ecosystems.
Lesson 12
Adaptability and Survival
The Skills section instructs students to "analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing scientific texts and articles." The activity requires students to research using the Internet and library sources to find reasons for extinction and to collect images and evidence supporting those reasons. The Parent Plan repeatedly asks the student to question and critique perspectives (for example, to challenge the unchallenged perspective that human activity is harmful) and to consider other viewpoints when forming conclusions.
Unit 4: A Single Shard
Lesson 6
Village Life
Students research Linda Sue Park by reading biographies and watching interviews, take notes in a journal, and answer specific worksheet questions about how the author's experiences and relationships influenced her writing. Students write a short paragraph explaining how the author's experiences and relationships shaped her work and answer questions asking what the author is trying to teach and what her attitude toward reading and writing is. Students are directed (in the skills list) to identify and trace the development of an author's point of view and to make inferences about the author's purpose in cultural and historical contexts.
Lesson 10
The Fox
Students read multiple fox folktales and are asked to "think about the purpose of the story and what it teaches." Students are instructed to type their own short story that "teaches a lesson" and to explain the purpose of stories when discussing their work. Parent/teacher prompts ask the student to explain the purpose of the story and the lesson that can be learned from it.
Unit 5: Asia Today
Lesson 3
The Middle East
Students are asked to read assigned pages and to locate and record news stories from multiple sources, noting the news source and attaching the article. Students write a 2–3 sentence brief summary of each article and answer guided analytical questions about what the story reveals about government, economy, culture, and environment. The journal also asks for a personal reaction and provides prompts that could lead students to consider how the story presents information.
Unit 5: Independent Study
Lesson 1
Independent Study Introduction
Students are directed to read a multi‑perspective article about the Dakota Access Pipeline and use a Point of View chart to list how each stakeholder would view the issue, focusing on reasons for support or opposition. The Parent Plan and Skills section state that students will "summarize the author's purpose and stance" and "examine the importance and impact of establishing a position or point of view." The unit also states students will "learn different techniques that writers use to communicate their point of view."
Lesson 2
Bias and Propaganda
Students read two contrasting newspaper articles about Sir Sam Hughes and complete a "Detecting Bias" handout asking how Hughes is portrayed in each piece. Activities prompt students to identify specific bias techniques (e.g., selection and omission, word choice and tone, bias by headline, names and titles) and to record examples from the texts. Additional activities require students to identify propaganda techniques in articles and advertisements (e.g., card-stacking, bandwagon, glittering generalities) and to explain intended audience and effectiveness.
Lesson 4
Finding Information
The lesson asks students to evaluate websites on purpose, authority, currency, and objectivity and to rate each criterion using a 1–4 rubric, with guiding questions about bias, author position, sponsorship, and what information the author provides and does not provide. Students are directed to find at least three opinions from different stakeholders and record three supporting details for each, using a stakeholders chart to compare perspectives. The lesson also requires students to use multiple types of resources to learn about a topic from multiple points of view and to document where information comes from on a Works Cited page.
Lesson 5
Writing the Essay
Students are instructed to write a counterarguments paragraph in which they acknowledge other points of view and state why they disagree, and to "address readers' concerns" and "anticipate counterarguments with logical reasoning." The activities require students to gather and use text details, quotes, and evidence to support claims, and the closing discussion questions ask students which points of view were new and how learning about different points of view affected their opinions.
2: Semester 2
Unit 1: Greece and Rome
Lesson 5
Ancient Rome and the Roman Republic
Students compare multiple accounts of Rome's founding in the "Founding of Rome" chart by filling in who founded Rome, how Rome got its name, and how likely each theory is, and they are prompted to think of other exaggerated or embellished historical stories. Students evaluate perspectives about Julius Caesar and Brutus by creating pros-and-cons lists or delivering persuasive speeches that require considering reasons for and against the assassination and what happened afterward. Discussion prompts ask students to explain why Romans might have used the Romulus and Remus story, which invites consideration of purpose behind a narrative.
Lesson 8
The End of the Empire
Students are asked in Activity 3 Option 2 to read three New Testament passages and analyze (1) what message the Christian leader who wrote the passage was trying to send and (2) how big a problem persecution seems to have been, which directs them to identify an author's purpose. Students in Activity 3 Option 1 write diary entries from the point of view of a poor Roman or a Roman official, practicing perspective-taking and considering differing viewpoints. The reading questions and follow-up discussion prompts ask students to explain why Christianity was seen as contributing to Rome's downfall and how officials or the poor might have viewed Christianity, which requires interpreting perspective and intent in historical texts and contexts.
Unit 1: Greek Myths
Lesson 3
The Stories
The Parent Plan lists a skill to "analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the author's purpose...and provide evidence from the text," which directly names author purpose analysis. Activity 2 asks students to consider what people in the past were trying to convey with myths, how stories could bring order, and what questions the people were trying to answer, prompting students to infer purpose. The Wrapping Up and discussion questions ask students to explain what Greek mythical characters can teach about ancient Greeks, which requires identifying the intent or message behind texts and artifacts.
Lesson 4
Minor Gods, Nymphs, Satyrs, and Centaurs
Students read myths and are asked to "consider how greed and the desire for power lead to devastating consequences" and to "be on the lookout for how good deeds are rewarded and bad deeds are punished," prompting them to notice the moral framing and authorial stance in the texts. Several questions ask students to provide examples of consequences from the myths (e.g., Prometheus, Pandora) and to compare myths from different cultures, which requires students to identify the values and purposes reflected in the stories. The Parent Plan asks students to discuss why people may have believed in fantastical gods, encouraging consideration of authorial/cultural purpose in creating the myths.
Lesson 6
Vainglorious Kings
Students compare the traditional Daedalus and Icarus myth to a modern retelling using a chart that asks them to identify theme/lesson, setting, method of flight, role of invention, and results of characters' choices. Students watch a filmed version of Daedalus and Icarus and are prompted to note how added dialogue, acting, narration, sound, and images expand or change scenes and affect the story. The Parent Plan lists skills asking students to synthesize ideas across texts and to explain how values and beliefs of characters are affected by historical and cultural setting, implying textual comparison and evidence use.
Final Project
A New Twist on an Ancient Myth
The Skills section explicitly tells students to "analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the author's purpose in cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts and provide evidence from the text." The "Ideas to Think About" prompt asks how stories reflect culture, and conference/parent-check directives require students to explain how their retelling follows myth conventions and to provide insight into the culture (rubric criterion). Students are also asked to support findings with textual evidence when synthesizing across texts.
Unit 2: The Middle Ages
Lesson 2
Monarchs
Students are instructed in Option 2 to create a word cloud of the Magna Carta and at least one other political document and to answer questions such as which large words stand out, which groups the Magna Carta focuses on, and what ideas or issues are detailed. In Option 1 students complete a two-column activity comparing who held power, who made laws, and whether the king had to obey laws before and after the Magna Carta, and answer why the Magna Carta is considered important. The reading questions and wrap-up ask students to identify who held power and how the Magna Carta changed English government, prompting analysis of the document's focus and effects.
Final Project
A Medieval Fair or Map
Students are asked to create living-history presentations that explicitly 'tell about life ... from the point of view of the person they are portraying' and to write 2–3 paragraph scripts for each character. The Religious Life planning notes require students to 'work the Crusades into your presentation somehow' or give 'an opinion on the Crusades from another perspective,' which directs students to adopt and express a particular viewpoint. Planning prompts also ask students to describe 'where he or she fits in the structure of medieval society' and 'who has power over him or her,' encouraging attention to perspective and purpose in spoken texts.
Unit 2: Tales from the Middle Ages
Lesson 1
Medieval Times
Students are asked to "Analyze different forms of point of view" in the Skills section and to "write 3-4 sentences about feudalism from the perspective of each of the following: a knight, a lord, and a peasant," which requires adopting and portraying different viewpoints. Students are directed to read their commentaries aloud and to discuss the different points of view with a parent. The Parent Plan explicitly lists "Analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the author's purpose in cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts."
Lesson 2
Beetle
Students are taught the difference between first- and third-person point of view in the "Things to Know" section and the Parent Plan lists "Analyze different forms of point of view" and "Contrast points of view" as skills. Students read a first-person poem and answer a specific question asking how the first-person point of view affects the poem compared to third-person. Students also answer questions about the narrator's outlook and what the narrator lacks physically and emotionally, and compare that narrator to Beetle/Brat.
Lesson 5
A Baby
Students are instructed to find specific passive-voice sentences in the novel (Option 1 and Part I of Option 2) and explain why the author used passive voice and whether active voice would work better. The lesson teaches how to recognize passive constructions and gives students steps to convert passive sentences to active ones, including guiding questions about unknown or unimportant agents and emphasis on the action or receiver. The parent-plan answers model explanations that link passive voice to the author's choice to focus attention (e.g., placing focus on the boys or omitting who performed an action).
Lesson 6
The Inn
The lesson explicitly tells students that "Most written medieval recipes that survive today come from wealthier households" and states that the recipes provided "reflect foods that might have been prepared in inns, castles, or the homes of people with more resources," prompting students to consider the perspective of the sources. The Medieval Dishes activity asks students to "consider how the recipes are similar to and different from the meals your family usually makes," which directs students to compare perspectives and recognize that surviving texts may represent particular social viewpoints. The Life Application prompt asks students to consider food availability across socioeconomic levels, encouraging examination of how information and emphasis vary by context.
Lesson 10
Point of View
Students are taught to distinguish first-, second-, and third-person narration and to label third-person narrators as limited or omniscient. Students are asked to place narrators on an objective–subjective spectrum and to decide whether a third-person book reveals one or multiple characters' thoughts. Students practice by locating books/passages, identifying the point of view, and explaining whether perspective shifts between chapters (e.g., identifying alternating first-person narrators in Morning Girl).
Lesson 11
Village Life
Students read monologues written for two voices and are asked to note where the voices' perspectives overlap and differ, prompting comparison of viewpoints. Students read specified pages and complete a 'Cast of Characters' chart, engaging with character perspectives and roles. Discussion prompts ask students to describe differences between Isobel's and Barbary's perspectives and to explain how the author describes the relationship between Jews and Christians, requiring students to summarize the author's portrayal.
Final Project
Life in the Middle Ages Think-Tac-Toe
The Parent Plan lists as a skill to "Analyze different forms of point of view, including first person (LA)." The Unit Test Part III asks students to identify which passage is first person, third-person limited, and third-person omniscient. The Think-Tac-Toe "Book" task requires students to write a review discussing themes and historical accuracy, which asks students to consider how a book presents information.
Unit 3: The Age of Discovery
Lesson 3
European Explorers
Students read pages 20–35 of the assigned text and answer factual questions (for example, explaining why Columbus called the people he encountered "Indians"). Students take the perspective of historical actors by writing a sailor's diary entry or planning/performing a skit that requires them to articulate sailors' motivations, fears, and reasons for supporting or opposing Columbus. Students examine causes and evidence in the text by using the "Spanish Conquest" activity to record clues from pages 26–29 about why Cortés and Pizarro succeeded and by filling in trading cards that note explorers' relationships with native peoples.
Lesson 4
The Consequences of Contact
Students read a historical account (pages 36–51) and answer questions that require evaluating evidence (for example, QUESTION #3 asks why researchers disagree about population estimates, prompting students to consider incomplete or imprecise sources). Students prepare for and conduct a formal debate about Columbus Day, writing three arguments for each side with supporting facts and planning rebuttals, which requires them to identify and use different perspectives and the facts each side includes.
Lesson 6
Galileo
Students read translated primary-source documents related to Galileo (letters, scriptural references, and his recantation) in Activity 3 Option 2 and answer directed questions asking why Kepler thought Galileo should be open about his findings and how Galileo described the relationship between faith and science. Students compare views by answering how the Catholic Church's views differ and by identifying which scriptural references were relevant to the case. In Option 1, students research a modern scientific controversy, collect opinions from others, and write a 200-word letter to the editor taking a clear position.
Unit 3: The Solar System
Lesson 1
The Latest View of Our Solar System
Students read the Foreword by Dr. Owen Gingerich and answer Question #2 asking what he means when he says Copernicus "invented the solar system," requiring them to interpret the author's phrasing and implied meaning. The lesson also directs students to "discover how beliefs about our solar system have changed throughout human history," which prompts consideration of historical perspectives and author viewpoint.
Unit 3: The Prince and the Bard
Lesson 1
Introduction to The Little Prince
Students are asked to analyze word choice in a biography (Question #1 asks why the writer used the word "prestigious" so many times), which prompts attention to loaded language. The skills and activities require students to identify and critique persuasive techniques (promises, dares, flattery, glittering generalities) and to distinguish between fact and opinion. Students collect real advertisements, label their persuasive techniques, write their own ads, and role-play, providing practice identifying language that reveals an author's or speaker's persuasive intent.
Lesson 2
Meeting the Little Prince
Students are asked to "look beyond the text to the main messages and ideas the author is trying to convey" and to think about what the narrator says he talks to adults vs. children, prompting analysis of narrator perspective. Activity 1 asks students to analyze why the author uses parentheses in specific sentences, which requires identifying an authorial choice that affects tone and point of view. Question #4 asks why the narrator shows his drawing to strangers and how he treats them differently based on their reaction, so students must identify the narrator's purpose and attitude toward adults vs. children. The Venn diagram activity has students list what adults and children want to know (including adults' focus on facts and figures), which makes students compare inclusion/avoidance of factual detail as a reflection of perspective.
Lesson 3
The Flower and Other Planets
Students are prompted to compare how the narrator and the little prince view problems in the "Getting Started" section, asking whether each has an adult's or a child's perspective. In the Ellipses activities (Option 2, Part II) students must find instances of ellipses in Chapters I–XII, write the sentence, and explain the use or effect of the ellipses, including discussion of omission and pause. The lesson explicitly shows a "bad or unethical use of ellipses" and asks students to reconstruct passages with ellipses so they must consider how omission changes meaning. In Activity 2 students choose persuasion techniques and craft a short persuasive message, practicing identification and use of rhetorical choices that reveal purpose.
Lesson 4
Earth and Other Planets
Students read Chapters XIII-XX of The Little Prince and answer questions about characters and their motivations, which engages with perspective and interpretation. The lesson prompts students to consider "How do characters persuade or change one another?" and to compare children's and adults' perspectives. In the Two Views activity students write two letters proposing the same solution from a child's and an adult's viewpoint, explicitly practicing different persuasion techniques. The parent guidance and discussion questions name persuasion devices (flattery, facts and figures, glittering generalities) and ask students to identify which techniques they used.
Lesson 6
Saying Goodbye
Students are asked to analyze the narrator's perspective (e.g., questions about why the narrator didn't go with the little prince and why the little prince felt he had to go back) and to list two ways the narrator says he knows the little prince made it home, which asks them to attend to included evidence. The "Persuading the Fox" activity requires students to create a poem or drawing and explain in their own words the little prince's departure and to suggest what else the narrator could say to persuade the fox, which asks students to consider persuasive choices and the narrator's point of view. Students must share a letter explaining why they agree or disagree with the narrator's claim that the little prince made it home, which asks them to evaluate the narrator's assertions using textual details.
Lesson 10
Dreams
Students select and perform passages that focus on themes of love, friendship, or persuasion and then write a short paragraph explaining what the passage says about that theme. Option 2 explicitly asks students to find a section that deals with persuasion and to write a paragraph about how the passage deals with persuasion. Students also discuss with a parent how the section they performed uses the theme of love, friendship, or persuasion, and answer questions about characters' motivations and beliefs.
Lesson 12
Tragic Love
The Parent Plan skills list explicitly asks students to "identify, analyze, and critique persuasive techniques such as promises, dares, flattery, and glittering generalities," which directs students to attend to persuasive language. Activity 2 asks students to create a persuasive message using glittering generalities, flattery, dares, or promises and to choose 2–3 vocabulary words, requiring students to select and use loaded persuasive language. The wrap-up asks students to share and explain which type of persuasive message they used and why they chose particular vocabulary words, prompting reflection on rhetorical choices.
Unit 4: Elizabethan Europe
Lesson 6
Defeating the Spanish Armada
Students are asked to reread and perform Queen Elizabeth's speech (Life Application) and to think about the words and ideas that seem most powerful, which invites attention to rhetorical choices. Question #4 asks students to identify the most powerful line in the speech, prompting analysis of specific language. The parent discussion prompts include asking why the speech was effective, encouraging students to consider the speech's persuasive purpose and effect.
Unit 4: Technological Design
Final Project
Final Exam and Model Bridge
Students are asked to read and evaluate a historical description of da Vinci's camera obscura (Focus 4) by rating Scientific Principles, Risks, Benefits, Constraints/Limitations, and Testing Protocols and providing evidence for those ratings. Students respond to Focus 3 prompts about whether mobile phones are a necessity or luxury, justifying their position and considering how phones help or hurt relationships or save lives. Students use multiple external web sources about bridge types and are required to cite websites and rationale when making engineering presentations, which asks them to defend choices with evidence.
Unit 4: Newton at the Center
Lesson 4
Newton and Motion
The Getting Started section asks students to "consider how a character's or person's perspective affects his or her opinion about an event." The Headliners activity requires students to consider one event from the book from the perspective of two different people and either act out opposing viewpoints or write newspaper headlines from each perspective. The Student Activity Page explicitly directs students to describe the event as in the book and to record two persons' perspectives and headline/topic sentences in separate columns.
Lesson 6
Math and Science Take Flight
Students are asked to read Chapter 21 and to highlight or take notes on information they think may be important, which requires attending to what the author includes. The parent-plan discussion prompts ask students to answer questions about the author's claims (e.g., whether people thought science was a closed field, whether Bernoulli believed that, and what the author says is still to come), requiring students to infer the author's perspective. The skills list asks students to "deliver an oral summary with inferences and conclusions," which asks students to state the author's ideas and their implications aloud.
Unit 5: Modern Europe
Lesson 4
The Low Countries, Germany, and France
The Parent Plan skills state that students will "Examine contrasting perspectives" on environmental problems, which directs students to consider different viewpoints. Option 2 asks students to find three news articles about European environmental issues and write 2-3 sentence summaries, requiring students to read multiple texts from news sources. Option 1 explains that organizations create public relations campaigns to change behavior and asks students to create a persuasive poster, which engages students with author purpose and persuasive intent.
Unit 5: Energy
Final Project
Energy Conservation
Students are instructed to explore a company's or organization's website to see whether it provides or emphasizes information about renewable energy, and to use that finding as the basis for a letter asking for more details. Students are asked to find and include a study or article as evidence when writing to a government office or association. Students gather and present information from utility bills, an energy calculator, and an online home energy assessment, which requires them to notice what facts are included in those sources.
Unit 5: British Poetry
Lesson 2
Voice and Rhyme
Students are prompted to consider the voice or who is speaking in a poem and how the poet's time period is reflected in writing (Getting Started). Students answer a question about how "My Last Duchess" might be different if it included both sides of the conversation, prompting consideration of the effect of a single speaker/monologue. The parent discussion question asks students to compare Elizabeth Barrett Browning's voice in her sonnets with Robert Browning's voice in "My Last Duchess," directing students to notice differences in perspective and narrative stance.
Lesson 3
Graphic Elements
Students are asked to identify graphic elements in Tennyson's "Dedication" that call attention to particular words or phrases (capitalization, punctuation in the middle of a line, varying line length) and to record example lines for each element. Students compare a chosen poetic line to a prose statement about the same event or emotion (Prince Albert biography) and write each on opposite sides of a worksheet to show how the same idea is expressed in poetry and prose. Discussion prompts ask students to consider how the structure of poems communicates meaning and how poetry communicates the same story differently than prose.
Lesson 4
Figurative Language
Students answer questions about tone in Rossetti's poem and identify similes and metaphors in Arnold's "Dover Beach," which requires attending to word choice and imagery. The lesson defines and asks students to consider connotation and to discuss which figurative devices they used when reading and writing poems. Students compare Arnold's and Rossetti's poems in a parent-discussion prompt, noting similarities and differences in subject and feeling.
Lesson 5
Allusions
Students answer direct comprehension questions that ask about authorial perspective and purpose: for Wilfred Owen they answer whether his poems are positive about war and are asked what they show instead, and for Edith Sitwell they explain how the repeated line "Still falls the rain" is supposed to represent ongoing bombing. Students also identify Yeats's use of mythological and biblical allusions in "The Second Coming," noting images the author uses. The Parent Plan skills list asks students to analyze how an author's choice and use of genre shapes meaning, reinforcing analytical focus on author intent.
Lesson 6
Tone
Students read Chapter 9 about Stevie Smith and answer a question that connects the poem "Not Waving But Drowning" to an article about a man who drowned, prompting comparison between the poem and a factual report. Students are prompted (in parent discussion questions) to consider how the original article likely contained more complete information, which addresses inclusion or avoidance of particular facts. Students are asked to consider Smith's tone (noting her light tone vs serious themes) and to compare the poem's form and speakers to Browning's monologue, which encourages noticing how author choices affect meaning.
Lesson 7
Themes
Students answer questions that ask them to infer author motivation and viewpoint, e.g., they explain why W.H. Auden married Erika Mann and what that action reveals about his personality. Students identify the message of "The Unknown Citizen," noting it comments on government, corporations, and media control. Parent-plan discussion questions and wrap-up ask students to identify common themes in Auden's and Thomas' poems and explain what the poems communicate about their era.
Final Project
Autobiography of a Poet
Students review model analyses that explain a poem's main topic, specific images and events, what those images allude to or represent, and what inspired the poems (Activity 6). Students write a two-paragraph analysis of one of their own poems: one paragraph on images/events and one on structure/techniques, and must include dashes or colons to reinforce punctuation. The rubric and autobiography requirement ask students to state purpose and inspiration for their poems, and the autobiography asks students to explain why they chose particular issues as poetic subjects.
1: Semester 1
Unit 1: Revolution
Lesson 1
Founding of the Colonies
The lesson asks students to be active viewers by asking questions such as "Where did the film's writers get their information?" and to "think about the craft of film-making" and why directors and editors made particular choices. It prompts students to pause, take notes on things they want to investigate further, and discuss specific persuasive imagery (for example, asking how Revere's engraving of the Boston Massacre figured into the move toward revolution). The Parent Plan repeatedly encourages watching with a "critical eye" and discussing why the documentary presented events in particular ways.
Lesson 2
Southern Colonies
The lesson explicitly asks students to consider multiple perspectives in Activity 1, noting that historians consult sources from different sides and that surviving accounts (European ones) may contain bias or be incomplete. Students read Barlowe's 1584 account and are directed to rewrite the scene as a 2-3 paragraph diary entry or letter from the point of view of an American Indian participant, considering what facts or intentions each side might emphasize or omit. In the Day 2 activities and the "Coming to America" Venn diagram, students compare Equiano's account with Mayflower accounts, noting differences in facts (forced vs. chosen passage, conditions aboard ships) that reflect differing viewpoints and purposes in the texts.
Lesson 3
The Middle and Northern Colonies
Students create a word cloud from the Mayflower Compact and answer guided questions asking which words stand out and what ideas were most important to the men who signed it. Students complete an interpretation question asking how the visual representation helped analyze the document. In Option 2, students write their own compact, explicitly stating purpose and intended actions.
Lesson 7
Independence
Students examine Jefferson's rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, note text deleted by Congress (strikethrough) and text added (bracketed italics), choose 3–5 significantly revised sections, propose edits, and explain reasons for those changes on an activity page. Students read Patrick Henry's "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death," select the most powerful paragraph, rehearse and perform it, and discuss why that paragraph is powerful and what listeners might have thought afterward, focusing on emotional impact and persuasive wording.
Final Project
Living History
Students are instructed to adopt and portray a specific colonial or revolutionary-era individual (rubric criteria: presentation perspective/point of view) and to plan parts of a presentation that include a statement about whether the character would support independence with at least three specific reasons. Students must develop a point of view as a soldier returning home or as a colonial resident and research facts to support that perspective. Students are also required to answer audience questions and to use props/images to illustrate their chosen perspective.
Unit 1: Abigail Adams
Lesson 1
Getting to Know Abigail Adams
Students examine front and back matter (cover, table of contents, foreword, bibliography, chronology) and answer prompts about how the foreword helps them understand the book and why it might be important. Students evaluate chapter titles and are asked to write what they think other authors might emphasize in books about Abigail Adams, and they are prompted to generate questions about the subject before reading. The unit includes the guiding question "What is the purpose of biography and how can biographies influence and inspire readers?" and asks students to consider how the availability of primary sources influences historical writing.
Lesson 2
John and Abigail Adams
Students are asked to evaluate the validity and reliability of sources for Chapters 3 and 4 (Question #4) and to use endnotes and the bibliography to identify where the author found quotations, so they practice judging an author's sourcing. The lesson's "Ideas to Think About" and discussion prompts ask students to consider how the availability of primary sources influences historical writing and what a biographer might include about daily life versus political events. The paragraph-analysis activities require students to identify topic sentences, supporting sentences, and concluding observations, which practices finding an author's main point and how sentences support that purpose.
Lesson 3
Unrest and War
Students must choose passive-voice clauses from the assigned readings and explain why the author used the passive voice (Option 2, Part II), directly asking them to identify an authorial choice that affects emphasis and possibly conceals actors. Students analyze Paul Revere's engraving and are asked to state an argument about what the artist might have thought, supporting that claim with 2–3 specific examples, which requires identifying aspects of the image that reveal point of view. Discussion prompts ask students to evaluate whether the author balances Abigail Adams's personal life and historical context, prompting students to consider inclusion or avoidance of facts and the author's purpose.
Lesson 5
Remember the Ladies
Students read Abigail and John Adams's letters and complete activities that ask them to note how much of a letter the biographer quoted and what point the author was attempting to convey using those selections. Students answer explicit analysis questions such as "What is the point of view or bias?" and compare their own notes on the full letter to the way the biography's author used excerpts. Students also complete tasks asking whether parts of the letter the student found interesting were omitted, prompting attention to inclusion or avoidance of facts.
Lesson 7
Education
Students are asked to find a news article about girls' education and select a 4–6 sentence paragraph to analyze. They complete a Paragraph Analysis page that asks them to determine the role of each sentence using prompts such as "States the main point," "Supplies background information," "Explains...", and "Provides transition." The lesson's guiding questions also invite attention to paragraph structure and how authors craft persuasive writing.
Lesson 8
Genre
Students read Chapters 15–16 of a nonfiction biography and answer questions that require extracting reasons and impressions from the text (e.g., why Tyler was unsuitable, Abigail's impression of Paris, why an engagement ended). In Activity 2 students must write a paragraph that "summarizes the scene ... based solely on known facts" and then choose a genre to rewrite the scene, explicitly distinguishing factual summary from fictionalized retelling. The lesson's discussion prompts ask students to consider how an author's choice of genre influences decisions and the resulting literary work.
Lesson 9
The Vice Presidency
Students read primary-source letters between Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson and are asked to note what the writers discuss and what impression each letter writer gives (polite, funny, smart, rude, intellectual, political). Students write a diary entry from Abigail Adams's point of view, practicing adopting and expressing an author's or narrator's perspective. Students answer comprehension questions that require inferring motives and influence, such as why John Adams feared he might not be elected vice president.
Lesson 12
Remembering Abigail Adams
Students are asked to consider "How do authors make choices about what to include and what to leave undiscussed in nonfiction writing?" and to read chapters 23–24 of the biography, which prompts reflection on content. In the 'Remembering Abigail Adams' activity students must write a eulogy or obituary or design a memorial, tasks that require them to choose which facts and themes to include about Abigail Adams.
Final Project
A One-Person Play
Students are asked to consider "How do authors make choices about what to include and what to leave undiscussed in nonfiction writing?," prompting them to think about author choices. The unit test Part 2 paragraph-analysis questions require students to identify Abigail Adams's stance on education for girls, select supporting evidence, and evaluate the role of a quoted sentence, which asks them to infer author perspective and purpose. The project requires students to quote from at least one primary source and to cite relevant sources on planning pages, so students must attend to how source selection and inclusion shape an account.
Unit 2: Civics
Lesson 1
The Origins of American Government
Students are asked to read primary-source texts (Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, English Bill of Rights, Articles of Confederation) and to sort or highlight passages into categories of limits, rights, and responsibilities, explaining whose powers or duties are being defined. Option 2 requires students to highlight passages by purpose and be prepared to explain why they chose each passage. The Articles of Confederation activity explicitly asks students to answer "What purpose does this part of the document serve?" for each section.
Lesson 2
The Constitutional Convention
Students read Federalist No. 10 (or watch a video about The Federalist Papers) and use a graphic organizer to analyze the idea of factions and the arguments Federalists made. Students research Federalists and Anti-Federalists, summarize their biographies and connections to Federalism, and answer questions comparing arguments for and against ratification. Students compose and deliver a 30-second Anti-Federalist speech, requiring them to adopt and articulate an author's point of view and provide a specific example of concerns about the Constitution.
Lesson 3
The Constitution of the United States
Students are asked to determine the purpose of each section of the Constitution (Activity 1) and to note at least two key points per section, and the materials explicitly state that "The Preamble states the purpose of the Constitution." Option 2 asks students to read source documents and prompts questions such as "Do you notice any significant changes between the ideas in the source documents and the way they are expressed in the Bill of Rights?" Activity 2 (Option 1) has students match scenarios to specific amendments, requiring them to link text content to real-world purposes and protections.
Lesson 4
The Executive Branch
Students read George Washington's First Inaugural and Farewell Addresses and are asked interpretive questions (e.g., Q1 asks what Washington meant by a quoted passage; Q3 asks why he decided not to retire; Q4 asks students to identify his most important message). The instructions suggest reading the documents aloud to get a better feel for their contents, which prompts attention to tone and intent. Activities require students to explain Washington's intentions and messages in their own words.
Lesson 9
Citizenship
Students use political party websites to identify and summarize each party's positions on issues (Activity 2, Option 1), and they are asked to "notice the kinds of things that the party says it wants to do" and create bumper-sticker slogans that reflect party stands (Activity 2, Option 2). Students research news sources and summarize facts about an issue for an "Issue Analysis" (Activity 3), and they summarize positions of the president, senators, governor, and others as part of their action plan (Action Plan pages).
Unit 2: Animal Farm
Lesson 1
What Is a Theme?
Students read the material surrounding the novel (front and back cover, author biography, preface/foreword/introduction, table of contents) and answer questions about what they learned from those sections. Students respond to prompts such as "What did you learn about the author?" and "What did you learn from the preface, introduction, and/or foreword?" which require them to infer author information and reasons for writing. Students describe how cover art and review excerpts shape expectations by answering questions about cover art and the best review excerpts.
Lesson 2
Major's Dream
Students read Chapter 1 and answer directed questions that require identifying how Major characterizes life on the farm, where he places blame, and what he proposes as a solution. In Activity 2, students choose an adjective for each character and provide an example from the book or an author description that led them to that adjective. The lesson's "Ideas to Think About" prompt asks students to consider how authors use characters, settings, and plots to develop powerful themes, linking textual elements to authorial intent.
Lesson 3
The Rebellion
Students are asked to analyze themes of leadership and government (Activity 2) by comparing characters' leadership qualities and by comparing the Seven Commandments to the Bill of Rights, which requires citing specific examples from the text to support claims. The Parent Plan and activity prompts ask students to determine a theme or central idea and to analyze how central characters' qualities influence the theme and the resolution of conflict. The materials highlight characters' persuasive roles (e.g., Squealer described as "great at making a persuasive argument") and ask students to explain why certain rules might or might not work, encouraging consideration of the text's message about power and governance.
Lesson 4
Work on the Farm
Students read Chapter 3 and answer questions that ask them to explain the pigs' justification for taking the milk and apples and to describe the farm's flag and its symbolism, which requires attention to author choices that signal purpose. In Activity 1 students compare work before and after the rebellion, citing specific examples from the text about who did the work and who benefited, prompting inference about the author's portrayal of power and outcomes. The Parent Plan lists skills asking students to determine themes and analyze how characters influence theme, which directs students to analyze authorial development of ideas.
Lesson 6
Comrade Napoleon
The lesson defines satire and states that George Orwell intended Animal Farm to be a satire of the Russian Revolution, and it asks students to consider "What do you think Orwell is trying to say about the leaders of the Russian Revolution?" Student activity pages require students to make connections between characters (e.g., Napoleon, Snowball) and historical figures and to provide "specific evidence that leads to that connection." The parent guidance models a critical interpretation of Orwell's purpose (e.g., arguing that he was critical of leaders as greedy, corrupt, and uncaring).
Lesson 7
Changes on the Farm
Students are prompted to consider how authors use characters, settings, and plots to develop themes in the "Ideas to Think About" section, which directs them to think about authorial choices. Activity 1 asks students to describe leadership styles and to "interpret Orwell's intentions regarding leadership," requiring students to infer author purpose from characterization and plot. Question 4 asks students to explain why Squealer is often accompanied by dogs, prompting students to identify a narrative detail that reveals how Orwell portrays intimidation and control.
Lesson 8
The End of the Rebellion
Students read Chapter 7 of Animal Farm and answer questions that ask them to explain why the animals tried to hide a food shortage and whether Napoleon might be inventing Snowball's treachery, prompting students to evaluate the narrator/characters' motives and possible manipulation. In Activity 1, students write from Napoleon's perspective and are explicitly asked to use persuasive techniques and appeals to emotion, logic, or duty, practicing how an author's point of view and purpose shapes language. In Activity 2, students compare two sample letters, identify which is friendly vs. business, and are asked (in the parent notes) to point to specific portions of the samples that helped them decide, which requires analyzing tone and purpose in texts.
Lesson 9
The Battle of the Windmill
Students are asked to evaluate how often claims about Frederick and Snowball are backed up with credible evidence (Question #2), prompting them to note the absence of supporting facts and the presence of reassurance and intimidation. Students analyze how animals close to Napoleon reinforce his leadership through speeches, titles, poems, and protective behavior (Question #1), which directs attention to persuasive techniques and purpose. The materials explicitly tell students to focus on tone and ask them to consider how personification changes meaning, encouraging examination of language choices that reveal authorial intent.
Lesson 10
Boxer's Fate
Students are asked to "think critically about what Orwell might be trying to tell his readers" and to write 1-2 sentences describing the theme Orwell was trying to convey (Activity 2 and Plot Diagram instructions). The Parent Plan and Option 2 descriptions prompt students to consider the "power of propaganda or language to encourage loyalty (for example, the use of songs, slogans, the commandments, and speeches in the book)." The Skills section requires students to "cite textual evidence" and to "analyze and evaluate themes and central ideas," which directs students to use text details to support interpretations about author intent.
Lesson 11
The Farmers Pay a Visit
Students document how the Seven Commandments change over time by filling in a table and answering questions about that process, showing attention to which facts are recorded, altered, or omitted. Students are asked to cite textual evidence to support analyses and to revise their plot diagram and theme ideas based on the text. Students write a paragraph applying themes to historical or modern situations and explicitly address what Orwell would want readers to know, prompting inference about author purpose.
Final Project
Animal Farm Letter
Students are asked to determine themes and analyze their development (Skills: "Determine a theme or central idea... and analyze its development") and to "cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis". Students are prompted to write letters to the author or between characters explaining themes and to provide supporting examples (Activity 2, sample outline, and rubric "Ideas" criterion). The unit wrap-up asks students to consider why Animal Farm is assigned and its impact, which encourages thinking about author purpose.
Unit 3: The Antebellum West
Lesson 2
The Early Presidents
Students read primary-source speeches (Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address and John Quincy Adams's Independence Day speech) and either match provided summaries to paragraphs or write their own paragraph-by-paragraph summaries. Students answer analytic questions such as "Why do you think Jefferson emphasized the need... to heal from political divisions?" and "What do you think Jefferson meant by ‘We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists?'" In the comparison activity, students are asked to "write down words used by the author to describe the nation," evaluate whether each speech is persuasive, note similarities and differences, and choose which speaker seems the more impressive or persuasive. These tasks require students to notice author word choice and to make inferences about author purpose and viewpoint.
Lesson 3
The Beginnings of Westward Expansion
Students are asked to read Daniel Boone's own account and answer questions such as "What kind of person does Daniel Boone present himself as in this account?" and to choose adjectives that describe Boone and his experiences. Students must create a movie poster based on Boone's account and justify choices (title, tagline, image, actor) and discuss why Boone might have wanted his story remembered. Parent-plan discussion prompts explicitly ask students to consider "How do you think Boone wanted his story remembered? Do you think that version is the whole truth, or are there other possible ways of seeing Boone's story?"
Lesson 5
The War of 1812
Students read four short essays presenting American, British, Canadian, and Native Nations perspectives and are directed to compare those perspectives using a chart with guided questions about motives, responses, and outcomes. In Option 1 students write a movie review that explicitly asks, "Was the film biased towards any perspective?" and other questions about representation. In Activity 3 students read bolded passages of the Monroe Doctrine and are asked to summarize those passages in their own words, focusing on the document's main ideas and purpose.
Lesson 6
The Trail of Tears
Students read and summarize primary-source texts (Andrew Jackson's Second Annual Message, General Winfield Scott's ultimatum, Chief John Ross's letter, and Ralph Waldo Emerson's letter) and are instructed to record at least four justifications for removal and four objections in their own words. The lesson provides direct quotations from Jackson that reveal his framing of American Indians (e.g., 'savage hunters', 'their own rude institutions', 'perhaps utter annihilation') and asks students to use an activity page to list arguments and counterarguments. Students also evaluate perspectives in role-based scenarios (the young settler, the Cherokee farmer, the Quaker, the soldier), which requires them to identify the purposes and viewpoints behind different positions.
Lesson 7
Border Conflict and the Mexican War
Students read John C. Frémont's description of California and answer a question noting he used romantic terms and portrayed Mexican forces as weak, indicating awareness of the author's tone and viewpoint. Students read Enrique Esparza's firsthand account, select a direct quote, and write an explanatory sentence about what his memories convey about the Alamo, practicing interpretation of a narrator's perspective. Students view two paintings about Manifest Destiny and answer questions that require them to infer what the artist was trying to say, identify which aspects of the art convey that message, and imagine how a critic might present a different point of view.
Lesson 9
Life in the Mid-Nineteenth Century West
The Image Analysis activity asks students to consider why a photograph was taken and "What story was he or she trying to tell?," prompting students to infer a creator's purpose from visual evidence. Option 2 (Creative Writing) asks students to write from the perspective of the photographer or a person in the image, which requires students to adopt and articulate an intent or point of view. The image activity pages also prompt students to describe setting, objects, and people, which supports drawing conclusions about the photographer's purpose and perspective.
Unit 3: Einstein Adds a New Dimension
Lesson 1
Expository Writing
Students are asked to read the book jacket and underline phrases that indicate narrative writing and circle phrases that indicate expository writing, then decide whether the book uses narrative, expository, or both (Activity 3). The materials state that an introduction/preface typically describes why an author wrote a book, and students examine front matter elements to find that information (Activity 1). Students are taught that expository writing's main goal is to inform and practice categorizing types of expository writing (Activity 2).
Lesson 2
Descriptive Writing
Students read the dedication and introductory pages and answer explicit comprehension questions asking to whom the author dedicated the book (Question #1) and why the author says she wrote the book (Question #2). The lesson's "Ideas to Think About" prompts students to consider the purpose of expository writing, and students are directed to notice author-intended audience and purpose when reading the book's front matter.
Lesson 3
The Curies' Discoveries
Students are prompted to consider "What is the purpose of expository writing?" and to think about author intent in the Ideas to Think About section. Students practice determining central ideas and summarizing content in the Parent Plan skills and in the note-taking activities (Option 1 and 2) where they identify important facts, main concepts, and bolded or sidebar information. Students also annotate and highlight text and write definitions in their own words, which requires attention to word choice and how information is presented.
Lesson 5
Envisioning Fission
The Parent Plan lists a skill that asks students to "utilize elements that demonstrate the reliability and validity of the sources used (e.g., publication date, coverage, language, point of view) and explain why one source is more useful and relevant than another." The Internet Research activity asks students to evaluate web pages for credibility, accuracy, understandability, and to decide whether each site would be appropriate for a formal research paper (including a prompt about who writes Wikipedia entries). The Activities prompt students to distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment, and speculation in a text.
Lesson 7
Relativity
Students are asked to "examine the importance of word choice" and complete Activity 2, which has them critique two versions of technical writing and identify problems like lack of concision and unnamed tools. Students must "determine what the audience... already knows and what terms he or she will need defined" when designing a poster and are required to use and define domain-specific vocabulary. The vocabulary activity has students look up and explain technical terms, encouraging attention to precise language and how word choice affects meaning.
Final Project
Research Paper
Students read a student research paper and are instructed to underline the thesis, double-underline topic sentences, circle transition words, and record whether the author uses quotations, paraphrases, or both. They identify the paper's problem and the three solutions the author explores, and a parent note explicitly points out that the author does not evaluate which solution is best. The skills list also includes determining central ideas and distinguishing among facts, reasoned judgment, and speculation.
Unit 4: Antebellum America
Lesson 2
The Rise of Capitalism
Students read Andrew Jackson's veto message (primary text) and are instructed to copy the text and create a word cloud, then answer which words stood out and what big issues were in Jackson's mind. Students complete a sorting activity that asks them to place statements into "Supporters" or "Opponents" columns, using claims from essays and the veto text to distinguish perspectives. Reading questions ask students to explain why Jackson objected to the Bank, prompting inference about Jackson's purpose and motives.
Lesson 3
Technology and Infrastructure
Students read Chapter 18 and a firsthand account (Gene Schermerhorn) and are asked to consider the positive and negative aspects of city life, which requires comparing perspectives. Students must write a first-person letter or diary entry from an antebellum resident or mill girl, adopting an authorial viewpoint and explaining reasons for their evaluations. Students design a recruitment advertisement for Erie Canal workers that requires them to state the project's purpose, persuade an audience, and present risks and benefits.
Lesson 4
Immigration and Migration
Students examine 19th-century images of the Great Famine and are asked to "think about what the artist or photographer was trying to convey," then write a poem that captures the emotions the image conveys. Students read first-person accounts (Allen Jay and Maria Weems) and plan a dramatic oral presentation retelling the story from the subject's point of view, including choosing important events and conveying emotion and significance in their delivery. The map activity has students work with census data and an answer key, which requires them to interpret and represent numerical information about immigrant origins.
Lesson 5
Education and Women's Rights
Students are asked to interpret Sojourner Truth's repeated question "A'n't I a woman?" (Question #4), which requires them to identify the speaker's purpose and point of view. The "Ideas to Think About" prompts ask students to consider how regional differences shape world views, prompting analysis of perspective. The Parent Plan lists examining biographies, writings, and speeches of reformers, which directs students to read primary texts that can reveal an author's purpose.
Lesson 6
Art and Literature
Students are asked to interpret Herman Melville's remark about dating his life at twenty-five (Question #1), which asks them to infer an author's perspective on life experience. Students compare the poetic styles of Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson (Question #2), identifying differences in voice and form that relate to authorial choices. In Activity 1, Option 1, students identify Emerson's ideas and find three examples in poems that illustrate Transcendentalist values, requiring them to locate themes that reflect author purpose.
Lesson 7
The Agrarian Economy and Slavery
Students are instructed to read pro-slavery writing by James Henry Hammond and write down Hammond's reasons for defending slavery, then choose two of his points to refute and craft a 2–3 minute speech responding to those arguments. Students are directed to read and compare two slave narratives and list three interesting details from each, note what they learned, and identify similarities and differences between the accounts. Several activities ask students to summarize perspectives (e.g., how the cotton gin affected different groups and comparing abolitionist vs. pro-slavery arguments), requiring students to identify viewpoints and reasons in source texts.
Lesson 8
Building Tensions
Students read chapters of Joy Hakim's A History of US and answer questions about key events and positions (e.g., Republican opposition to expansion, popular sovereignty, Dred Scott) that require distinguishing different historical perspectives. In Activity 2, students read and summarize arguments for and against allowing slavery in new territories on a two-column activity page and identify who might have held each position. Students then create a sign or flyer that condenses a chosen side's main argument into a slogan, which requires them to articulate and represent a particular viewpoint.
Final Project
A Poster Session
Students are asked to pull out 2–3 quotes from speeches, note the speaker and the region they came from, and place those quotations under the heading "Politics," which requires locating primary-source language and attributing viewpoint. Students prepare brief summaries and answer questions about tensions and differences between the North and South, and the rubric requires that questions be answered thoughtfully and accurately. Unit test short-answer prompts ask students to explain who benefited from or was harmed by particular technologies, which requires students to consider perspectives and effects of historical developments.
Unit 4: Biochemistry
Lesson 8
Intake and Health
Students are asked in Activity 2 Option 2 (Alcohol and Advertising) to identify the "Target Audience" and the "Ad Strategy" for multiple alcohol ads and to describe what is happening in each ad. The activity's chart and the follow-up questions prompt students to note who is portrayed in the ads and how the ads encourage alcohol consumption. Parent-plan notes summarize trends for students to notice (e.g., ads portray drinkers as fun, sophisticated, targeted to young males), reinforcing analysis of purpose and persuasive strategies.
Unit 4: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Lesson 1
Introduction to Mark Twain and the Novel
Students are asked to analyze dialect and its social effects (Activity 4) by watching a video and answering whether Twain is promoting stereotypes and how sound evokes judgments. The Parent Plan and Skills list explicitly require students to "analyze the purpose of information... and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political)" and to "analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone." Journal prompts ask students to consider "what attitudes toward society does Mark Twain reveal" and to trace how characters and themes mirror the political and social era.
Lesson 2
Point of View
Students read Chapters 3–7 of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and are asked to observe the pronouns Mark Twain uses to determine the author's narrative point of view. Students study definitions and examples of 1st, 2nd, 3rd (limited, omniscient, objective) on activity pages and complete practice items that require identifying which narrative perspective an author is using. Students compare character perspectives (Huck, Jim, Tom, Widow Douglas, Pap) through a sketching exercise and journal questions that ask them to cite dialogue and behavior as evidence of a character's point of view.
Lesson 3
What is Narrative Writing I
Students analyze authors' word choice and dialogue (e.g., discussion of Twain's use of the "n word" and how word choice impacts reader feelings). Students examine quotes from Huck, Pap, and Jim and record what those quotes reveal about characters' feelings and perspectives. Students practice distinguishing showing versus telling and use dialogue and dialect to convey viewpoint in their own writing.
Lesson 5
Expository Writing
The Getting Started section asks students to consider Mark Twain's purpose in writing Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, prompting students to think about author purpose. Activity 1 asks students to listen to passages and decide whether each selection is expository, narrative, or persuasive, using questions that focus on a passage's purpose (e.g., Does this selection try to persuade you? Is this passage giving you information?). The compare/contrast writing task requires students to support claims about Huck and Jim with evidence from the text, which has students locate textual details that could reflect author choices.
Lesson 6
The Power of Persuasion
Students read and analyze a model persuasive essay and explicitly answer questions identifying the writer's thesis, how the writer begins, the three reasons given, and the type of evidence used for each reason. Students read the "Dogs Are Better Pets Than Cats" example and are asked to notice and practice specific persuasive techniques (reason, emotion, beliefs, repetition, similes/metaphors, problems/solutions, storytelling). Students practice producing sentences that use logic, emotional appeals, explanations, problem/solution structure, stories, and figurative language to see how authors use those techniques to persuade.
Lesson 7
Persuasive Writing
Students are asked to read Chapters 22–25 and support answers with quotes, which requires using textual evidence to explain character portrayal (e.g., Huck's changing view of Jim). Activity 1 (The Word Choice Debate) asks students to evaluate whether to replace the n-word with "slave," read an article about the debate, and use a thesis with two reasons and a combination of evidence to persuade the reader, directly engaging them in analyzing the impact of word choice and inclusion/avoidance. The Parent Plan explicitly lists the skill "analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone," indicating the lesson expects students to consider how particular words affect interpretation.
Lesson 8
Hiding the Money
The lesson repeatedly asks students to examine writing to determine its purpose and type (e.g., Ideas to Think About: "By carefully examining the writing around us, we can identify the style and purpose of the author"). The Introducing the Lesson section instructs students to analyze a collection of literary works and decide which category each belongs to (narrative, persuasive, or expository) and to create collages showing those categories. The Parent Plan Skills explicitly state students will "identify their purpose and type" through short research projects and analysis.
Lesson 9
Irony
Students read chapters of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and identify and categorize examples of irony from the text (e.g., the Widow Douglas considering herself civilized while owning slaves; the audience and Huck knowing the duke and king are fake while Jim does not). Students complete activities that ask them to analyze instances of verbal, situational, and dramatic irony and to explain how using this technique impacts a story. The materials prompt students to record examples from videos and the novel and to create their own examples, reinforcing close reading of ironic passages.
Lesson 10
Figures of Speech
Students read Chapters 33–36 of Huckleberry Finn and complete a "Figurative Language in the Novel" page where they identify types of figurative language Mark Twain uses. Students complete activities that require underlining puns, idioms, hyperbole, similes, and oxymorons and interpreting their meanings in context (e.g., Fred's letter and novel expressions). Students are prompted to "identify how Mark Twain has used them in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and how their use impacts the reader." Discussion prompts ask students how figurative language "enhances a story" and how the story might differ without figurative language or dialect.
Lesson 11
Mark Twain's Influence
Students are asked to interpret Hemingway's quote about Twain and to explain in writing what that quote means, which requires considering authorial significance. Students analyze Twain's use of figurative language, dialect, and dialogue (Activity 1) and are prompted to note dialect and figurative language in slave narratives and compare them to Jim (Activity 2). The Parent Plan lists a skill to "Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats ... and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation," which implies evaluation of purpose and motive.
Final Project
Cultural Biography
Students are asked to write 2-3 sentences describing a character's point of view on life on the cultural biography poster and to create sides of a story block that reflect the point of view in which the text was written as well as Huck's and Jim's points of view. The unit test requires students to write sentences in first, second, and third-person points of view and includes reflective questions asking what readers learn about society and hypocrisy from the novel. Students are also asked to copy a sentence or two from a persuasive paragraph they developed about substituting the word "slave" in the book, which engages them with language choices.
Unit 5: Civil War
Lesson 1
Sectional Differences
Students read primary excerpts (Lincoln's "House Divided" and a speech by Douglas) and complete a two-column chart comparing each man's responses to key questions about slavery, which requires identifying each speaker's point of view. Students research one of four politicians and write a short letter either supporting or opposing his actions, which asks them to adopt and express another person's perspective and summarize that person's position. In Option 2, students match stakeholder statements to the politician whose views align with them, practicing identification of differing viewpoints and interests.
Lesson 2
Moving Toward War
Students read a section of McPherson's Fields of Fury and answer questions about Lincoln's views on secession and why southerners opposed his election, requiring them to interpret the author's account of events. In the Webster vs. Calhoun activity, students summarize and evaluate two opposing perspectives on federal vs. state power after reading primary summaries and biographies. In the Secession activity, students list reasons for and against two causal interpretations (Slavery vs. States' Rights) and evaluate which argument they find more convincing using evidence they collected.
Lesson 3
The Start of the War
Students read Jefferson Davis's inaugural address and are instructed to summarize the meaning of each paragraph in their own words, which requires them to interpret the speaker's statements (Activity 1). Students read excerpts from Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural address and complete a comparison activity in which they decide which speech would appeal to various historical figures and write brief explanations for each choice (Activity 2). An explicit example asks students to note that Davis "asserts the Confederacy's desire to remain independent," prompting students to identify a speaker's stated purpose or position.
Unit 5: Microbiology and Cell Theory
Lesson 6
Understanding Microbes
Activity 2 asks students to use Internet research from multiple named sources (e.g., ASU "Are Viruses Alive?", SERC, Virus Q&A) to compare viewpoints and then decide whether viruses are living or nonliving. The activity directs students to consider different opinions, gather evidence, and "give reasoning behind your choice," and the Student Activity Page prompts students to state a conclusion and reasons. The Reading and Questions section also directs students to consult multiple web resources and videos and to use information from them to answer questions about viruses.
Unit 5: Elijah of Buxton
Lesson 1
Introduction to the Novel
Students research Christopher Paul Curtis's life and answer specific questions about his prior job, feelings about that job, why he began writing, and people who influenced him (Activity 3 student activity page). Students explore historical context of Buxton and read the author's note and background material to connect the author's experiences with the novel (Getting Started, Wrapping Up, Activity 4). Students are prompted to reflect on how the author's life experiences have affected his writing (Parent Plan and Getting to Know activity prompts).
Lesson 2
The Preacher
Students read juxtaposed passages by George Fitzhugh and Frederick Douglass and answer questions comparing the two authors' views. Students are asked to circle vivid adjectives in Douglass's passage and underline the verb repeated most often ("whip/whipped") and to explain why repetition strengthens his account. Students must evaluate whether Douglass's account is persuasive and identify features (strong vivid verbs/adjectives, repetition, personal examples) that reveal his purpose to expose the evils of slavery.
Lesson 4
Tone and Mood
The lesson defines tone as the author's or speaker's attitude and states that tone is communicated largely by an author's choice of words. Students are asked to identify the tone Elijah uses in specific events and to cite "words that created that tone" on activity pages. Students complete mood charts that require naming the reader's mood and listing the "words or images that made you feel that way." The Accounts of Slavery activity asks students to read quotes and images and write words or phrases explaining what they learned about the experience of being a slave.
Lesson 5
Colorful Language
Students identify and analyze precise word choices, sensory language, and figurative language in Chapters 9–10 (Activities 1 and 2 ask them to note vivid verbs, sensory details, and figures of speech). Students complete exercises labeling similes, metaphors, hyperbole, idioms, puns, and personification and explain how those choices create vivid images. Students are asked to support an opinion about whether the conjurer's act was a flimflam by citing evidence from the text in the discussion questions.
Lesson 6
Symbolism
Students practice noticing and choosing specific words in the "Precise Language" activities where they revise song lyrics and replace general words with more precise ones, and they are instructed to use a thesaurus to select descriptive language. Students analyze meaning beyond the literal in the "Symbolism" activity by explaining the symbolic value of items (Liberty Bell, Emma's doll, Mr. Taylor's dagger) and by linking symbols to community values and individual meaning. The Parent Plan also asks students to discuss why Elijah quotes Frederick Douglass and how characters show kindness, prompting consideration of the author's portrayal of newly freed slaves.
Lesson 10
Allusions and Authors
Students are directed to analyze allusions found in Elijah of Buxton by writing 2–3 sentence explanations of an allusion's origin and its connection to the book, including specific tasks linking scenes to biblical passages (e.g., feeding of the five thousand, Jericho, Liberty Bell, den of vipers). Students read and discuss a Q&A with Christopher Paul Curtis and are asked to reflect on his life and role as the author. The parent/skills notes instruct students to discuss effects of literary devices such as allusion, flashback, irony, and symbolism.
Lesson 11
Story Reflections
Students are asked directly to consider how the author shaped reader responses: the discussion question asks, "How did the author set the stage for you to have these responses?" and the parent note explicitly states the author used "descriptive language, powerful action, and even unexpected humor." Activity 2 asks students to use specific examples from the book to explain the impact on them, which requires noticing author choices that produced those effects.
Final Project
Personal Narrative
Students are asked to explain the difference between mood and tone and whether they are the same, which requires them to consider an author's attitude. Students answer a question identifying an allusion and explaining why an author might use one, and they complete exercises labeling figures of speech and literary devices. The rubric and writing tasks require students to establish a first-person voice, maintain tone, create mood, and identify how themes are developed with examples from the text.
2: Semester 2
Unit 1: History of Your State
Final Project
A Warm Welcome
Students are asked in the Life Application to visit welcome centers and note "How is your state presented -- as progressive and technologically advanced? As historic and stately? As rich in natural beauty and opportunities for outdoor adventure?", which prompts them to observe an author's/presenter's purpose and slant. In Part 2 and the project options, students must choose which geographic, historical, and cultural facts and images to include or emphasize in a mural or video, requiring them to make choices about what information to include for a target audience. The rubrics for the mural and video require students to present information and a concluding invitation that reflect particular emphases, reinforcing selection and presentation decisions.
Unit 1: The House of the Scorpion
Lesson 1
Cloning
Students practice identifying persuasive strategies (pathos, ethos, kairos, facts/numbers, expert appeal) in Activity 3 by highlighting and labeling techniques and by identifying the author's argument, counterargument, and rebuttal. The lesson includes explicit instruction and examples on rhetorical devices and tone (PowerPoint on persuasive techniques, sample paragraphs, and parent guidance that labels pathos/ethos/facts/big names). The rubric and activities require students to differentiate fact from opinion and to analyze how authors achieve their purposes in persuasive texts.
Lesson 4
Rhetorical and Logical Fallacies
Students learn definitions of loaded terms, caricature, leading questions, false assumptions, and incorrect premises and practice identifying them. Students read the persuasive essay "Human Cloning" and mark instances of those techniques by underlining specific phrases in assigned colors. Students create advertisements that deliberately use at least three rhetorical or logical fallacies, practicing how such devices reveal an author's persuasive intent.
Lesson 5
Arguing the Issue
Students read two persuasive essays about cloning and use the "Arguing the Issue" activity page to record each author's main arguments and to identify logical and rhetorical fallacies. The provided answer guide lists specific examples of loaded terms, leading questions, and false assumptions from the texts for students to recognize. Students also play a game that requires them to generate and apply fallacies (loaded terms, caricatures, leading questions, false assumptions, incorrect premises), reinforcing identification of rhetorical language that reveals viewpoint.
Lesson 6
Societal Comparisons
Students read Chapters 16–18 and answer specific comprehension questions that require citing plot details (for example, Furball's death, discovery of surveillance cameras, and the eejits' living conditions). Students complete a Comparing Societies organizer in which they record similarities and differences between Opium and the United States and discuss who holds power, what is legal, and how human rights differ. Students are asked to consider and discuss "what warning" the book offers and to identify the author's commentary (for example, on cloning, power, and the drug trade), and the Parent Plan explicitly notes that students should "cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis."
Lesson 7
One-Act Play
Students are prompted in the Parent Plan to discuss why the author chose the name Esperanza and to consider her role as an exposer of truth and advocate, asking them to infer authorial intent. The "Ideas to Think About" section invites students to reflect on themes such as "speaking out for the rights of others," which connects to author purpose. Reading comprehension questions and the wrap-up ask students to consider characters' motives and the effects of events (for example, the cliffhanger), which can lead students to think about why the author shaped the narrative.
Lesson 8
Family Crest
Students design an El Patrón family crest by choosing a character trait, colors, shapes, symbols, and a motto to communicate that attribute, requiring them to think about how a character is portrayed. Discussion prompts ask students to explain how terms like "Mi Vida" apply to different characters and to analyze Tam Lin's statement about clones versus Matt's experience, prompting consideration of perspective and representation. The vocabulary activity has students determine word meanings from context for charged words such as "aristocrat," "lackey," and "purgatory," which exposes students to connotative language and word choice that can reflect viewpoint.
Lesson 9
Science Fiction
Students are given a clear definition of the rhetorical fallacy "irrelevant evidence" and read examples that show appeals to pity, fear, attacking opponents, and presenting consensus as persuasion. Students read two persuasive passages and are instructed to identify and highlight parts that use irrelevant evidence and to write their own 5–6 sentence persuasive paragraph that deliberately uses irrelevant evidence. The lesson includes a discussion prompt distinguishing pathos (legitimate emotional appeal) from manipulative irrelevant evidence and asks students to analyze when emotional appeals are ethical or manipulative.
Lesson 10
Opium and Aztlán
Students read Chapters 28–30 and complete a Venn-diagram activity comparing Opium and Aztlán, requiring them to list words and phrases that describe the two places and Matt's life in each. Discussion prompts ask students to explain why Jorge's demands for confession are effective and how Matt resists control, and explicitly ask, "What comment about humans' treatment of the environment do you think the author intends in this section?" The "Ideas to Think About" and parent plan sections highlight themes (power, resistance, love) that students are prompted to connect to the text.
Lesson 13
Unit Test and Essay Reflections
Students practice identifying rhetorical devices on a dedicated activity page that lists fallacy types including "Loaded terms" and asks them to label which fallacy appears in each statement. Students are asked to evaluate their own persuasive essays for rhetorical or logical fallacies using an "Evaluating My Essay" page and to discuss these reflections with a parent. Multiple short-answer questions (for example, asking why the author chose Tam Lin's death) prompt students to explain authorial choices and consider author purpose; the parent plan also directs students to determine theme and analyze word choice and tone.
Unit 2: Industrialization, Urbanization, and Immigration
Lesson 1
Urbanization and Migration
Students read the account "Charles Denby: Bound North" and answer questions that note influences on readers, including that the Chicago Defender encouraged migration. Students read primary letters from migrants and are asked to write a two-paragraph letter from a migrant's point of view, practicing perspective-taking and inference about reasons for moving and expectations vs. reality. Students examine Jacob Lawrence's migration paintings and are asked to explain what Lawrence might have been trying to show, prompting them to infer an artist's purpose.
Lesson 2
Indian Wars in the West
Students read the selected paragraphs from Capt. Richard H. Pratt and are directed to focus on the passages that summarize his philosophy, requiring them to interpret his purpose for assimilation. Students answer discussion questions asking what Pratt meant by "killing the Indian" to "save the man," which asks them to explain an author's intent and viewpoint. Students compare "before" and "after" photographs and respond to questions about feelings, reasons for changes, and the impact of forced assimilation, and they design an informational sign for Wounded Knee that requires deciding which facts and perspectives to include.
Lesson 4
New Industries
The lesson's "Things to Know" explicitly labels the terms "sweatshop" and "robber barons," signaling that students will encounter and consider these loaded terms. In Activity 2 students brainstorm at least three positive and three negative impacts of Andrew Carnegie and then decide whether it is fair to call him a "robber baron," which asks students to weigh competing portrayals. In Activity 1 students are asked to note sections of the film and then write 4–6 questions about topics the filmmakers did not explore, prompting students to notice omissions in a text or source.
Lesson 5
Immigration
Students read primary-source letters from Polish immigrants and use an activity page to document push and pull factors, which requires identifying reasons and perspectives expressed by the letter writers. Students read excerpts from a Klan manual and are instructed to "pay close attention to the Objects and Purposes of the Klan," then complete an activity focused on reasons someone might join, prompting analysis of stated goals versus underlying motivations. These tasks require students to identify authors' purposes and the perspectives those authors present in the texts.
Lesson 6
Social Problems
Students are prompted to analyze historical photographs and specifically asked to consider Jacob Riis's intentions (e.g., "what the photographer might have been highlighting"). The lesson asks students to explore political cartoons from the Progressive era and to view and analyze period photographs by Jacob Riis or Lewis Hine. In Activity 2, students write letters or speeches from the perspectives of immigrant workers, union organizers, or business owners, practicing articulation of different viewpoints.
Lesson 8
World War I
Students analyze World War I propaganda posters using a worksheet that asks them to name the poster's goal and to check which appeals are used (patriotism, making the enemy look evil, sympathy, guilt, heroic framing, etc.). Students read and choose period newspaper articles about the Lusitania from the Library of Congress, summarize the article, and write reactions from both an American and a German citizen perspective. Students evaluate and rank reasons for U.S. entry into the war by assessing the persuasiveness of each reason, which requires judging authors' claims and purposes.
Unit 2: Watership Down
Lesson 1
Preparing to Read
The Parent Plan lists a skill to "analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone," and Activity 2 asks students to choose the definition and part of speech that best fits each sentence from Watership Down and to record synonyms and use the word in a sentence. The Parent Plan discussion question asks students to infer what the book will be about based on vocabulary and the map, noting military/adventure themes suggested by word choices. The vocabulary cube and game require students to attend to connotative meanings, alternate definitions, and contextual usage of words.
Lesson 2
Foreshadowing
Students read passages and complete a Foreshadowing and Symbolism page, where they describe what is being foreshadowed and identify symbols and their meanings. The lesson asks students to analyze film/book examples of foreshadowing (Wizard of Oz, Where the Wild Things Are) and to explain how creators give clues about future events. The parent/skills notes direct students to determine a theme or central idea and to cite textual evidence, which requires interpreting author choices related to meaning.
Lesson 3
An Epic Journey
Students are prompted to record examples of genre characteristics, including an omniscient narrator and a "serious theme," on the Fantasy and Epic worksheet, which requires them to note how the narrator explains emotions and gives information readers know that characters do not. Discussion questions ask students to interpret Fiver's premonition and to evaluate what is unusual about Cowslip's warren, prompting students to infer motives and possible deception. The wrapping up and Parent Plan sections direct students to consider themes and the narrator's role in conveying those elements.
Lesson 4
Comparing Rabbits
Students are asked to compare Hazel's group and Cowslip's group using a Venn diagram and to list characteristics from the text for each group, requiring them to identify differences and similarities. Discussion prompts ask students to explain Fiver's explanation of what was going on in Cowslip's warren and to analyze why Cowslip's rabbits do not love the El-ahrairah story, prompting students to infer reasons behind presentation of information. The parent plan lists a skill to "cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis," so students are directed to support their inferences with text.
Lesson 5
Quotes and Creatures
Activity 1 requires students to research the works quoted at the start of Chapters 18 and 19, record the cultural/time period and themes of those works, and explain how each quote relates to the events and theme of the chapter, which asks students to infer authorial purpose via allusion. The Parent Plan skills explicitly tell students to analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions. A discussion question asks students to explain Holly's comment and consider the author's social/political critique, prompting students to interpret authorial purpose and viewpoint.
Lesson 6
Dramatic Irony
Students are asked to analyze dramatic irony by explaining "what the reader knows," "what the characters believe," and the "effect on the reader" for passages from Watership Down. The Parent Plan skills state students should "analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor." The lesson also explicitly notes that "an author can elicit emotion in a reader through the use of dramatic irony."
Lesson 7
Rabbit Societies
Students are asked to locate two passages or quotations to discuss and to record why they chose each passage, which requires them to analyze text sections for interest, power, or puzzlement. A discussion question asks students why Richard Adams includes comparisons and what effect they have, directing students to consider an authorial choice and its purpose. The Rabbit Societies activity has students compare leaders and groups, noting positive and negative traits, which asks students to analyze how characters and societies are portrayed.
Lesson 8
Folktales and Fantasy
Students read and summarize Chapter 31 and write summaries of the El-ahrairah stories, recording what lesson each story taught and how it contributed to rabbit society and identity. Students are instructed to cite textual evidence that supports analyses and to determine themes and how they develop across the text. Students respond to discussion prompts asking what commentary the author might be making about modern issues, which asks them to consider author purpose or point of view.
Lesson 9
Characters
Students are taught the definitions of denotation and connotation and instructed to "practice discerning the connotations of words" (Activity 1). The Denotations and Connotations student page has multiple passages with paired words (e.g., run/bolt, strange/marvelous, wild/savage) where students compare connotative and denotative meanings and write their responses. The parent plan reiterates that students "wrote their sense of the connotations of each word" and discusses those differences with an adult.
Lesson 10
Setting
Students compare and contrast Efafra and Watership Down using a Venn diagram or artwork and then write a 2–4 sentence reflection explaining how physical details give clues about the nature of each place. Students are assigned the literary role of Questioner to develop 3–5 big-idea questions about chapters 35–37, prompting consideration of author choices. A discussion question asks why the author set Chapter 35 during the distant approach of a storm and how that choice affects mood, leading students to consider the effect of authorial decisions on meaning.
Lesson 11
Conflict and Escape
Students are asked to consider the theme of caring for the environment and to "express [their] own views on an environmental issue," which requires identifying why the author pursues that purpose. Activity 2 explicitly asks students to consider "how Richard Adams expresses concern for the environment" and to identify evidence of environmentalism in the text. Discussion questions prompt students to explain "how the author communicates his ideas through the characters, setting, and plot," and parent notes point out perspective and descriptive detail as evidence (e.g., the story is written from the rabbits' perspective and humans are described without appeal).
Lesson 12
Dramatic Enactment
Students are asked to give examples of how the author uses different perspectives of the reader and the rabbit to create humor in Chapter 41, which prompts identification of an author's narrative perspective and its effect. Students are asked to analyze a quoted passage about General Woundwort to explain what it reveals about Hazel and Woundwort, asking them to interpret author portrayal of characters and purpose. Students are instructed to update character cards with memorable quotes and reactions of other characters, which requires attending to author choices in characterization and wording.
Lesson 13
A Fantasy Story
Students are prompted to reflect on the commentary Richard Adams intended and to discuss themes or messages from Watership Down, asking them to consider authorial intent and how characters and conflicts were resolved. The study guide and unit test include literary-term work on connotation and denotation, and prompts that ask for examples of foreshadowing, dramatic irony, and how leadership/theme are developed. The rubric and parent prompts direct students to examine word choice and strong, specific words in a sample story and their own writing, which asks them to notice language that shapes mood and meaning.
Unit 3: The Great Depression and World War II
Lesson 4
1942
Students read selected textbook chapters and primary-source letter excerpts (pages cited) and answer comprehension questions about events like Midway and Stalingrad. Students read two soldiers' letters and then write an imagined reply that requires them to react to specific details, ask questions, and express feelings. Students participate in discussion prompts that ask what soldiers waiting in England might have been thinking and how letter-writing affected people back home, which requires taking perspective on authorship and audience.
Unit 3: A Dynamic Planet
Lesson 8
Convergent Evolution
Students are asked to read pages 26–35 and answer QUESTION #3: Explain why the author uses the phrase "survival of the adequate" instead of "survival of the fittest," which requires interpreting the author's word choice and purpose. The Bonus Question asks students to evaluate the author's reasoning about why mammals would not redevelop gills, prompting students to consider the facts and explanations the author includes. Discussion prompts (e.g., why sharks and dolphins have similar body styles) require students to identify and explain the causal explanations the author gives.
Final Project
Fast Forward
Students choose a religion to study and are directed to "identify the issues" the religion has with the age of the Earth or evolution and to "document the details" on activity pages. Students are asked to "note the evidence that is used by each side," including which religious texts are cited, whether groups use science to back up beliefs, and what assumptions scientists make; they must document these side-by-side. The rubric and activity require students to "clearly state the viewpoint" of the religion, communicate differences in viewpoint, interview multiple people, and draw conclusions about agreement or disagreement.
Unit 3: The Book Thief
Lesson 1
The Author and Narrator
Students read and discuss the novel's unique narration (they answer that the narrator is Death and often directly addresses readers). Students are taught that tone is revealed through word choice, imagery, and style (Things to Know) and practice analyzing figurative language and color imagery to explain tone (Activity 4 collage and three sentences). Students read an author interview about why Zusak chose Death as narrator, linking author intent to narrative choices (Activity 3/Author Interview).
Lesson 2
Similes and Metaphors
Students practice identifying and analyzing similes and metaphors in Activity 2 (Part A–C) and are asked to explain why particular figurative phrases are effective. The lesson's Skills section directs students to determine meanings of words and phrases, including figurative and connotative meanings. The opening prompt asks students to consider how word choice and figurative language create tone and emotionally engage the reader, and parent questions ask students to describe differing reactions to the parade.
Lesson 3
Burning Books
Students analyze Nazi propaganda posters by choosing three images, identifying the target group and the poster's goal, and describing what makes each poster effective (for example, use of colors, dramatic fonts, words or images that stir fear or patriotism). Students record examples of propaganda from the novel (e.g., the speech before the book burning, parade/ceremony, articles urging contributions) and note how those elements aim to rally citizens. The Parent Plan and activity instructions explicitly ask students to analyze the purpose and motives behind diverse media and to evaluate how visual image makers communicate impressions.
Lesson 4
The Value of Books
Students are asked to record examples of propaganda from Part Three on the "Propaganda" page and are given sample instances (expectation to own Mein Kampf, required greetings) to notice. Students are prompted to consider how writers use figurative language and word choice to create tone and emotionally engage the reader and to mark effective sensory images in the text. Students practice identifying vivid word choices and figurative language by locating and explaining sensory descriptions and similes from specified pages.
Lesson 5
The Accordion Player
Students are instructed to record examples of propaganda from the reading and to consider whether characters' actions were influenced by propaganda (Propaganda activity / Part Four). Students read excerpts of the Nuremberg Laws and answer questions that ask them to interpret the purpose and motives of laws such as the Hitler Youth requirement (German Laws activity). Students analyze specific word choices and connotations in the "Be Specific" activity, comparing author phrasing (e.g., "The conversation of bullets") and practicing how word choice affects tone and imagery.
Lesson 6
The Standover Man
Students are asked to record examples of propaganda from the reading on the "Propaganda" page (Part Four), which directs them to identify persuasive or biased content such as references to Mein Kampf. Discussion prompts ask students to analyze changes in characters' perspectives (e.g., how the meaning of "standover man" changes for Max) and to evaluate whether Max is "selfish," prompting students to consider character viewpoint and motives. The questions about similarities, Rosa's change, and Max's decisions require students to cite textual evidence about actions and attitudes.
Lesson 7
The Seven-Sided Die
Students are asked to analyze written propaganda quotes and to "identify any logical fallacies," "what emotions did this argument appeal to?" and "explain why the argument may have been effective," which requires examining language and intent. The Parent Plan and Skills list instructs students to recognize the effects of bias, emotional factors, and semantic slanting and to evaluate credibility, hidden agendas, and relevance of evidence. The answer key explicitly directs students to note when claims lack real evidence (e.g., stating there is "no real evidence presented" that Jews caused the revolution), prompting students to consider inclusion or avoidance of facts.
Lesson 8
The Thief Strikes Again
Students are asked to record examples of propaganda on the Propaganda page (Part Five) and to consider how Max's drawings interpret propaganda and its effects, which requires identifying persuasive content in images. Activity 1 directs students to watch two Hitler clips and take notes on what made his speaking and rallies compelling, with discussion prompts about repetition, passion, hand motions, and choreographed presentation. The Parent Plan lists skills students should practice, including delineating a speaker's argument, evaluating credibility (hidden agendas, slanted or biased material), and analyzing the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
Lesson 9
Close Calls
Students are asked in Activity 1 to locate and record instances of figurative language and to consider how word choice creates tone and emotional effect. Question #4 prompts students to explain why the narrator (Death) gives graphic descriptions of 1942 and how that connects to Liesel's story, which asks them to infer authorial purpose. The Parent Plan skills statement directs students to determine meanings of words and analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
Lesson 10
The Trilogy of Happiness
Students are asked to record examples of propaganda from Part Seven (e.g., Liesel saying "heil Hitler," soldiers calling the march a "parade," the description of young soldiers as having "the Führer in their eyes," and the crowd's reaction to Hans' mercy). The War Journalism activity directs students to distinguish informational from propaganda aspects of a 1943 newsreel and to evaluate motives behind wartime reporting. The Parent Plan skills explicitly list analyzing the purpose of information in diverse media and evaluating motives (social, commercial, political).
Lesson 11
The Word Shaker
Students are asked to record examples of propaganda from Part Eight and to note what Max's story "The Word Shaker" says about propaganda, prompting them to identify author purpose and persuasive content. The Descriptive Examples activity has students find adverbs, adjectives, and strong verbs and explain why they are effective, which requires identifying word choice that creates tone or emotional effect. The "Primary Sources vs. Historical Fiction" activity directs students to analyze advantages/disadvantages, accuracy, writing style, and point of view and to provide specific examples from texts, asking them to evaluate motives and the presentation of information.
Lesson 12
The Teddy Bear
Students are prompted to examine figurative language and word choice in the "Ideas to Think About" section, specifically considering how writers use these to create tone and emotionally engage the reader. Students are told to "jot down especially effective instances of figurative language (personification, simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, allegory, and symbolism)" as they read. Students are also asked interpretive discussion questions (e.g., "Explain what Death means when he says..." and "Why do you think Death mentions the scene...") that require reasoning about an author's choices and purpose.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students analyze World War II propaganda posters using guided prompts that ask "How it is propaganda?," "What emotions was the poster trying to generate?," and "What logical fallacies do you notice?," requiring them to identify persuasive features and intended purpose. Students read an essay on censorship (Walter Cronkite) and are asked to take a side, list reasons with supporting examples, and anticipate and rebut an opposing argument, which requires recognizing bias and author purpose. The unit skills list explicitly instructs students to "identify/evaluate the effectiveness of tone, style, and use of language" and to "recogniz[e] the effects of bias, emotional factors, and/or semantic slanting," which students practice in the censorship and propaganda activities.
Unit 4: Global Conflict and Civil Rights
Lesson 1
The Post-War World
Students are asked to analyze advertisements using questions such as "What is this ad trying to get the consumer to want to buy?", "What words or phrases stand out in the ad?", and "Describe the person you think the ad is targeting," which requires identifying purpose and persuasive language. Students must compare historical and modern ads and answer "How are the two ads similar?" and "How are they different?" and evaluate whether a historical ad would be effective today, prompting analysis of intent and audience. After viewing photographs and captions, students answer "What, specifically, did that image help you to understand?", which asks them to describe what an image communicates or emphasizes.
Lesson 2
The Cold War and Communism
Students read primary-source texts (excerpts of the Truman Doctrine speech and Henry Wallace's letter) and answer summary questions about purpose and policy. Students view Cold War political cartoons and are prompted to "think about what the cartoonist was trying to say." Students produce their own political cartoon or poster that expresses a clear point of view about the Truman Doctrine or the Marshall Plan.
Lesson 3
The Cold War
Students are asked to read President Kennedy's October 22, 1962 speech and answer explicit analysis questions (e.g., list 3 facts JFK provided, explain how he used the past to justify decisions, and why he spoke to the Cuban people). The activity directions describe analyzing the speech's content and rhetoric and require students to evaluate which of JFK's listed steps seem most effective or controversial. In Option 1 students read advisers' memoranda and use an activity page to weigh advantages and disadvantages and justify a chosen course of action.
Lesson 4
Civil Rights
Students read assigned texts about Claudette Colvin, Rosa Parks, Elizabeth Eckford, and biographical sketches of activists who were killed. Students complete a graphic organizer that explicitly asks them to compare Colvin and Parks and to consider "possible reasons for this person being forgotten" and "possible reasons for their impact," prompting examination of which facts or narratives are emphasized. Students produce memorial poems or newspaper clippings in which they must decide which facts to include and how to present a person's life and death.
Lesson 5
Sit-Ins and Freedom Rides
Students read and listen to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and are instructed to highlight or underline phrases or ideas that seem particularly powerful, which encourages attention to word choice. Students can choose Option 2 to compare the "I Have a Dream" speech with another King speech using a graphic organizer that asks them to note similarities and differences and suggests comparing audiences, key ideas, themes, occasions, or goals. Students also answer guided reading questions about firsthand accounts (e.g., Carolyn McKinstry) that require recalling how activists were instructed to behave and reactions to sit-ins.
Lesson 7
New Directions and Other Social Movements
Students read primary and secondary texts (the SCLC summary, the 1966 Black Panther platform, and assigned chapters) and are asked to compare goals, principles, strategies, and membership using a Venn diagram, which prompts consideration of author/organization purpose. Students select quotations by Cesar Chavez and create a collage or write a persuasive speech requiring them to think about tone, audience appeal, and the messages authors or leaders convey. These activities require students to attend to differences in viewpoint and purpose across texts and sources.
Lesson 10
The Culture of the 1960s
Students are directed to listen to at least two protest songs and complete activity prompts asking, "What is the song's message about the war?" and "What lyrics struck you as particularly interesting or powerful?" They are also asked to compare the songs and decide "Which one was most effective? Why?" Students are asked to view primary-source protest leaflets and to watch a 1960s television episode and answer questions such as "What can you learn about the 1960s from this program?"
Final Project
A Time Capsule
Students are asked to gather historic documents, protest posters, speeches, and political statements and to answer for each artifact "What will it help future archaeologists understand about this time period?", which prompts them to consider the purpose and perspective of those documents. Students create written projects (fake letters, speeches, activist goal lists) and explain why they chose each item during a dedication, practicing explanation of an author's or creator's intent. The unit test includes short-answer questions (e.g., why leaders rallied behind Rosa Parks; how marchers were treated) that require students to explain reasons and perspectives found in historical narratives.
Unit 4: To Kill a Mockingbird
Lesson 2
Home and School
Students are directed to read an "About the Author" article and "explore the background of the author, Harper Lee, and how her personal experiences affected her writing of the book." Students are asked to think about how writing from personal experience can make writing convincing and personal and to record three events from their own lives and explain how those could inspire a novel. The parent plan and introducing text explicitly tell students they will explore connections between the author's life and the novel.
Lesson 3
The Mystery of Boo
Students are directed to list items the children believe about Boo Radley as "Hearsay and Gossip" versus items based on "Personal Experience and Reliable Sources," requiring them to note which facts are included or omitted and to classify information accordingly. Students are asked to develop a hypothesis about who Boo really is based on that comparison, which requires them to infer motives and perspective from the presented details. Discussion questions prompt students to interpret Miss Maudie's remark about the Bible being "worse than a whiskey bottle" and to explain Jem's reaction when the knothole is filled, which ask students to infer meaning and intent behind characters' words and actions.
Lesson 4
Snow and Fire
Students are asked to discuss the use of the racial slur and why Atticus tells Scout not to use it, prompting them to analyze loaded language and its historical meaning. Students must include at least one quotation from Chapters 8–9 and explain its meaning and importance, requiring analysis of author word choice. The Character Line-Up activity asks students to record memorable descriptions and quotes about characters, which leads students to collect textual evidence of how characters and events are portrayed.
Lesson 6
Separate
Students compare contrasting perspectives within the text when they answer discussion questions about Calpurnia, Aunt Alexandra, and Atticus, noting differences in values and social roles. Students reflect on racial issues and the book's themes in Activity 2, selecting images that connect to the story and writing captions and sentences that link the images to characters and events. The example literary response and wrap-up ask students to notice tensions and racial dynamics (e.g., the congregation's view of Atticus, Lula's reaction), which invites students to recognize viewpoints embedded in scenes.
Lesson 7
A Moral Dilemma
The Parent Plan lists a skill to "analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone," and the vocabulary activities require students to read example sentences from the novel and write their own sentences using those words. The discussion prompts ask students to consider "mob mentality" and to reflect on characters' choices in moral dilemmas, which requires students to think about characters' attitudes and the effects of language and events in the text.
Lesson 9
Order in the Court
Students are asked to read chapters 18–20 and "consider whether the high ideals of the American legal system were applied fairly and evenly," prompting evaluation of the narrative perspective on the trial. Discussion questions ask students to explain Tom Robinson's and Mayella's versions of events and to discuss whether the jury will believe Atticus and Dill's reaction to the courtroom, which requires students to interpret characters' portrayals and implications. The Parent Plan lists a skill to "determine the meaning of words and phrases... analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone," which invites attention to authorial choices that shape point of view.
Lesson 10
Equal Rights?
Students read Chapters 21–23 of To Kill a Mockingbird and answer discussion questions about the jury verdict, characters' reactions, and whether the jury's decision was inevitable or just, prompting them to consider perspectives and thematic purpose. Students read primary-source Jim Crow laws and are asked to create a "Found Poem" using words from those laws, which requires selecting language from the texts to convey injustice. The summary task asks students to identify and include the most important events while omitting small details, reinforcing skills in distinguishing main ideas and what the author emphasizes.
Lesson 11
The Mockingbird
Students are asked to explain why Harper Lee chose the mockingbird symbol and how she uses it to communicate that innocence can be destroyed, and they complete a web listing examples from the text. Students read and interpret Mr. Underwood's editorial comparing Tom Robinson's death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds, linking authorial comparison to purpose. Discussion prompts ask students to explain Miss Maudie's comment that exposes hypocrisy and to interpret the quote about "the secret courts of men's hearts," which require students to infer authorial perspective and purpose.
Lesson 12
Wise Words
Students are asked to analyze and explain memorable quotes from To Kill a Mockingbird (Activity "Wise Words"), which requires them to interpret what the quoted language means and express an author/character message in their own words. In "Someone Else's Skin," students write diary entries or create Venn diagrams to adopt and compare characters' points of view, explicitly practicing perspective-taking (example Venn comparing Scout and Calpurnia is provided). The Parent Plan skills list includes analyzing how differences in points of view of characters and audience create effects, indicating student work on identifying viewpoints.
Lesson 13
Text and Film
Students are asked to record similarities and differences between the novel and the film as they watch, and the provided comparison lists explicitly note omissions and changes (e.g., omission of teacher/classroom scenes, Mrs. DuBose episode, differences in Calpurnia and Boo Radley). Students are prompted to answer discussion questions that ask what Scout's actions show about her and what the mockingbird symbol reveals, which asks students to interpret authorial meaning and character perspective. The Movie and Text question set asks students to consider why changes were made to the novel in the film and whether they agree with the director's decisions, encouraging analysis of choices about included or excluded content.
Final Project
Oral Book Presentation
The Skills section instructs students to "connect responses to the writer's techniques and to specific textual references," and to present oral responses that interpret a reading and connect to writer techniques. The unit test asks students to read a passage, choose a powerful quotation, paraphrase an underlined sentence, and summarize the passage, which requires close reading of author wording. A sample graphic organizer explicitly notes that a movie adaptation omits or deemphasizes characters, illustrating attention to inclusion/avoidance of material.
Unit 5: Technology Explosion
Lesson 2
Demographics and Immigration
Students read contemporary articles about immigration (Activity 4 and the NPR link in Activity 3) and are asked to take notes on the differing viewpoints represented and to reflect on how three stakeholders would react. Students are instructed to divide a page listing arguments for and against easier immigration and then write a short letter to the editor taking a position. The activities require students to identify and summarize competing positions in source texts.
Lesson 4
Leadership and Domestic Policy
Students compare two presidential speeches using an analysis table that asks them to note a particularly powerful sentence or idea, explain what that sentence means to them, and state whether they agree or disagree, which prompts consideration of the speaker's perspective and persuasive language. Students watch presidential responses to scandals and answer how each president addressed accusations and select adjectives to describe tone and intent, which requires evaluating how language and presentation reveal point of view. Students research environmental issues, familiarize themselves with different positions, and create persuasive buttons or slogans, which engages them in recognizing opposing purposes and crafting persuasive language.
Unit 5: Health and Nutrition
Lesson 2
Being a Smart Consumer
Students are directed in Activity 1 to find five products, write down the claims on packaging and commercials, and mark claims that seem feasible versus outlandish. Students are asked to compare those products with other, cheaper alternatives and to consider the tactics used to market to them. The activities prompt students to question advertisers' claims and think about advertisers' purposes when promoting products and fads.
Lesson 5
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs
The lesson's Skills list explicitly asks students to "Analyze the marketing and advertising of alcohol and tobacco companies in terms of the strategies they use to influence youth experimentation with their products" and to "Predict the potential effect of anti-tobacco messages on the use of tobacco by youth and adults." Students are also directed to watch persuasive videos and read booklets and then take notes or create persuasive products (PSA, poster, email) that engage with message content.
Unit 5: Great American Poets
Lesson 1
Poetry Basics
Students compare two descriptive passages and answer which words make Robert Frost's example more effective, practicing analysis of specific word choices and their effects. Students transform prose into poetic lines (Activity 1) and choose words to create imagery and evoke feeling, directly practicing how diction shapes meaning and tone. Students annotate poems (Activity 2) by underlining figurative language, noting observations or questions, and recording definitions, which requires identifying language features that affect a reader's response.
Lesson 2
Early American Poetry
Students read Longfellow's poem and Paul Revere's first-person account and complete a Venn diagram to note similarities and differences, including content, use of literary language, and details. Students are directed to mark phrases they find effective and to compare how the poetic form and the firsthand account influence the reader, with guidance that Revere's purpose is factual testimony while Longfellow's is dramatic and memorable. The answer key and parent notes explicitly point out omissions (events present in Revere's account but not in the poem) and differences in use of figurative language, rhythm, and focus. The word-choice activities ask students to swap synonyms and reflect on tone and the emotional effect of specific words.
Lesson 4
Poetic Forms
Students are asked to "explore the qualities of lyric poetry in Longfellow's 'The Sound of the Sea'" (Student Activity Page Question 2) and to "consider what qualities make the poem a lyric poem (and more specifically a sonnet)" (Activity 1 web link directions). The answer key specifically notes that student responses may identify that the poem is first-person narration where the narrator is sharing his feelings and that the poem may stir emotion in the reader.
Lesson 5
Edgar Allan Poe
Students read an excerpt from Poe's essay "The Poetic Principle" and answer the question "According to Poe, what should poetry focus on?," requiring them to state the author's purpose. Students must also "record at least one line from two different poems" that demonstrate that focus, which asks them to identify textual choices that reveal Poe's point of view about poetry. Additional questions ask students to explain irony and mood in Poe's poems, prompting them to cite lines and imagery that convey the author's perspective or intent.
Lesson 6
Meaning in Poetry
Students analyze how poems use imagery, punctuation, and diction to influence readers (Q1 asks why "Old Ironsides" inspired people, citing imagery and exclamation points). Students identify mood and cite specific words that create tone (Q2 has them point to words like "horror," "crashing," and "torrents"). Students learn denotation vs. connotation and are directed to analyze the impact of specific word choices, allusions, and symbolism (activities on literal vs. symbolic meaning and the parent/skills section instruct students to analyze word choice and allusions, e.g., recognizing "Captain" as Lincoln).
Lesson 7
Poetry Analysis
Students are asked to identify the speaker's attitude and the poem's mood in Part IV (Tone and Mood) of the Poem Analysis page. The Skills and Parent Plan sections instruct students to determine meanings of words and phrases and to "analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone." The Student Activity Pages require students to identify figurative language, sound devices, imagery, and literal vs. symbolic meanings, all of which can reveal an author's viewpoint.
Lesson 8
Robert Frost
Students are asked to interpret the symbolic meaning of "The Road Not Taken," explaining how the speaker's choice represents a life decision, which asks them to infer authorial purpose. In Activity 2 students compare Gertrude Stein's "Susie Asado" to Cubist artwork and are prompted to consider Stein's intent to "capture the 'essence' of her subjects," linking artistic choices to author purpose. In Activity 3 students analyze the effect of hyphens and dashes in poems and are asked to explain how those punctuation choices create pauses or emphasis that affect meaning.
Lesson 9
Memorizing Poetry
Students are asked to evaluate narrator perspective in Question #3 about "Gubbinal," considering whether knowing a slang meaning for "gubbin" changes understanding of the poem and whether the sentiment reflects the narrator rather than the poet. In Question #2 students compare "Euclid" and Whitman's poem, identifying a contrast between scientific facts/figures and wonder—analyzing how content reveals perspective. The "Lyric Poems" activity asks students whether a poem functions as an elegy and asks what action the speaker urges in "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," prompting students to identify speaker purpose and stance.
Lesson 10
Poems about Poetry
Students reread poems "Poetry" and "Ars Poetica," underline phrases or images that strike them, and answer focused questions about the meaning of specific stanzas and lines. Students choose a phrase or image they marked as effective and explain why, and they compare which poem they liked better and why. In the Reading and Questions section students infer adjectives for J. Alfred Prufrock from textual details and explain why the poem's title might be ironic. In the Ellipses activity students analyze why poets use ellipses in specific poems and how changing punctuation affects meaning.
Lesson 11
Editing Your Work
Students analyze specific textual features: they compare E.E. Cummings's unusual capitalization and discuss its effect on emphasis and tone. Students look up vocabulary and interpret the final line of "Dream Deferred," inferring the speaker's attitude and meaning. Students identify poetic techniques (rhythm, rhyme, narrator perspective, imagery) that create emotional or thematic effects and compare themes and differences between poems like "Sympathy" and "Caged Bird."
Lesson 12
Reciting Poetry
The lesson asks students to read several poems and answer interpretive questions such as QUESTION #1 (why Ginsberg's imagined meeting in a supermarket is an odd way to honor Walt Whitman) and QUESTION #3 (describe what the poet was trying to communicate about family relationships). The "Ideas to Think About" section prompts students to consider "Why is word choice key to creating effective poems?" and Activity 1 directs students to use sensory details to help readers understand significance, which leads students to attend to authors' language choices.