Sixth Grade - ELA
• Literacy
1: Environment and Cycles
Unit 1: Weather and Climate
Lesson 1
Weather and Climate
Students read specified pages of a secondary source (Weather and Climate) and answer targeted comprehension questions that ask for central information (e.g., the difference between weather and climate, the definition of a weather pattern, and the role of a meteorologist). In Activity 1, students locate real forecasts, note the purposes/audiences for forecasts, and rewrite a forecast to make it most useful for a chosen audience, which requires extracting and reorganizing key information. The wrapping up and review sections ask students to review the difference between weather and climate and related vocabulary, reinforcing main ideas from the text.
Lesson 5
Precipitation
Students read pages 35–45 in Weather and Climate and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., what happens when water is heated, what causes clouds, what happens when drops become too heavy), which requires extracting key information. Students watch a water-cycle video and complete a "Water Cycle Notes" page with definitions (evaporation, condensation, precipitation, transpiration). In Activity 3 students complete a chart identifying water-cycle components in their local area and draw a diagram showing evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, and storage, which requires identifying central information from the sources.
Lesson 6
Clouds
Students are asked to read pages 52-56 in Weather and Climate and to watch a "Making of a Cloud" video, then answer specific comprehension questions about what clouds convey and what they are made of. Students are directed to use provided websites and the book to research cloud types and to take notes in a Cloud Chart, recording each cloud type's description, altitude, type of weather, and identifying clues. The materials also tell students they will use their completed chart and research when they later write a highlighted, neatly typed cloud article.
Lesson 7
Wild Weather
Students read pages 62–68 and answer specific comprehension questions (Q1–Q5) asking for causes, processes, and locations (e.g., what causes thunderstorms, lightning, hurricanes, and where tornadoes occur). In Activity 1, students research a type of wild weather and fill a 'Wild Weather Search' worksheet that asks for a description, the cause, results (damage), a famous occurrence, and survival tips—requiring them to collect and record key information from sources. The Weather Words booklet requires students to write clear definitions for terms like thunderstorm, blizzard, tornado, and hurricane based on the reading.
Lesson 8
Geography and Climate Change
Students watch videos and read linked web pages about jet streams and ocean currents, gathering information from those secondary sources. They create a world climate map, place labeled air masses, winds, and jet streams, and explain the map to a parent, answering focused questions about how distance from the equator and jet streams/winds affect climate. Activity 3 directs students to use NOAA data and web resources to identify which air masses, winds, and ocean currents affect their local climate.
Lesson 9
Climate Change
Students read pages 75–80 in Weather and Climate and answer targeted comprehension questions (Q1–Q4) about climate change causes and evidence, which requires extracting main ideas from the text. Students explore NASA's Climate Time Machine, record what they observe on activity pages, label changes between years, and write short descriptive sentences about trends. Students also complete the Greenhouse Effect experiment and record observations, connecting evidence (temperature differences) to the idea that gases trap heat.
Final Project
Presenting My Weather and Climate
Students are prompted to summarize their weather journal using the Weather Journal Presentation Planning page, answering questions such as what information is on the chart, how they gathered the information, what patterns they observed, and how global patterns impact their region. The final project rubric explicitly assesses whether students "Explained the information included in journal," "Described patterns I found in journal," and "Described how I made weather predictions," which requires students to identify and present the main information from their observations.
Unit 1: The Wanderer
Lesson 3
Juggling
Students are asked to read Chapters 8–14 and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, which requires extracting information from the text. One question explicitly asks students to "Summarize the Bompie story Sophie told in Chapter 14," and another asks for textual examples to support how Cody feels about Sophie, requiring use of information from the source. The lesson also directs students to record words and phrases on a Character Timeline, which involves identifying relevant information about characters from the primary source.
Lesson 5
Under Way
Students are instructed to read Chapters 23–30 and answer specific comprehension questions that ask for factual events and character feelings (e.g., "What happened to Uncle Stew?", "How did Cody and Sophie feel..."). Students are asked to fill out "Character Timelines," which requires tracking and recording key information about characters across chapters. Several questions and discussion prompts require students to identify how the environment and events affect characters, which engages them in extracting information from the text.
Lesson 6
Marine Life
Students read Chapters 31–35 and answer targeted comprehension questions that require recalling key information (e.g., "Who was Little Peep?") and explaining character motivations. Students are instructed to fill out Character Timelines and to "Summarize Bompie's story in Chapter 32," which requires identifying central events and condensing them. A discussion prompt asks how the sightings of animals affect the crewmembers' emotions, asking students to synthesize information across chapters to identify a central idea.
Lesson 7
The Storm
Students are asked to "describe the voyage up to this point and the relationships among the characters," which requires them to produce a summary of prior chapters. Students read Chapters 36–50 and answer targeted questions (e.g., how the environment outside the boat changed; how the environment on the boat changed; what happened to the sails), which asks them to identify central information from the text. Students complete a "Character Timelines" sheet and identify each character's voice, which requires synthesizing character information across the chapters.
Lesson 8
Changes
Students read Chapters 51–60 and answer specific comprehension questions in complete sentences. The questions ask students to state how the storm and The Wave changed Cody and how relationships among crewmembers changed, which requires extracting and restating information from the text. Students are also asked to fill out "Character Timelines," and the skills section explicitly lists "restating and summarizing information" as a learning goal.
Lesson 9
Land Ho!
The lesson explicitly defines main idea/theme in "Things to Know" and asks students to identify themes (main ideas) of The Wanderer. Multiple activities require students to list how characters changed as evidence of themes and to "Provide evidence from the book to support both themes," which asks students to cite information from the text. Students also answer comprehension questions in complete sentences about key events and character details, reinforcing identification of central information.
Final Project
Character Lapbook and Test
Students are asked to identify and summarize character development by writing sentences describing a character at the beginning, middle, and end of the story (Character Changes three-flap). Students must select and illustrate the four most important events in chronological order for a character (Important Events accordion). Students must describe a theme of the book and support it with examples from the story (test question #12), and must choose a character quote and explain why it is meaningful, citing a page number.
Unit 2: Geography and Landforms
Lesson 1
Maps of All Kinds
Students label different map types and explain what each map shows in Activity 1, directly identifying the information each map conveys. In Activity 3, students select which of five maps best meets specific scenarios and write uses for each map, showing they determine the central information a map provides. In Activity 4 and the Photo vs. Map task, students compare map content to photographic evidence and list information unique to each, which requires summarizing the sources' information.
Lesson 2
What Is Geography?
Students are directed to read pages 1 and 5–7 of The Geography Book and then answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., "What is geography?" and "How does physical geography differ from human geography?"), requiring them to identify key information from a secondary source. Students complete vocabulary activities that require matching terms to definitions (latitude, longitude, equator, Prime Meridian, globe, scale, cartography), which asks them to extract and restate factual information from the readings and glossary.
Lesson 3
Landforms
Students read sections of The Geography Book and other secondary sources (e.g., assigned videos on continental drift and deltas) and then answer focused comprehension questions (for example, the Deltas activity page asks how a delta is formed, what it looks like, and how it affects human activities). In Activity 5 students read Prisoners of Geography and answer questions about the Mississippi River's importance, trade, and historical connections. In Activity 2 students define terms (island, isthmus, peninsula, strait, bay, fjord) using National Geographic and write sentences about real-world examples, requiring them to extract key information from sources.
Lesson 5
Human Geography
Students are directed to read an online United Nations article about population and answer specific questions (e.g., how the world's population is changing; most populous countries; reasons for international migration), which requires extracting key information. Students are instructed to browse sections of Prisoners of Geography and complete the "Humans Interact with Their Environments" graphic organizer, recording weather, natural resources, landforms, benefits, challenges, and human alterations. Students complete a "Comparing Two Environments" activity where they list pros and cons for two places and explain which place they would prefer to live in using information from the sources.
Lesson 7
Water Everywhere
Students are asked to read specific pages in The Geography Book and answer directed questions that require extracting key facts (e.g., naming the four oceans, largest lake, what a river is). Students use the EPA and Nature Conservancy websites to identify their local watershed and to list associated bodies of water and actions individuals can take, completing the "My Watershed" activity page. Students investigate their household water source by visiting a water system or EPA website and record that information on "The Water at Home" page. Students track and calculate daily household water use on the "Water Use Chart," using estimates from the activity page.
Lesson 8
World Map - Part I
Students are instructed to read specified pages of Prisoners of Geography and then answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., asking how geography shaped nations, why Europe is "blessed by geography," and what resources bring wealth to Russia). Students label maps using information from those pages (identifying borders, rivers, mountains, and resources) and answer factual questions about the author's claims. The activities require students to identify and recall the main informational points presented in the assigned text.
Lesson 9
World Map - Part II
Students read specified pages of the secondary source Prisoners of Geography and answer directed comprehension questions (e.g., listing Africa's disadvantages, describing colonization, identifying Middle East resources). Students extract factual information to label map features and answer explicit Q&A that reflect central topics from the readings. Students write a 4–6 sentence postcard describing a geographic feature and explaining its importance, which requires summarizing information about that feature from the sources.
Final Project
Local Geography Book
Students are asked to "write brief summaries of key concepts in your own words to reinforce understanding" as part of test preparation (Day 2). Students review readings and the "Unit Review Sheet" that compiles information from the lessons and are directed to memorize and summarize key terms and ideas. Students produce written descriptions and "Human Activities" write-ups and assemble a final book that synthesizes information from unit readings and example student texts into coherent descriptions of a place.
Unit 2: The People of Sparks
Lesson 1
The City of Ember
Students are instructed to watch The City of Ember and then write or perform a movie review in which they describe the characters, setting, and plot of the movie. The activity also directs students to read and/or watch movie reviews online to better understand what to include and asks them to discuss how the setting plays an important role in the story.
Lesson 3
Discovery
Students are asked to read chapters 4–5 and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences (e.g., why Lina is afraid of fire; why she had never had certain foods), which requires extracting information from the text. Students keep a "New Environment, New Discoveries" learning log in which they record, categorize, and illustrate discoveries Doon and Lina make across chapters, grouping similar items into categories. Discussion prompts ask students to "describe the concerns of the town leaders" and compare uses of oxen, prompting students to identify and describe key information from the source.
Lesson 4
The Disaster
Students read chapters 6–7 and answer direct comprehension questions (e.g., "What was the Disaster?" and "What happened to Torren's parents?"), requiring them to identify key information from the text. Students are asked to add information to Lina and Doon's learning log, an activity that asks them to record what they learned. In Activity 1 students must create a monument or write a ballad about the Disaster that summarizes what happened and emphasizes the central message of living peacefully.
Lesson 5
Roamers
Students are asked to "summarize what happened in the chapters she read yesterday," prompting them to state central events in the text. The reading comprehension questions require students to extract key information (e.g., define a roamer, describe environmental effects, explain tensions between Ember and Sparks), which practices identifying central ideas. The debate activity asks students to identify which statements in their arguments are facts and which are opinions, prompting analysis of source-based information versus opinion.
Lesson 6
Flags
Students read chapters 11–13 and answer directed comprehension questions that ask them to identify character ideas and plot points (for example, Q2 asks what Lina thinks the people of Ember might be destined to do). Students create a Venn diagram comparing Ember and Sparks, which requires them to identify similarities and differences between the two settings. Students are asked to add entries to Doon and Lina's learning log and respond to wrap-up questions about the root of the problem, prompting synthesis of textual information.
Lesson 7
Tomatoes
Students are instructed to read chapters 14–16 and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., Why does Torren hate Lina? and How does Doon feel when he realizes Lina has left?), which requires extracting information and motives from the primary text. Students are asked to add information to Lina and Doon's learning log and to write a paragraph in a journal about a chosen media outlet, which require recalling and writing about events and ideas from the story. The Student Activity Page and discussion prompts ask students to explain selections and character actions, prompting text-based explanation.
Lesson 9
Conflict
Students are asked to "summarize some of the most important events in the story" and to answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, which requires extracting information from the text. Students complete a Sequencing Events activity in which they cut, order, and paste story events to show the progression of plot and cause-effect leading to conflict. The Reading and Questions and Parent Plan prompts ask students to explain characters' motives (e.g., why revenge escalates) and to state what Lina realized about the songs and legends, requiring students to identify key information from the chapters.
Lesson 10
The Decision
Students are asked to "summarize what happened in yesterday's chapters," answer specific comprehension questions about chapters 23–27, and identify the main problem/conflict and how it is resolved. Activity 2 directs students to put the story's central conflict in the center of a bubble map and provide evidence from the text (events, characters' words and actions, or dialogue). The Skills section explicitly requires students to "Identify the main problem or conflict of the plot and explain how it is resolved."
Final Project
Wars and Plagues or A New Environment
Students are asked to identify and describe the novel's conflict on the unit test and to complete a Venn diagram comparing Ember and Sparks, which requires extracting central ideas and information from the text. The Wars and Plagues research organizer prompts students to record the causes, effects, and how and why a war or plague ended, and directs students to put information into their own words. The Timeline of Events and the Daily News newspaper report require students to select major events and synthesize research into a concise account announcing the end of an event. Rubrics for both final-project options evaluate inclusion of researched details and organization, reinforcing summary and central-idea tasks.
Unit 3: Our Changing Earth
Lesson 1
The Rock Cycle
Students watch a "Rock Cycle" video and read pp. 90–91 of Dirtmeister's Nitty Gritty Planet Earth, then answer explicit questions (e.g., "What is the rock cycle?" and "Explain how igneous rocks are formed") that require extracting core information from those sources. In Activity 1 students use the Rock Cycle chart and rock kit to classify rocks based on the information from the video and reading. In Wrapping Up students are asked to explain what they know about a rock and to discuss how much of their poem or artwork is guess/imagination versus what they know, which prompts distinguishing knowledge from imagination or opinion.
Lesson 2
Inside the Earth
Students are asked to read pp. 58–65 of Dirtmeister's Nitty Gritty Planet Earth and answer directed questions about continental drift, the four layers of the Earth, the locations and interactions of the lithosphere and asthenosphere, and where earthquakes and volcanic activity occur. The question-and-answer task requires students to extract factual information and key concepts (e.g., theory of continental drift, layer names and states, plate-boundary activity) from a secondary source.
Lesson 4
Earthquakes and Moving Plates
Students are directed to read specific pages (pp. 34-39 and 42-43 of the textbook) and answer targeted questions about causes of earthquakes, which seismic waves cause the most damage, the seismograph and Richter scale, and tsunamis. The reading-and-questions task requires students to extract and record factual information from a secondary source. The wrap-up and discussion prompts ask students to share observations and explain what they learned from experiments and activities.
Lesson 5
Metamorphic and Sedimentary Rocks
Students read specified pages of a textbook (pp. 66–67, 84–89) and answer targeted comprehension questions about lithification, strata, how metamorphic rocks form, and mountain formation. Students record observations and write Conclusions for the Cementation Experiment and complete observation pages that require identifying and describing textures, classifications (foliated/non-foliated, clastic/non-clastic), and imprints. Several activity pages provide spaces for students to write observations and results, requiring them to extract factual information from the readings and from hands-on investigations.
Final Project
Presenting the Rock Cycle
Students are asked to read the "Things to Know" and "Reading and Questions" sections, review the Rock Cycle and Rock Types charts, and use those sources to plan their final presentation. Students must write slide descriptions or a video script that directly answer focused questions (e.g., "What are the stages of the rock cycle?", "How does each stage change the face of the Earth?"), which requires extracting key information from the unit. The test and short-answer prompts ask students to explain processes (e.g., lithification, how one rock changes into another) and to state "something you learned," which requires students to summarize learned information.
Unit 3: Short Stories
Lesson 1
The Good Deed
Students read the short story "The Good Deed" (pp. 109-126) and answer guided comprehension questions (e.g., why Heather visited Miss Benson, why Heather hid the book). Students complete an activity page that asks them to identify the main characters, the story's main setting, the primary incident/problem, and how much time passes. The activities require students to cite plot elements and summarize key story information in complete-sentence responses.
Lesson 2
Short Story Genre
Students answer directed comprehension questions that ask for the story's primary problem (Question #1) and why the setting is important (Question #4), which requires identifying key information from the short story. In Activity 2 students identify three examples from the story that show the setting is a rational world and three examples of irrational events, requiring them to cite textual evidence. In Activity 4 students record phrases and sentences that describe an environment from the text, demonstrating extraction of central descriptive information and supporting details.
Lesson 3
The Dog of Pompeii
Students read the secondary source short story "The Dog of Pompeii" and answer directed comprehension questions (Questions #1-#7) that ask for key facts and events from the text. Students are asked to "Review the events that occurred in Pompeii" and to record ten important facts about Pompeii during the Activity 4 research. The RAFT task (write a poem or song as a historian) and the request to read the story aloud and answer questions require students to recall and report information from the source.
Lesson 4
Rip Van Winkle
Students read or listen to the primary text and answer focused comprehension questions that require locating key information (e.g., characterizing Rip Van Winkle and citing actions that support that characterization, and identifying two or three major changes that occurred while Rip was asleep). Students compare the short story to a poem version and discuss similarities and differences, which requires extracting and articulating core information. Students also retell and rewrite a scene as a script, which has them restate narrative events in a different form.
Lesson 5
Zlateh the Goat
Students read the primary text "Zlateh the Goat" and answer directed comprehension questions (e.g., why the family decided to sell the goat; how Zlateh saved Aaron) that require them to identify key events and reasons. Students respond to discussion prompts about the role of the natural setting (man vs. nature) and how the family's treatment of Zlateh changed, which asks them to identify central elements of the story. Students analyze narrator perspective and point of view (third person omniscient vs. detached observer vs. first person), which supports understanding how information is presented in the source.
Lesson 7
Your Choice
Students complete a "Plot Diagram" that asks them to identify the story's main events, problem, climax, falling action, solution, and the narrator's point of view. Students use a "Story Conflict & Theme" bubble map to identify a major theme and list specific examples from the text that support that theme. Students fill an "Elements of a Short Story" organizer to record main character actions, character traits, setting details, and words/phrases the author uses, and parents are prompted to note that students should reference the text to determine plot development and author's choice of words.
2: Force and Power
Unit 1: Slavery and the Civil War
Lesson 1
Antebellum America
Students are asked to read the map and pages from A History of US and answer explicit questions that require identifying central information (e.g., which region had more factories and why; describe kinds of work in the North and South). Students must write short descriptions and two-to-three sentence economy summaries in the travel-brochure activity and create a timeline selecting key events—tasks that require pulling main ideas from the provided secondary sources. The Population Map and timeline activities require students to extract and organize factual information from data and text into a summarized visual form.
Lesson 2
Slavery
Students read both secondary sources (A History of US chapters and a video) and primary sources (WPA slave narratives) and are instructed to record important information from those sources in Activity 1 and Activity 2. Students complete a KWL chart where they list what they already know (K) and then add a What You Learned (L) column to capture new information distinct from prior knowledge. Activity 2 explicitly asks students to consider how reading primary sources differs from reading secondary sources, and Activity 3 requires students to synthesize their notes into a quilt or mural that represents central ideas and events from the readings.
Lesson 3
Disunion and the Start of the Civil War
The lesson requires students to read specified pages of a secondary source (A History of US: War, Terrible War 1855-1865) and answer comprehension questions (e.g., interpreting Lincoln's "house divided" remark and explaining why Southern states seceded). The Skills section explicitly lists finding the main idea and summarizing as expected student actions. Activities such as adding events to a timeline and completing the debate worksheets ask students to identify events, causes, and reasons from the reading, which requires extracting central information from the source.
Lesson 4
Leadership and the Civil War
Students are assigned chapters 12–14 of A History of US and must answer text-based questions (e.g., Why did Lincoln appoint so many different commanders?), which directs them to locate and restate information from the reading. Students create Civil War leader cards that require them to record background, roles, and notable events for each figure—fields that ask for factual summaries drawn from the secondary source. The activity structure separates factual fields from a distinct "My impressions of this leader" section, prompting students to record evidence-based information apart from personal opinion.
Lesson 5
The Wartime Experience
Students are asked to read A History of US: War, Terrible War (chapters 15–16) and answer guided questions that require identifying information (for example, QUESTION #1 asks how the Southern way of life differed from the North, and QUESTION #4 asks students to describe a Civil War battlefield). Activity 4 directs students to read a web article about daily camp life and to pay attention to descriptions of routines and leisure activities. The "Pack Your Haversack" activity asks students to select and weigh items based on textual descriptions of soldier gear and rations, requiring them to extract relevant informational details from sources.
Lesson 6
Major Battles of the Civil War
Students are asked to read Chapters 18-20 of a secondary source (A History of US: War, Terrible War) and answer focused comprehension questions about battles (e.g., what was surprising about Bull Run, what went wrong with McClellan, why Antietam was important). In the Civil War Map activity, students locate battles and write short explanations of why each battle was significant. In the Civil War Monument activity, students record "important details," note "why it was a turning point," and list the "main ideas" their monument should convey, which requires extracting central information from the readings.
Lesson 7
The Homefront Experience
Students are directed to read Chapters 22–24 in a secondary source (A History of US: War, Terrible War) and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., what might happen if an army came through your yard; events at Gettysburg; why Vicksburg was important). Students are also asked to use a Civil War timeline to record important events and dates from the readings, and to review answers with a parent. These tasks require students to extract factual information and record key events from a secondary source.
Lesson 8
Gettysburg and Beyond
Students read primary source texts (the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the Gettysburg Address) and are directed to highlight important ideas or powerful phrases in each document. Students use a three-circle Venn diagram to organize and show which ideas appear in each document, comparing and noting similarities among the texts. Students also read secondary-source chapters (Hakim) and add important events and dates to a Civil War timeline and map, recording key information from those readings.
Lesson 9
End of War and Reconstruction
Students read secondary sources (chapters 28-31 of A History of US and a web article about freed slaves/Freedmen's Bureau/Black Codes) and answer comprehension questions about key events (e.g., Lee's surrender, terms of surrender, challenges faced by former slaves). Students read the texts of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments (primary sources) and are prompted to "restate this amendment in your own words" and explain why each amendment was important. Students add important events from their readings to a Civil War timeline and summarize the Reconstruction Amendments on the Student Activity Page.
Final Project
Remembering the Civil War
The Skills list explicitly tells students to "Differentiate between, locate, and use primary and secondary sources" and to practice "finding the main idea" and "summarizing." In the museum exhibit option students must write exhibit cards with 2–3 sentence explanations that "sum up what you think is important" for each topic, which requires distilling central information. The documentary option and unit test require students to write narration, answer questions that ask for descriptions of differences and reasons for the war, and list key details, all tasks that ask students to identify and summarize central ideas from the unit materials.
Unit 1: Bull Run
Lesson 1
Background on the Civil War
Students read and analyze two primary sources (a Tennessee schoolgirl's diary and a POW journal) and are asked to discuss the authors' perspectives and to identify facts and opinions. Students research the Battle of Bull Run using secondary sources and record important information on color-coded note cards. Students list the steps of state admission in their journal and are explicitly told to put information in their own words, and the skills section names summarizing the author's purpose and stance.
Lesson 2
Pink and Say
Students are asked in Activity 1 to identify factual information about the Civil War from the picture book and record those facts in a journal, focusing on war-related details rather than characters. In Activity 5 students read Civil War letters (primary sources), identify the letter writers and recipients, determine what side they are on, and note the opinions the writers express about the enemy. Activity 2 has students rewrite a passage from a different point of view, which requires them to attend to what information and impressions are presented by a narrator versus another perspective.
Lesson 3
Joining the Ranks
Students are asked to summarize the accounts they read and explain each character's perspective ("Ask your child to summarize the accounts she read today and explain the perspective of the character found in each account"). Students read a Civil War speech and record three factual statements and three opinion statements in a journal, distinguishing fact from opinion. Students analyze propaganda images and explain how each picture could have been used to sway attitudes, and they answer comprehension questions about character motivations from pages 1–20.
Lesson 4
Ready for Battle
Students read pages 21–40 of Bull Run and answer comprehension questions that require extracting information from the text (e.g., identifying the note found in Dietrich Herz's shirt and describing Lily and Patrick's relationship). Parent/teacher discussion prompts ask students to explain major themes such as how the Civil War was a battle over power and whether leaders were prepared, which requires identifying central ideas. The Propaganda Poster activity asks students to analyze what messages would influence characters and to evaluate propaganda, prompting students to identify underlying messages and draw conclusions from the text and related sources.
Lesson 7
Fleeing and Death
Students finish reading the historical novel and answer specific comprehension questions (Questions #1-#3) that require identifying information from the text. Activity 1 asks students to reread Toby's accounts and "cite evidence from the book to support your ideas" when describing his feelings before and after Bull Run. The Character Quilt and Favorite Character activities require students to extract character details, depict main achievements or memorable scenes, and describe those elements on quilt squares or in presentations.
Unit 2: Force and Motion
Lesson 1
Force and Motion Basics
Students read pages 1-5 and the timeline (pages IV-V) of Explore Forces and Motion and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., define a force, identify forces acting while sitting, explain balanced vs. unbalanced forces). Students complete a vocabulary matching activity using the glossary to identify and define key terms (inertia, mass, gravity, friction, velocity, etc.). Students cut out and match scientist cards to discoveries, extracting factual information from the timeline and source material.
Lesson 2
Forces
Students are instructed to read Chapter 1 (pages 8-13) and then answer comprehension questions, including QUESTION #3 which asks them to "List three general things about forces and motion that you have learned in this chapter," prompting extraction of main ideas. The "Things to Know" section presents concise bullet points (e.g., contact vs. non-contact forces, forces in pairs, friction, normal force) that students can use to identify central information. Activity prompts (scavenger hunt, Book Buddies, Building Bridges) require students to apply and recall these core concepts, reinforcing the chapter's key ideas.
Lesson 3
Gravity
Students are directed to read Chapter 2 (pages 19-25) of a secondary source and then answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., explain the difference between mass and weight; why you can't feel the pull of gravity between you and another object; how the Moon stays in orbit). Students are also asked to read explanatory sections ("What Is Happening?") and to use information from the book and videos to explain results and draw conclusions for experiments (paper drops, parachutes, weight-on-planets calculations).
Lesson 4
Laws of Motion
Students are asked to read Chapter 3 and watch a video then answer specific comprehension questions, including "How would you explain Newton's first law of motion in your own words?" and defining inertia and balanced vs. unbalanced forces. Students must create a Laws of Motion poster that requires them to state each law (using book wording or their own words) and illustrate each law, which asks them to restate and represent central ideas from the sources. The Force Experiment and marble activities require students to describe or draw scenarios that demonstrate the laws, reinforcing identification of key information from the readings and video.
Lesson 5
Magnetism
Students are asked to read Chapter 4 and specific web sections and then answer directed comprehension questions (Questions #1–#4) that require extracting factual information from the texts (e.g., where magnetic force is strongest; why Earth is a magnet). The lesson also asks students to apply what they learned by drawing magnetic field lines and to complete a hypothesis/procedure/results/conclusion experiment, which requires using information from the readings to interpret observations.
Lesson 6
Buoyancy
Students are directed to read Chapter 5 and answer comprehension questions that require extracting information from the text, for example explaining how Archimedes used water displacement to show the crown was not pure gold. Students perform activities that require them to measure displacement, compute volume and density (density = mass ÷ volume), and record results in a data table, then answer explanatory questions using terms like displacement, volume, density, and mass. Students also answer questions about why objects float or sink and describe how shape affected buoyancy, which asks them to restate and apply information from the reading and experiments.
Lesson 7
Forces at Work
Students read Chapter 6 (pages 72–79) and accompanying web descriptions and answer targeted comprehension questions (Q1–Q4) that require them to identify key information such as what a simple machine can do, what a fulcrum is, how wedge and screw relate to an inclined plane, and the advantage of multiple pulleys. Students also discuss and review the six simple machines and ways simple machines make work easier, which requires them to state central ideas about the topic in conversation.
Final Project
Force and Motion Stations
Students are asked to review the "Reading and Questions" pages and the compiled "Unit Review Sheet," which requires them to identify and study key information from the unit. Students are instructed to fill out station cards that include an optional "Takeaway" box where they can write what visitors should have seen or how the demonstration relates to the topic, described as similar to "What Is Happening?" notes. Students complete short-answer test items that require concise explanations (e.g., defining inertia, density, and explaining Newton's laws), which ask them to extract and state core concepts.
Unit 2: Albert Einstein
Lesson 1
Who Is Albert Einstein?
Students are instructed to "Read the introduction to the biography... and then answer the following questions in complete sentences," with four comprehension questions that require extracting key information from the text. The "Things to Review" directs students to "summarize some of the major events that occurred in Einstein's life as described in the introduction." The lesson also prompts students to share prior knowledge at the start, and parent notes list skills such as using oral and written language to evaluate information and ideas.
Lesson 2
Einstein, The Boy
Students answer targeted comprehension questions (Q1–Q3) asking them to state what made Einstein different as a child, how his interest in science began, and to briefly describe his views on education, recording answers in complete sentences. Students identify and record the most important events from Chapters 1–2 on a timeline, selecting and ordering central information rather than every detail. Students analyze character traits by listing positive and negative traits of Einstein and explaining consequences, which requires extracting key information from the text.
Lesson 3
University Days and Beyond
Students are asked to summarize what occurred in the first two chapters and to read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, which require identifying key information (e.g., describing Einstein's university experience and the consequences). The Parent Plan explicitly lists the skill to "summarize or paraphrase what the reading was about, maintaining meaning and logical order." Activities ask students to add two to four of the most important events to a timeline and to fill a Biography Web with childhood and young adult events, which requires selecting central information and organizing it chronologically.
Lesson 4
Research and Discovery
Students watch both secondary-source videos and a primary-source recording of Einstein (Activity 4) and are instructed to take notes on important ideas and information. Students are asked to "write a summary of one of the videos" using their notes (Activity 5) and to "summarize significant events and details" (Skills). The parent guidance asks students to listen for facts versus the narrator's opinions and to compare how the book and video accounts are similar or different, prompting identification of central ideas across sources.
Lesson 5
The Professor
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., How did the science world respond to Albert's four papers?; On page 85, how does Einstein describe gravity?), requiring them to extract specific information from the text. Students fill in four major events on a Biography Web and add events to an Einstein timeline, which asks them to identify and organize key events and central information from the chapters. Students also illustrate the trampoline demonstration and write sentences describing how math is used in scientific fields, applying and restating ideas from the readings.
Lesson 6
Fame
Students read Chapters 9 and 10 of the biography and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., How did Einstein feel about war?), and they add events to a timeline, which requires extracting central information and sequencing key events. In Activity 2 students read an encyclopedia entry and explicitly compare the style and content of the encyclopedia, the biography, and documentary videos, answering targeted questions about purpose, differences, and emotional impact. The Parent Plan and Skills sections state that students will synthesize and make logical connections between ideas within a text and across two or three texts, and provide evidence from text to support understanding.
Lesson 7
War
Students read Chapters 11 and 12 and answer targeted comprehension questions about Einstein's theories, threats, reasons for moving, and changing views about the bomb. Students add events to a timeline and fill in four major events on a biography web for the section "The War," which requires selecting central events. Students watch a biography video and record at least three statements that are facts and at least two statements that are opinions, practicing distinguishing factual information from opinions.
Lesson 8
Peace
Students read the final chapter of the Einstein biography and answer text-based questions (e.g., Q3 asks what the author believes drove Einstein and how this is evidenced in his life). Students are asked to add events to a timeline and to record important things they learned about Einstein (Option 1) or to provide two examples from the book showing how the author fulfilled each common element of a biography (Option 2). The parent plan and skills sections explicitly direct students to analyze, make inferences, draw conclusions about expository text, and provide evidence from the text to support understanding.
Final Project
Biography Scrapbook
Students are directed to use their biography web and timeline to find information and decide what to include in the scrapbook, which requires gathering and organizing information from sources. The Parent Plan skills list explicitly states students will "Integrate main idea and supporting details from multiple sources to expand understanding of texts." Students are also asked to "use factual information" when filling in the birth certificate and to assemble information "in a way that makes logical sense."
Unit 3: World Wars I and II
Lesson 1
World War I Begins
Students read pages 4-21 of Where Poppies Grow (a secondary source) and answer focused questions about causes of the war, trench hardships, and the impact of technology, requiring them to pull key information from the text. The lesson defines primary and secondary sources and has students examine and describe primary materials (a 1914 New York Times front page and trench photographs). Activities ask students to describe a chosen technology and its impact and to analyze photographs and compare visual evidence to written descriptions, prompting students to identify important information in both primary and secondary sources.
Lesson 2
In the Trenches and on the Homefront
Students read a secondary source (Where Poppies Grow, pp. 22–33) and answer focused comprehension questions (Q1–Q4) that require identifying key information such as examples of propaganda, ways children supported the war effort, the meaning of a wartime phrase, and the author/role of the poet. Students analyze a primary source poem ("In Flanders Fields") by copying/illustrating or memorizing/reciting a stanza, and Activity 2 asks students to examine primary-source images (photographs, postcards, objects) and compare them to modern items for a time capsule. The Wrapping Up section prompts students to consider what kinds of primary sources historians use and to ask how a secondary-source author knows about past events.
Lesson 3
The End of World War I
Students read primary source letters in Where Poppies Grow (pages 40–44) and secondary accounts in Joy Hakim (Chapters 1–2), then answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., roles of animals, why soldiers could not reveal locations). Students analyze primary-source correspondence in Activity 1 by noting how soldiers obscured tactical details and by practicing encoding/decoding location information. In Activity 2 students complete a comparison table that identifies key parts of Wilson's Fourteen Points, reasons Wilson supported them, and how the Treaty of Versailles was similar or different, and they answer explanatory questions about why Wilson failed to achieve his goals.
Lesson 4
World War II Before U.S. Involvement
Students are assigned a secondary source (Joy Hakim, chapters 26-29) and answer focused comprehension questions that require identifying central facts (e.g., why Hitler appealed to Germans, what anti-Semitism led to, U.S. hesitancy). In Activity 1 students create two columns of "reasons to go to war" and "reasons to stay out" based on the reading and write a letter to President Roosevelt providing at least two reasons or balanced arguments, using specific examples from the text. In Activity 2 students complete "World Leaders" pages where they record country, form of government, important actions, and goals—tasks that require extracting and recording key information from their reading.
Lesson 5
Mobilizing for War
Students read a primary source (FDR's December 8, 1941 speech) and are asked to underline/highlight powerful words or phrases and answer targeted comprehension questions about meaning, purpose, and tone (e.g., what he meant by "a date which will live in infamy," why he explained the diplomatic situation, what he wanted Americans to understand). Students read secondary-source textbook chapters (Joy Hakim, pages 129–138) and add information to an activity page about world leaders. Students analyze World War II posters by identifying words, images, colors, emotions, and the artist's intended action.
Lesson 6
Wartime Skills
Students are directed to read pages 139–152 of a secondary source (Joy Hakim's History of US) and answer specific comprehension questions that require identifying key facts (e.g., new military technologies, which code was unbreakable, why Midway was strategic, and how many Nisei served). The Think About It prompts and the review guidance ask students to explain how the Navajo code worked and to discuss women's contributions, which requires extracting central information and explaining it in discussion.
Lesson 7
War in the Pacific and North Africa
Students are assigned a secondary source (A History of US: War, Peace, and All That Jazz, pages 153-162) and answer specific comprehension questions (Questions 1-4) that ask for the significance of Guadalcanal, reasons factories/labs mattered, the purpose of Operation Torch, and how Allied commanders misled the Axis. The map activity instructs students to review the readings to locate and label battles (Midway, Coral Sea, Guadalcanal) and North African countries, requiring them to extract key information from the text. The Weapons of War activity asks students to describe historical examples of technologies, explain how they differed from earlier weapons, and evaluate their impact, which requires summarizing information from the readings.
Lesson 8
War in Europe
Students are assigned to read the secondary source A History of US: War, Peace, and All That Jazz (pages 163-179) and to add relevant details about Truman to a World Leaders activity page, which requires extracting information from the text. The lesson includes specific comprehension questions (e.g., why Rommel left, the D-Day beach code names) that ask students to identify factual information from the reading. Activity 1 asks students to label locations and know the significance of events from the reading, and Activity 3 directs students to consult the book for accuracy when writing a radio script using vocabulary and at least two events.
Lesson 9
The End of World War II
Students read a secondary source (A History of US: War, Peace, and All That Jazz, pp. 180-189) and are asked factual comprehension questions (e.g., why the atomic bomb was dropped, what led to Japanese surrender). In Activity 2 students take reporter-style notes using explicit prompts (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and are instructed to be objective and focus on the most important details. The Student Activity Page and Option 2 recording require students to extract and record essential information from the reading or other sources.
Final Project
A World War II Board Game
Students review reading materials and "Things to Know" sections and then answer short-response test questions (e.g., "Describe trench warfare," "How were Japanese Americans treated during World War II?"). Students create 36 question-and-answer cards by extracting facts and writing concise Q&A pairs for three categories (Europe, Pacific, U.S. homefront). The Game Rubric and test scoring require that trivia answers be correct and that the game "conveys important information," which requires students to identify and summarize key information.
Unit 3: Number the Stars
Lesson 2
Soldiers on Every Corner
Students are assigned the role of summarizer and told to read Chapters 1 and 2 and write a four- or five-sentence summary of what happened. The instructions define a summary as a short description that contains the main events that occurred, and students use lines provided to write that summary. Classroom discussion questions ask students to describe how life changed since the Nazis arrived, which prompts students to identify key information from the text.
Lesson 3
The Button Shop
Students analyze multiple propaganda posters and are explicitly instructed to "look carefully at each poster," pay attention to techniques and the message, and "in a sentence, attempt to summarize the message each poster is trying to convey." Student activity pages show poster images and translations and ask students to interpret and discuss the messages and intentions behind each poster. Students also read a diary-like paragraph about soldiers and scarcity and identify symbols and words associated with those symbols, engaging with content of a historical text.
Lesson 4
In Hiding
Students are assigned the role of discussion director and instructed to write four discussion questions that "cover the big ideas" from Chapters 5 and 6, which requires identifying central ideas. Students complete a "Problem and Solution" organizer in which they describe three problem/solution situations from the chapters, summarizing key events and resolutions. Parents are prompted to ask the child to explain what happened at the end of Chapter 4 and to discuss answers to the discussion questions, which has students articulate comprehension of the chapters' main events.
Lesson 6
Aunt Birte is Dead
Students are asked to read the Barbara Rodbell profile on the PBS site and then retell her story to a parent, which requires condensing a secondary source into a coherent account. The Parent Plan skills list explicitly asks students to "paraphrase major ideas and supporting evidence" and to "respond to literary or expository texts and provide evidence," supporting practice with summarizing and extracting main ideas. The "literary luminary" activity asks students to choose important passages and explain why they matter, which engages students in identifying key information within the text.
Lesson 8
Little Red Riding Hood
Students are asked to "summarize the plan that Peter and Annemarie's mother have for helping the Jewish families escape," which requires extracting and restating key information. The Character Sketch activity asks students to describe the problem Annemarie faced and explain how her traits helped solve it, prompting students to identify and write about central elements of the narrative. The Little Red Riding Hood activity asks students to read two versions and use a graphic organizer to show similarities and differences, requiring students to identify main ideas and compare them to Annemarie's story.
Lesson 9
A Magazine Article
Students are asked to read the book's "Afterword" to discover which parts of the story were based on historic fact, and to use the provided National Museum and BBC links (and other trusted sources) for additional research. Students are instructed to put information in their own words to avoid plagiarism, to look for quotes to include (with exact quotation marks), and to indicate sources for quotations and pictures. Students use a bubble map organizer to record a central topic and three subtopics with supporting details, and they are required to write an introductory paragraph that states main ideas and a concluding paragraph that restates main ideas.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students answer targeted comprehension questions on the "Number the Stars Test" that ask them to describe how the Danish people felt about King Christian, explain how Annemarie showed bravery, and explain Uncle Henrik and Mrs. Johansen's plan to help Jewish people. Students are asked to create a book jacket back cover summary that requires them to write the main character, setting, beginning, middle, and end. The listed skills include paraphrasing major ideas and supporting evidence in presentations, which directs students to restate main ideas and evidence.
3: Change
Unit 1: Matter
Lesson 1
Elements and the Periodic Table
Students read pages 4–11 of a secondary source (Fizz, Bubble, and Flash!) and answer comprehension questions that require extracting information (e.g., confirming that all natural elements have been identified and that the periodic table organizes elements by properties). Students identify element relationships by answering which element is similar to nickel and platinum (palladium) and explain how the periodic table helps chemists. Students also explain which compounds are common in the atmosphere, oceans, crust, and body when they share their clay models.
Lesson 2
Introduction to Metals
Students read sections of the textbook and watch a video about metals, then answer questions that ask for the three element categories and the properties of metal families. Students record observations from hands-on tests in a chart and synthesize similarities/differences in a Venn diagram. In Activity 4 students gather information from the book and an online periodic table and create a collage or informational poster listing the element's name, symbol, group, characteristics, uses, and important facts.
Lesson 3
Introduction to Metalloids
Students are instructed to read specific pages in a secondary source (Fizz, Bubble, and Flash!) and reread inset boxes about radioactivity, then answer focused comprehension questions about metalloids (e.g., why the category is called metalloids, which is radioactive, what radioactive means, boron's use). Students are asked to "fill in what you have learned about metalloids" on an activity page and to research one metalloid and produce a poem or mini-book summarizing facts such as uses, characteristics, appearance, and where it's found. Students perform an investigation with Silly Putty, record observations, and refer to explanatory text sections (e.g., "Curious Minds Want to Know") to explain what is happening.
Lesson 4
Introduction to Nonmetals
Students read specific pages of a science book and answer direct comprehension questions comparing nonmetals and halogens and identifying where noble gases were discovered. Students research a gaseous nonmetal, report three things they learned, and show examples of the element in daily life. Students complete an activity page that requires recording a question, materials, procedure, observations, and conclusions from an experiment about carbon.
Lesson 7
Classifying by Magnetic Properties
Students are asked to read specific textbook pages and answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., where magnets are found in animals, how atoms align in magnetic elements, and how neodymium magnets are made), which requires extracting key information from the source. In Part 1 and Part 2 students copy and label diagrams and redraw the levitation image, and in Part 3 they examine a periodic table of magnetism and fill in magnetism properties, which requires synthesizing information from the provided sources. The activities require students to list examples and identify patterns across the periodic table, demonstrating identification of central information.
Unit 1: Tuck Everlasting
Lesson 2
The Wood
Students are asked to identify specific events from the prologue (Question #1 asks for the three happenings described in the prologue) and to record phrases or sentences that describe the setting (Question #2 and the setting activities). Students also analyze character details (Question #3 about Mae and discussion prompts about Tuck's personality) and locate textual evidence for figurative language (Question #4 and the illustration/map activities that require underlining descriptive sentences).
Lesson 4
The Tucks
Students are asked to "summarize what happened in the chapters she read yesterday" and to "retell the story the Tucks told to Winnie," which requires extracting main events and information from the text. The reading assignment (Chapters 6–8) is paired with comprehension questions that ask about the Tucks' motives, their secret, and Winnie's views, prompting students to identify key information. Students are also asked to explain what groundwater is and why it is important after reading an explanatory passage and completing an investigation, which requires identifying central ideas in an informational text.
Lesson 5
At Home with the Tucks
Students answer direct comprehension questions (e.g., Why the Tucks were excited; theories Winnie has for why the Tucks live as they do), which requires extracting information from Chapters 9–11. In the Juxtaposition activity students are asked to record words and phrases from the text (with quotation marks) that describe the Fosters' and Tucks' homes and to write short paragraphs using the author's descriptions. Option 2 has students locate textual words/phrases and base illustrations on those descriptions, which requires students to identify and use text-based information.
Lesson 6
The Man in the Yellow Suit
Students answer text-based comprehension questions (e.g., identify what the Tucks thought happened to their horse and what actually happened) that require extracting factual information from the chapters. Activity 2 asks students to read quotations from the book and respond to guided prompts about how nature changes and what cycles are occurring, which requires identifying and explaining central themes. The Things to Review and parent-plan prompts ask students to explain one or two themes found in the novel and to make connections between themes and the natural world.
Lesson 7
Fishing
The Parent Plan lists the skill "Summarize the main ideas and supporting details in text." Activity 1 directs students to "write a summary of the chapters you read today that includes the vocabulary words," giving students a concrete summarization task based on the chapters. Reading questions ask students to describe characters and explain motivations, which requires identifying key information from the chapters.
Lesson 8
The Gallows
Students answer direct comprehension questions about Chapters 18–20 that require extracting key information (e.g., how the man in the yellow suit knew about the Tucks, the man's plans for the water, and why Mae could not go to the gallows). Discussion prompts ask students to explain character motivations and changes (e.g., why Mae acted as she did and how Winnie's feelings and character have changed). The Getting Started and Wrapping Up prompts invite consideration of thematic ideas (e.g., how interactions change us and the consequences of the characters' decisions).
Lesson 10
The Water and the Toad
Students read the last two chapters and the epilogue and answer comprehension questions about character relationships, feelings, and changes in Treegap (Questions 1–3). Students read a secondary source (an interview with the author) and respond by creating interview questions or answering interview prompts. The parent plan also directs students to analyze, make inferences, draw conclusions about the author's purpose, and provide evidence from the text.
Final Project
A Debate
Students are asked to record three quotes or actions from the book that describe how characters feel about living forever and to note the character who made each statement, which requires extracting information from a primary source. The Student Activity Page asks students to categorize those quotes under 'Pros' and 'Cons' and to use a 'Your Own Words' section to summarize considerations about immortality. The lesson introduction and parent plan also state that students will learn to understand the difference between fact and opinion, which relates to distinguishing source information from personal views.
Unit 2: Civil Rights
Lesson 1
Life Under Segregation
Students read pages 4–7 of Nobody Gonna Turn Me 'Round and watch images of racial segregation, then answer questions that require extracting key information. Students answer Q2 and Q3 by defining race segregation and listing specific places and activities that were segregated (schools, buses, trains, restaurants, libraries, hospitals, parks, water fountains, movie theaters). Students also analyze the painting on pages 6–7 (Q1) and define and apply vocabulary terms (prejudice, discrimination, racism, segregation) in Activity 1, and identify how segregation would affect places they visit in Activity 2.
Lesson 2
The Montgomery Bus Boycott
Students read pages 14–19 of Nobody Gonna Turn Me 'Round (a secondary source) and answer focused comprehension questions asking what the bus driver expected, what Rosa Parks did and why, and how the boycott ended. The reading questions require students to extract key events, motivations, and outcomes from the text. The Research Workshop activity asks students to record what they already know and what they want to learn, and the flyer/speech activities require students to use information from the reading to inform persuasive products.
Lesson 3
School Desegregation
Students read specified pages of Nobody Gonna Turn Me 'Round and answer targeted questions that ask for factual determinations (what the Supreme Court decided, how white citizens responded, and how Eisenhower intervened). Students are instructed to prepare a radio news broadcast summarizing Brown v. Board of Education that must include the date, the Court's decision, who was affected, and how schools would change, using the reading and provided web links (including the Supreme Court transcript). Students analyze the experience of Elizabeth Eckford through interview questions or a letter, requiring them to extract central information and summarize her experience in their own words.
Lesson 4
Sit-Ins and Freedom Rides
Students are instructed to read specific pages of Nobody Gonna Turn Me 'Round and then answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., "How did segregationists respond to sit-ins?", "What were the Freedom Rides?") that require extracting key information from the text. The lesson provides expected answers that summarize central facts (e.g., Freedom Rides were integrated bus protests, met with violence and jailings). Activities ask students to define and give examples of nonviolence and direct action on a student activity page, prompting them to identify main ideas and supporting examples from the reading.
Lesson 5
Music and Youth in the Movement
Students are assigned readings from the secondary source Nobody Gonna Turn Me 'Round and asked direct comprehension questions (e.g., Why were children marching in Birmingham? and Why do you think people sang special protest songs?), which require identifying key information and reasons from the text. In Activity 3 students must list five ways young people made a difference in the Civil Rights Movement, which asks them to extract and organize central information from the readings. The My Protest Song and song-listening activities reinforce attention to the songs and their messages, supporting identification of main ideas about music's role.
Lesson 6
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Students are asked to read a secondary source (Nobody Gonna Turn Me 'Round, pp. 40–43) and the text of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech (web link). Question prompts ask students to describe the March on Washington, identify Dr. King's "dream," and state other causes he fought for. Activity 2 directs students to think about what King means in the speech and to practice and perform or memorize portions of it.
Lesson 7
Freedom Summer
Students read a secondary source (Nobody Gonna Turn Me 'Round, pp. 44-55) and answer targeted comprehension questions that require extracting key information (e.g., how segregationists prevented voting, Fannie Lou Hamer's experience, who Dave Dennis blamed, and what the freedom schools were). The reading-and-questions section asks students to identify specific central facts and events from the source.
Lesson 8
Conducting Your Research
Students complete a Post-Interview Field Notes page that asks them to list "Important Topics Covered," requiring them to summarize key subjects from an oral history (a primary source). In the independent research option students are instructed to write one research question per page, record information from sources that answers each question, and note the specific source (e.g., "(Source #5, pages 26-27)") on their research notes. The Research Sources activity page requires students to document bibliographic details for books and websites, supporting accurate, source-based summaries.
Lesson 9
Legacies of the Movement
Students are assigned to read Nobody Gonna Turn Me 'Round (pages 56–58) and answer comprehension questions that ask them to evaluate the impact of the Voting Rights Act and to name ways activists continue to create change, requiring extraction of information from the text. Students complete Activity 1 by identifying specific ways the Civil Rights Movement changed America and expressing those changes in a before-and-after poem or object analogies, which requires synthesizing key ideas from the reading. Activity 2 asks students to reflect on activists' later work and plan or research examples of ongoing activism, reinforcing identification of main information about civil rights actors and their actions.
Final Project
Presenting Your Research
Students are asked to present results of independent research in two formats (mock interview, learning station, book review, radio program, illustrated book) that require them to pull information from primary (oral histories) and secondary (books, readings) sources. The unit test and test pages ask students to define key terms, order events chronologically, and answer prompts such as "What did the Civil Rights Movement accomplish?" and "What did you learn…that you did not know before," which require students to state central information from the unit. The rubric criterion "Conveys accurate and important historical information" and the book review prompt asking what students learned from a book explicitly require students to produce accurate summaries of sources.
Unit 2: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Lesson 1
School's In
Students watch a video of primary sources about the Civil Rights Movement and are instructed to record a three- or four-sentence response explaining what they learned. Students read chapters of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and answer factual comprehension questions (e.g., why African-American children have a shorter school year). Students complete "Recognizing Discrimination" graphic organizers by recording who was involved, what happened, and how each instance is an example of discrimination.
Lesson 2
A Visitor
Students read Chapter 2 and answer specific comprehension questions in complete sentences (e.g., how Papa knew Mr. Morrison, why Papa brought him home, consequences of a boycott). Students are directed to research Mississippi using specified websites and to record information on a "Mississippi Facts" sheet (natural resources, weather/climate, population, three historical events). In Option 2 students must compile and present state facts and one-sentence descriptions of three historical events in a tri-fold brochure, which requires extracting information from secondary sources.
Lesson 3
The Bus
Students answer comprehension questions about Chapter 3 that require recalling key events and information (why Little Man was upset, how the Logans got revenge, and why the family was afraid). The Student Activity Page asks students to write a paragraph about the book's setting, plot, or main characters, which prompts them to describe core information from the text. Activity 2 asks students to identify at least two problems the county causes for black children and to explain what should be done, which requires extracting and restating factual problems from the source.
Lesson 6
Uncle Hammer
Students are asked to read Chapter 6 and discuss specific comprehension questions (e.g., why Uncle Hammer bought a car, what Mama means by respect vs. fear), which requires identifying key information and interpreting meaning. The Wrapping Up and Parent Plan sections prompt students to recount events (what happened to Cassie) and explain Mama's explanation for racial attitudes, which asks for synthesis of chapter content. Several discussion prompts ask students to describe characters' feelings and motives, supporting practice in extracting central ideas from the text.
Lesson 7
Christmas
Students are asked to read Chapter 7 and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., why Stacey gave T.J. his coat; what the children received for Christmas; what Mr. Jamison offered), which requires extracting information from the text. Students complete a Venn-diagram activity titled "A Southern Christmas" that asks them to compare and contrast the Logans' holiday with their own, requiring them to identify similarities and differences based on the chapter's descriptions. Discussion prompts (e.g., how one man's action can lead to community change) ask students to identify and explain key information from the source.
Lesson 8
Taking a Stand
Students read Chapter 8 of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and answer comprehension questions including a factual retrieval question (Question #3 asks why T.J. told Mr. Wallace something). Students read the primary-source style flyer "Integrated Bus Suggestions," underline the three suggestions they think were most important, and explain to a parent why they selected them, which requires identifying key points. Students are asked in Wrapping Up to explain to a parent what they learned about the Montgomery Bus Boycott and to discuss the boycott in the story, prompting them to state information from the sources.
Lesson 9
Papa's Accident
Students read Chapter 9 and answer comprehension questions that require identifying key information and causes (e.g., why families stopped shopping in Vicksburg, what happened to Papa, and why T.J. associates with certain peers). Students watch a linked video about sharecropping and are asked to draw a diagram or find a historical image and write a quote that explains the sharecropping system. Students must explain the system of sharecropping to a sibling or parent using their diagram or picture and quote, which asks them to condense and communicate central information.
Lesson 10
Revival
Students read Chapter 10 and answer targeted comprehension questions that require recalling key events and information (e.g., what Mr. Morrison did when Kaleb Wallace wouldn't move his truck, why the Logans wanted Uncle Hammer to return, and how T.J. changed). Students are asked to write a five-paragraph book report and use an "Organizing Ideas" organizer that prompts them to introduce the setting and historical context, present main characters, describe the major problem or struggle, and recount suspenseful or important events. The "Things to Know" and rubric explicitly describe a book report as a short summary of setting, characters, and events and provide criteria for sentence structure, voice, and word choice to shape that summary.
Lesson 11
Trouble
Students are asked to read Chapter 11 and answer direct comprehension questions (QUESTION #1 and QUESTION #2) that require identifying what happened to T.J. and why R.W. and Melvin acted as they did, which asks students to extract key information from the text. Students are prompted to "summarize what happened in today's chapter" during the "Things to Review" section and to finish a rough draft of a book report and then revise and read it aloud, which requires producing a summary of chapter events and the book's content. The activity questions and the writing tasks focus students on recounting central events and motivations from the chapter.
Final Project
Unit Test and Presentation for Change
Students answer end-of-unit test questions that ask for definitions and explanations (e.g., What was the Civil Rights Movement and why did it occur?), and they must respond about Jim Crow laws, sharecropping, and treatment of black school children. Students plan and deliver a four-slide/poster presentation that requires them to present the problem, provide examples drawn from the story and unit texts/videos, and describe how the community will change. The Parent Plan and rubric explicitly state students will "summarize significant events and details" and "articulate an understanding of several ideas" communicated by the literary work.
Unit 3: Chemical Change
Lesson 1
Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons
Students are directed to read specific pages of Kitchen Chemistry and then answer comprehension questions (e.g., explain why you can't have an atom of carbon dioxide; what happens if an atom gains or loses electrons; why different carbon forms differ), which requires extracting key information from the text. Students are asked to create an atomic model and then "share it with a parent and explain its different parts," and to "share what you learn with your family," which requires them to state and convey information drawn from the reading. The "Filling Shells with Electrons" activity asks students to use given atomic numbers and electron counts to fill diagrams, reinforcing factual information from the source.
Lesson 2
Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures
Students are instructed to read pages 22-28 of Kitchen Chemistry and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., whether ocean water is a pure substance and how mixtures differ from compounds). The activities and tables require students to classify models as elements or compounds and to explain whether combined materials form a mixture or compound. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to "Explain to your parent how a mixture and a compound are different," which asks for a concise explanation based on the reading and activities.
Lesson 3
Physical Changes
Students are asked to read specified pages of Kitchen Chemistry and use that text to complete a table about solids, liquids, and gases (Activity 1). Students define terms, label phase-change arrows, and answer direct comprehension questions (Day 2 questions and Activity 3) that require extracting central facts (e.g., what a phase change is, particle motion, temperature). The Parent Plan explicitly says the child will practice finding information in a text and taking notes, and the answer key provides targeted factual summaries for students to record.
Unit 3: The Giver
Lesson 1
The Community
Students read Chapters 1 and 2 and answer specific comprehension questions about events (e.g., why people were afraid of the aircraft, what happens at the Ceremony of Twelve, why Jonas is worried about Asher). Students keep a "Character Timeline" and record words or phrases describing Jonas after each reading. The Parent Plan lists skills including drawing inferences and writing responses to texts, and activities ask students to write 3-4 sentences describing why an assignment would fit them.
Lesson 2
Baby Gabriel
Students read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer directed comprehension questions in complete sentences, prompting recall of key details (e.g., eye color, apple incident, description of Release Ceremony). Students are asked to record words or phrases on a timeline to describe Jonas, and to explain what they learned about Jonas and the community. The parent-plan skills explicitly ask students to infer an implicit theme, analyze and draw conclusions about the author's purpose, and provide evidence from the text to support understanding.
Lesson 3
The Ceremony of Twelve
The Parent Plan explicitly lists the skill: "Summarize the main ideas and supporting details in text, demonstrating an understanding that a summary does not include opinions." The Introducing the Lesson asks the child to summarize chapters and reminds him that a summary recounts main events without personal opinions. Reading prompts require students to answer comprehension questions in complete sentences and to record descriptive words/phrases on a timeline, which requires extracting key information from the chapters.
Lesson 7
Pain
Students read Chapters 13 and 14 and answer targeted comprehension questions in complete sentences (e.g., Q1 asks why Jonas feels Sameness is not fair; Q3 asks what The Giver means when he says the instructors know nothing; Q4 asks why Jonas still wants the community to share memories). Students are instructed to record information about Jonas on a "Character Timeline" page and to discuss answers to several questions with a parent, prompting them to identify and explain key information from the text.
Lesson 8
Love
Students read Chapters 15–16 and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, identify words and phrases that describe Jonas on a Character Timeline, and are asked to interpret text by explaining theme and recognizing underlying messages. Activity prompts ask students to analyze the theme of freedom across the novel and historical examples, and to produce explanatory or persuasive texts (letters, poems, bio-poem) that synthesize ideas from the readings.
Lesson 9
Rosemary
The lesson asks students to answer comprehension questions about Chapters 17 and 18 and to "record on the timeline words or phrases that describe Jonas," which has students extract key information and details from the text. The "Ideas to Think About" and "Questions to Discuss" prompt students to consider broader themes (e.g., how societies change, how one person creates change) that relate to central ideas. Several discussion prompts ask students to explain events (what happened to Rosemary) and to justify opinions about characters' feelings, requiring students to reference the text.
Lesson 10
The Plan
Students are asked to "provide a verbal summary of what happened in yesterday's chapters," and to "Read Chapters 19-20 and answer the questions below in complete sentences," which requires extracting key information (e.g., what happens at release, The Giver and Rosemary's relationship). Students record words or phrases on a timeline to describe Jonas in these chapters, and the Skills section states students will "Write responses to literary or expository texts that demonstrate an understanding of a literary work." The Get Active and student activity pages require students to rewrite passive sentences and produce written responses, reinforcing text-based comprehension and written summary skills.
Final Project
The Final Chapter
Students finish reading the novel and answer specific comprehension questions about plot events (e.g., what Jonas's father said about Gabriel, what happened to Jonas and The Giver's plan, and what terrified Jonas on his journey). Students analyze how Jonas changed over the course of the book and add final thoughts to a "Character Timeline." Students also read Lois Lowry's Newbery Acceptance Speech pages and are prompted (by parent notes) to discuss the memories she shares and how those memories relate to The Giver, and to create a memory storyboard or write a final chapter inspired by that speech.
4: Systems and Interaction
Unit 1: North and South America
Lesson 1
Geography of North America
Students read specified pages of the secondary source Prisoners of Geography (pp. 24–31 and pp. 32–33) and answer direct questions that ask for the central information (e.g., why the U.S. is hard to invade; why the Mississippi River Basin is important; what the Canadian Shield is; where Canada's population centers are). Students watch a video about Mexico and answer questions about key national information (language, flag symbolism, origin of Mexico City). Students also sequence timeline events and label maps showing territorial growth, which requires extracting and organizing key informational points from texts and provided materials.
Lesson 3
The Cultures of North America
Students watch videos about Mexican and Canadian culture and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., religion, celebrations, languages, population location, winter weather), requiring them to extract information from secondary sources. Students research an American holiday using library or internet resources and complete a structured research page with sections for date, reasons for celebration, history, how it was celebrated then and now, symbols, foods, and family traditions, then present their findings to family. Students complete a three-ring Venn diagram comparing Canada, Mexico, and the United States, identifying unique features and overlaps between the cultures.
Lesson 4
Geography of Central America, The Caribbean, and South America
Students are asked to read pages 64-69 of Prisoners of Geography (a secondary source) and answer specific comprehension questions about isolation, city locations, and European colonizers, which requires extracting information from that text. Students watch videos about Central America and the Caribbean and answer targeted questions (e.g., island chains, discoverer, historical crops), practicing identification of key information from secondary multimedia sources. Students also research a chosen country and complete structured pages (flag, capital, resources, industry, significant geographical features) and an Island Data Disk, which requires gathering and recording central facts about those places.
Lesson 5
Governments in Latin America
Students watch the videos "Types of Governments" and "Intro to Latin America - Political Development" and answer specific questions (e.g., "What is a government?", causes of revolution, roles of Bolívar/San Martín), which requires extracting key information from those secondary sources. Students complete fill-in-the-blank and short-answer prompts about reasons for revolution and outcomes (Haiti, liberated countries), showing direct engagement with central ideas in the video. Students also complete a compare-and-contrast task describing differences between a multiparty democracy and a one-party state, which asks them to synthesize information from provided materials.
Lesson 6
Economic Systems of Central and South America
Students are asked to watch a secondary source video ("South American Economy") and answer specific comprehension questions about facts from that source (e.g., which country mines the most copper, top exports). In Activity 1 and Activity 4 students research countries using web sources and are instructed to collect findings and fill charts on agriculture, natural resources, industry, and imports/exports. In Activity 2 and the scavenger hunt students gather information about economic goods and record country-of-origin details, and Activity 4 asks students to focus on reliable sources when researching a country's economy.
Lesson 7
Central and South American Culture
Students watch videos about Central and South American culture and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., ancestry of Central Americans, religion, indigenous peoples of Peru, and the connector country Panama). Students complete activities that require identifying and recording information from sources, such as filling Food Cards with where foods are grown and how their family uses them, and answering guided discussion questions about cultural influences. The wrapping-up prompts ask students to think about how cultures blend influences and how the environment affects cultural characteristics.
Final Project
Embassy Reception or Trivia Game
Students are prompted to research countries using specified secondary sources (Prisoners of Geography, websites) and to record findings on guided activity pages that ask for a descriptive paragraph about a country's economic status and sections on history/government, culture, and geography. The Embassy rubric explicitly directs students to include "Only 4-6 main facts about government, economy, and culture," requiring selection of main ideas for the display. The Trivia option requires students to create forty question-and-answer cards drawn from research, including at least ten questions each on political/economic systems, geography, and cultures, which requires extracting key information from sources.
Unit 1: Esperanza Rising
Lesson 1
Tragedy in Mexico
Students read the secondary source What Was the Great Depression (pp. 1–81) and answer targeted questions asking them to list reasons for the Depression, explain shantytowns, and explain how farmers were affected, which requires identifying main ideas and key information. Students read multiple firsthand accounts (primary sources) and are instructed to choose two accounts and create a photo journal that pairs those accounts with images, requiring them to interpret and represent central details from the primary sources. Students are asked to compare the book's purpose with the novel's viewpoint and to discuss how photos (primary sources) and the book (secondary source) are useful, prompting consideration of differences in source perspective and purpose.
Lesson 2
Escape
Students are asked to summarize the main events of chapters read yesterday and to describe problems with the social system in Mexico, which requires identifying key information and central events. The Wordsmith role asks students to locate and record important passages and then read and discuss them aloud, prompting selection of significant textual sections and discussion of their importance. Activity 2 asks students to describe how the phoenix might serve as a symbol for Esperanza, which requires synthesizing text details into a central symbolic idea.
Lesson 3
Train Ride
Students are asked to read the chapter and act as a Discussion Director by writing four discussion questions that cover the big ideas in the book, which requires them to identify important themes or central ideas. Students are prompted to reread the section describing the train and people and to analyze differences between rich and poor, extracting information about class systems. In Option 2 students use two provided web sources to complete Venn diagrams comparing social and political systems of Mexico and the U.S., requiring them to locate and compare information from secondary sources.
Lesson 4
Los Angeles
Students are instructed to read pages 82-89 of What Was the Great Depression? and to record quotes from documentary videos, which requires extracting information about the Dust Bowl. Students are asked to make a poster titled "The Dust Bowl" and to print or draw images and record quotes, which asks them to condense and present key information. The guide also prompts students to describe the Dust Bowl and how it affected farming families and includes a parent-plan skill to "Determine both main and supporting ideas in the speaker's message."
Lesson 5
Home Sweet Home
Students read the chapter "Las Cebollas" and perform a Literary Luminary task in which they choose two or three passages and explain why those passages are important, which practices selecting key information from a text. Students write a problem-solution paragraph about a problem Esperanza encountered (or a personal problem), explicitly summarizing the problem, causes, solution, and a concluding reflection. Students complete a comparison chart describing similarities and differences between life at Rancho de las Rosas and life in California and are asked to compare their predictions to what the chapter actually describes.
Lesson 6
Papa's Roses
Students are asked to read the chapter and create an illustration related to what they read, which asks them to represent story elements (plot, character, setting). Parent questions prompt students to describe concrete information from the text (e.g., "What had Miguel and Alfonso brought...?") and to "Describe the agricultural labor system in California," requiring students to identify and recount informational points. The "A Shrine" activity asks students to explain the elements of a shrine and what they represent, asking for an explanation of meaning drawn from the narrative context.
Lesson 7
Dust Storm
Students read the chapter "Las Ciruelas" and are assigned the role of Connector to record connections between the book, their life, and the world, which requires recalling and relating chapter information. Guided discussion questions and the Wrapping Up paragraph prompt students to recount events (Esperanza's struggles, Mama's illness, the dust storm) and explain causes and effects. Activities like the "I Am" poem ask students to express Esperanza's circumstances and characteristics, demonstrating comprehension of character and events.
Lesson 8
Christmas
Students are asked to be a "Line Locator" by finding three to five lines or short passages from the chapter and to copy them and explain why they are examples of good writing or important to the story. Students must choose a Cesar Chavez quote, write it down, explain its meaning in their own words, and relate it to Esperanza's story. The parent plan and wrap-up prompt students to describe who Cesar Chavez was and what he did, which asks students to identify key information about a historical figure.
Lesson 9
The Strike
Students are asked to write a four- or five-sentence summary of the chapters "Los Aguacates" and "Los Esparragos," focusing on main events. In the "On Strike!" activity students examine given reasons for striking, record examples from the book that support those reasons, summarize the examples, and provide page numbers. Students are directed to listen to two interviews with Mexican migrant workers (primary-source recordings) to learn first-hand accounts about camp life and discrimination.
Final Project
A Dramatization
Students are asked to write a movie trailer script that "should highlight some of the main events from the story, talk about the characters and the obstacles they face throughout the book, and make the movie sound exciting," and to include lines related to major themes (e.g., adjusting to a new culture). Students read and perform a provided readers' theatre script and then choose an event from the story to write an original 12–15 line script, engaging them in selecting and representing key events and character actions. Students also draw the major settings (Set in Mexico, Set in California) and compare how adaptations (novel vs. play/movie) are similar and different when discussing the differences between a novel and a play.
Unit 2: Cells
Lesson 2
Animal Cells
Students read pages 8-13 of a secondary text (The Basics of Cell Life) and answer directed comprehension questions about organelle functions. Students extract and record factual information by labeling or drawing an animal cell and by completing the Cheek Cell and Paramecium comparison chart. Students must produce an oral presentation or written report that lists at least three facts about cheek cells and three facts about paramecia and at least two similarities and two differences, which requires summarizing observed and read information.
Lesson 3
Plant Cells
Students are directed to read pages 14-15 of The Basics of Cell Life and answer specific comprehension questions asking them to describe a way plant and animal cells differ, identify organelles the cells have in common, and define photosynthesis. Students label or draw a plant cell diagram with key organelles and create a 3D model, which requires them to identify and represent the source's factual information about cell parts and functions. During wrap-up, students explain similarities and differences between their 3D model and the two-dimensional diagram, reinforcing identified information from the reading.
Lesson 4
Systems of Plant and Animal Cells
Students read assigned pages in The Basics of Cell Life and answer direct comprehension questions asking for specific information (e.g., types of specialized cells, what neurons do). Students watch a video and then sketch the four levels of organization for a system and write a sentence or two explaining what the digestive or cardiovascular system does, using the video and website as guides. Students also complete the Cells-as-a-Factory activity and answer the prompt "Do you think a cell is a good example of a factory? Why or why not?", which requires them to explain connections between source information and an analogy.
Lesson 5
Large Systems of Life: Ecosystems
Students read provided texts (grasslands; planktonic and benthic habitats) and answer direct comprehension questions asking for main features and relationships (e.g., features grasslands share; which two ecosystems are in the Great Salt Lake and how they relate). Students label or illustrate organisms, populations, communities, and biotic/abiotic factors from readings in Activity 3, requiring them to identify and extract central information. Students record results and draw conclusions from the brine shrimp experiment, describing which conditions produced more hatchings and explaining why.
Unit 2: The Tree That Time Built
Lesson 7
Birds
Students read the poems on pages 118–127 and answer guided questions that ask for factual details (e.g., list two animal adaptations) and interpretation (e.g., explain what D.H. Lawrence meant). The Analyzing a Poem activity asks students to identify the poem's theme, tone, stanza structure, poetic devices, rhythm/rhyme, and words/phrases that create images. Students also draw an image the poem creates and list supporting words/phrases from the text.
Lesson 8
Mammals
Students are directed to reread "Song of Myself" and answer "What are the poet's observations? What are his feelings?", which asks them to identify central statements in a primary text. Several assigned questions require students to extract information from poems (e.g., identifying irony in "In Praise of Self-Deprecation" and listing the attributes Whitman gives to animals). Students also analyze language that creates images and note emotional phrasing in poems such as "The Panther" and "The Bear."
Lesson 9
Preservation
Students are asked directly to identify the poet's message in a primary text: Question #3 asks, "What message is the poet trying to convey in the poem, 'Landscape' (p. 163)?" Activity 4 directs students to compare and contrast two poems about buffaloes by creating a Venn diagram, which requires identifying central points and similarities/differences. Activity 5 has students read short bios (secondary sources) about poets and use that information to create an acrostic, showing engagement with information from a secondary source.
Unit 3: Incas, Aztecs, and Maya
Lesson 1
Incas, Aztecs, and Maya History and Geography
Students read a secondary source (DKfindout! Maya, Incas and Aztecs pp. 4-11) and answer comprehension questions based on that reading. One question asks students to identify what the three cultures have in common, prompting them to find shared information across the source. Students also extract factual information (locations, dates, events) to place timeline cards and to shade regions on a map, which requires locating and recording key information from the text.
Lesson 2
Daily Life of the Incas, Aztecs, and Maya
Students are directed to read pp. 12-21 of a secondary source (DKfindout! Maya, Incas, and Aztecs) and then answer focused questions about leaders, gender roles, foods, and farming methods, which requires extracting key information from the text. Students complete Activity 1 by using the readings to fill in descriptive prompts about daily life and to draw a scene based on the source. In Activity 2 students label an Incan society pyramid and match descriptions from the book to pyramid levels, which asks them to identify and organize information from the text.
Lesson 3
Three Cities
Students read specified secondary sources (DKfindout! pages and linked videos) and answer targeted questions that require extracting central factual information (e.g., why Tenochtitlan was a "floating city," Machu Picchu's location and water systems, temple dedication). Students also compare the three cities by listing similarities and differences and write three words or phrases to describe each city on an activity page. The timeline and virtual field-trip activities require students to identify key historical facts and place events in chronological order.
Lesson 5
Religion and Celebration
Students are asked to read specified pages of a secondary source (DKfindout! pp. 26-31 and 48-51) and answer factual questions (e.g., name three gods, describe an Incan myth sign, list natural resources used for crafts), which requires extracting information from the text. Students complete a "Ceremonies in the Past and Today" graphic organizer that prompts them to record what the ancient ceremony is, who is involved, where it occurs, and what it looks like. The activity also asks students to compare and contrast the ancient ceremony with a modern event, which requires identifying similarities and differences based on the source information.
Lesson 6
Warfare and Gold
Students are assigned specific pages of a secondary source (pp. 32–33 and 50–51 of DKfindout! Maya, Incas, and Aztecs) and directed to read them. They answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., "How did battles begin?", "What did gold mean to the Incas?", "What did the Spanish do with Incan gold?") that require extracting central information. In Option 2 students complete a set of questions about the meaning, uses, and origins of Incan gold and are asked to explain choices to a parent, which prompts synthesis of information from the readings.
Lesson 7
The Incas
Students read an online passage about the Ancient Incas and answer directed comprehension questions (e.g., identifying Incan social classes and reasons for freeze-drying food), which requires extracting key information from the text. Students write a short explanation of the significance of fiber work on the Textiles activity page, summarizing a specific topic in their own words. Students interpret example quipus and complete practice problems, demonstrating how to read and extract numerical information from a historical information source.
Lesson 8
The Maya and the Aztecs
Students watch videos about Aztec children and the Maya and extract events to place on an "Aztec Children Timeline" (Activity 2). Students add dated cards to an Ancient Americas timeline, matching events to dates (Activity 1). Students answer a prompt asking for reasons historians think caused the decline of the Mayan Empire, citing causes from the video (Activity 4).
Lesson 9
History and Archaeology
Students watch two instructional videos about the Spanish conquest and are told to take notes (Activity 2). In Activity 3 students are asked to write two paragraphs—one summarizing the fall of the Aztec Empire and one summarizing the fall of the Incan Empire—with a topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence. The Answer Key and reading questions also require students to identify key information (e.g., causes of conquest, tools of archaeologists) and to summarize those points.
Final Project
Time Machine
Students are directed to study the "Things to Know" sections, timelines, maps, and the DKfindout! Maya, Incas, and Aztecs resource to prepare for the unit test and final project. The Option 2 unit test contains open-ended prompts that ask students to describe ceremonies, writing systems, and cities, requiring them to extract and summarize information from those sources. Students must write time-machine journal entries that explicitly instruct them to "incorporate information from DKfindout! and your previous lessons" and to review and edit entries for accuracy according to the rubric.
Unit 3: Secret of the Andes
Lesson 2
The Valley
Students read chapters of a secondary source (the story) and answer specific comprehension questions about characters, setting, and events. Students locate and explore multiple secondary sources about Incan culture (Britannica, Ducksters, PBS) and record information on an "Elements of Incan Culture" chart and graphic organizers. Instructions explicitly tell students to "focus on the most important information" and "work on giving an overall picture of the culture," and the Parent Plan skill list includes locating relevant sources and systematically recording gathered information.
Lesson 3
People Below
The "Writing a Lyric Poem for a Minstrel" organizer asks students to write the "Story you are retelling (one sentence)" and to divide the story into 3–4 events, which requires condensing the text into key points. Option 2 asks students to retell an important historical event in 3–4 verses and to "stick to the highlights," prompting students to select central events. The reading questions include factual recall (e.g., how the Incans built temples) that require students to identify specific information from the text.
Lesson 5
New Sights
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 of the primary text and answer comprehension questions (e.g., Q1 asks why Cusi was fascinated; Q3 asks what the author means by a quoted line). The lesson prompts students to characterize Cusi and discuss how his life differs from other children, and includes "Ideas to Think About" questions about cultural identity and how environment influences cultures. Parent/teacher prompts ask students to describe Cusi and to support answers by referencing the text (e.g., identify elements of fiction and support by referencing the text).
Lesson 6
Llama Training
Students answer comprehension questions after reading Chapters 9 and 10 that require extracting specific information from the text (e.g., how people depend on llamas; what Cusi learns from Amautu). In the Guide to Ancient Incan Landmarks activity, students locate and use the provided websites and images to write descriptions and explain the historical significance of sites, synthesizing information from those sources. The Parent Plan skills explicitly list locating relevant sources and synthesizing research into a written or oral presentation, which students are directed to complete by creating an informative guidebook.
Lesson 8
The City
Students are asked to read Chapters 13 and 14 and answer comprehension questions that require recalling key information from the text. Students are directed to write a short book review that must include a brief summary of the plot and at least two paragraphs linked with transition words. Students are given web links about the Spanish conquest and an option to write a historically accurate poem or brainstorm cultural preservation, which involves using secondary sources for factual information.
Lesson 9
Belonging
Students are asked to finish reading the book and answer specific comprehension questions (Questions #1–#4) that require them to identify key information about characters, feelings, and plot events. The Wrapping Up and Discussion prompts ask students to state what the story teaches about family, what Cusi learned, and who Cusi was, which asks them to articulate central themes and ideas. The parent plan also prompts asking whether the student would recommend the book and why, which elicits an overall evaluation tied to understanding the text.
Final Project
Narrative Essay
Students are asked to identify three of the most important events from Cusi's story and arrange them as beginning, middle, and end, which requires selecting central events and linking them to a central idea. The Organizing Your Writing graphic organizer prompts students to record What/When/Where/Why and to craft a thesis statement that defines the main idea of their narrative. The rubric's Ideas category explicitly asks for geographic impact examples and cultural identity discussion, prompting students to include key informational elements from Cusi's story. Students must restate the thesis in the conclusion and describe what the narrator learned and how it changed him, which requires synthesizing main points.
1: Semester 1
Unit 1: Egypt and Mesopotamia
Lesson 1
Civilizations
Students read pages 6-7 of Ancient Civilizations that describe common features of civilizations and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., how agriculture helps civilizations, why civilizations form along rivers, benefits of a shared writing system), which requires extracting key information from a secondary source. Students place labels on a social-structure pyramid and respond to questions about why the pyramid shape represents social hierarchy, demonstrating identification of the central idea of the social-structure image. Students review timeline cards and prepare a timeline binder, which has them identify and handle important events and information that will represent central historical points.
Lesson 2
Archaeology
Students read pages 8–9 of Ancient Civilizations and answer guided comprehension questions, including QUESTION #1 which asks, "Based on what you read, how would you describe the work of archaeologists?" Students complete an artifact analysis activity in which they record descriptions, provenance, materials, estimated age, and hypothesized uses for three artifacts. Students synthesize across those three artifact analyses by answering the prompt, "Based on these three artifacts, what conclusions can you reach about the people who once owned or created them? Explain the reasoning behind your conclusions."
Lesson 3
Mesopotamia
Students are asked in Activity 6 to read specified pages and write 2–3 sentence summaries of each page in their own words, with guidance to focus on the most important ideas rather than copying details. The pre-reading Questions 1–3 require students to identify headings and images and to generate questions, which supports identifying central topics before reading. The review prompts ask students to check that their summaries are accurate and concise, reinforcing summary practice and distinguishing main ideas from excessive detail.
Lesson 4
Ancient Egypt
Students are instructed to read specific pages (pages 12-13 and 24-25 of Ancient Civilizations) and are told, "You may also find it helpful to write a short summary of each 2-page section as you read," which requires extracting main ideas from the text. Before reading, students complete Q1-Q3, including Q2 where they write down what they already know, and after reading they answer Q4 asking whether the text provided answers to their prior questions, which prompts comparison of source information with prior knowledge. The activities also ask students to summarize the lives of several rulers (trading cards and timeline) by locating dates and key facts from the text.
Lesson 5
Egyptian Religion and Myths
Students are asked to read pages 14-17 of Ancient Civilizations and to pre-read headings, sub-headings, and images, which directs them to identify important information in a secondary source. Students are instructed to write down a short summary after each 2-page section, explicitly practicing summarizing source content. Students then answer specific comprehension questions about the text (e.g., relationship between pharaohs and gods; beliefs about the afterlife), which requires extracting central information from the reading.
Lesson 6
Daily Life in Egypt
Students are asked to reread pages 14–15 of the provided Ancient Civilizations text and answer specific comprehension questions about the Nile, hieroglyphics, and ordinary Egyptians, which requires extracting information from a secondary source. Students complete the "Nile River" graphic organizer by listing ways Egyptians used the river (water, food, resources, transportation), drawing or writing examples taken from the text or linked web resources. Students fill tables in the "Life and Work in Ancient Egypt" activity using pages and web links to record types of work, tools/natural resources used, and social status, organizing information from multiple secondary sources.
Final Project
Expedition or Web-based Tour
Students are asked to find and review websites for a web-based tour and to write 2–3 sentence introductory remarks for each site that explain what a visitor will learn and why the content is important. The "Web-based Review Pages" require students to write a description of each website and note what they like most about it. In the archaeological option, students choose artifacts, describe what each artifact was made from and how it was used, and explain what each artifact tells about the culture that produced it.
Unit 1: The Hydrosphere
Lesson 1
The Hydrosphere and the Nature of Water
Students are asked to "Read Chapter 1 in the book Water: The Story of the Hydrosphere and watch the following video. Then, answer the questions," and they answer direct content questions (e.g., "What is the hydrosphere?" and "Why does saltwater have a greater density than freshwater?"). Several activities and prompts require students to explain observations using evidence (Surface Tension Investigation, The Pepper Problem) and the life-application asks students to explain ecosystem effects "using evidence from what you have learned."
Lesson 2
Density, Salinity, and Water Behavior
Students are instructed to read Chapter 2 of Water: The Story of the Hydrosphere and then answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., identify the two main factors that affect water density and explain why cold water sinks). Students complete data tables and conclusion prompts that require them to state patterns and central relationships (e.g., "As salinity increases, mass increases. As salinity increases, density increases"). Several activity prompts ask students to explain their reasoning and connect observations to prior lessons, which requires extracting key information from the reading and investigations.
Lesson 3
Oceans and Ocean Currents
Students are asked to "Read Chapter 3 in the book Water: The Story of the Hydrosphere" and then answer focused comprehension questions that require extracting key information (e.g., "What is thermohaline circulation?", "How does upwelling help support ocean life?", and "Why are ocean currents important..."). Activities require students to construct explanations and models connecting particle motion to large-scale ocean circulation and to answer reflection questions that restate central ideas (e.g., how temperature and salinity affect density and movement). The multiple-choice and short-answer tasks ask students to identify and restate main concepts about unequal heating, heat transfer, and climate effects.
Lesson 4
Freshwater and Groundwater
Students read Chapter 4 of Water: The Story of the Hydrosphere and answer direct comprehension questions (e.g., What is groundwater? How does an aquifer form?). Activity pages ask students to use an article and chart to describe patterns and answer 'According to the article...' questions, and video questions ask why surface and groundwater are important and what sustainability challenges exist. The student model and 'Explain Your Thinking' prompts require students to identify and label key concepts (water table, zone of saturation, runoff) and to explain how and why water moves through systems based on observations and sources.
Lesson 5
Aquatic Ecosystems
Students are asked to read Chapter 5 of Water: The Story of the Hydrosphere and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., what is biodiversity; how a decrease in fish populations affects other organisms; why estuaries are nurseries). Students explain outcomes after the estuary game and answer guided questions about what happened, which resources changed, and how those changes affected populations. Several prompts ask students to "make a claim... and support it with evidence (from your model)" and to answer questions based on the example in Chapter 5.
Lesson 6
The Water Cycle
Students read Chapter 6 of Water: The Story of the Hydrosphere and answer targeted questions that ask them to explain evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and how the Sun and gravity keep the water cycle moving. The Student Activity Pages and video worksheet prompt students to "Explain how water moves through the water cycle," to describe causes of state changes, and to compare model observations to the concepts in the text. The Parent Plan and Skills list explicitly ask students to "construct an explanation based on evidence" and to "develop and use models" to describe how water moves between systems.
Lesson 7
Weathering and Erosion
Students read Chapter 7 of a secondary source (Water: The Story of the Hydrosphere) and answer direct comprehension questions (e.g., define erosion; compare chemical vs. mechanical weathering; explain how weathering, erosion, and deposition work together). Students analyze a river map and label where erosion and deposition occur, using evidence about water speed and river bends to support their claims. Skills and activities repeatedly ask students to "construct an explanation based on evidence" and to use oral and written language to communicate findings.
Lesson 8
Water Pollution
Students read Chapter 8 of a secondary source (Water: The Story of the Hydrosphere) and answer directed comprehension questions about hypoxia, agricultural runoff, and how pollution travels, demonstrating extraction of information from a text. Students analyze Graph 1 and Graph 2, using evidence from graphs to explain relationships between temperature, pollutants, and dissolved oxygen. Students watch a video about modern farming and respond to questions, and they conduct an investigation modeling agricultural runoff and record observations and explanations based on evidence.
Unit 1: The Pearl
Lesson 1
Steinbeck
Students are directed to research John Steinbeck using the provided biography links and to answer specific factual questions (e.g., where he grew up, where he attended college, summer jobs). The activity asks students to identify "common themes in Steinbeck's novels," which asks them to determine central ideas from secondary sources. The unit introduction and wrapping up paragraphs explicitly describe recurring themes (poverty, labor issues, racism), which students must recognize and reference in their answers.
Lesson 2
The Scorpion
Students answer comprehension questions that ask them to characterize Kino's life (QUESTION #1) and to explain how his life changes from the beginning to the end of Chapter 1 (QUESTION #4). The Wrap Up and parent discussion prompts ask students to identify social and economic divides and to explain how feeling out of control affects Kino's perspective. Multiple short-answer questions (QUESTION #2 and #3) require students to extract specific information from the chapter about Kino's appearance and the doctor's refusal to treat Coyotito.
Lesson 3
The Pearl
Students read Chapter 2 and answer targeted comprehension questions asking what Kino owns, why the canoe is valuable, and how Steinbeck's phrases affect the reader. Students analyze and record strong verbs and vivid adjectives from the second paragraph and then create a drawing or poem based on Steinbeck's description. The Parent Plan lists skills including drawing inferences and determining the importance of literary effects, which students practice when explaining the impact of descriptive phrases.
Lesson 4
Related Research
Students choose a research topic (La Paz or the history of pearl diving) and are directed to use specified websites and an encyclopedia as sources. Students take notes on note cards (at least 15 for the pearl-diving option) and record information on graphic organizers for La Paz. Students then organize those notes into a travel brochure or a one-page presentation script and present or display information to an audience.
Lesson 5
Songs
Students are asked to read Chapter 3 and answer specific comprehension and interpretive questions (e.g., explain the town simile, why Kino became "every man's enemy," and what Kino plans to do with the money), which requires extracting central information and meaning from the text. Students are prompted to generate a learning log or journal and to analyze the author's purpose and effects of craft, activities that ask them to identify themes and textual evidence. The "Wrapping Up" section states a central outcome (Kino's life changes and the irony of the pearl), providing a clear textual central idea for students to consider.
Lesson 6
For Sale
Students read Chapter 4 and answer directed comprehension questions (Questions 1–3 ask for factual information about the pearl buyers, past village actions, and the dealer's claim). Students analyze character change (Question 5 asks how the pearl has changed Juana differently than Kino). Students identify themes and symbolism by brainstorming at least five ideas for what the pearl symbolizes using a web organizer, and discussion prompts ask students to consider money, power, and changes in character.
Lesson 7
The Attack
Students read Chapter 5 and are asked to develop four discussion questions of different types, including "Right There" and "Think and Search," which require locating answers in the text and synthesizing information across sentences and paragraphs. Students must provide answers or possible answers to the questions they develop, forcing them to extract and state information from the chapter. The "Wants" activity asks students to identify what each character wants and to answer a thematic question about greed and contentment, which requires students to pull central character information and relate it to a broader idea.
Lesson 8
Escape
Students are instructed to read the final chapter of the novella and answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., Q1 asks whether Kino loses his soul; Q2 asks how setting sustains action; Q4 links Kino's quest to historical examples). The lesson includes discussion prompts about symbolism, moral, and character states and a "Wrapping Up" paragraph that states central conclusions (Kino loses everything; the pearl does not empower him). Students are also asked to add examples of effective stylistic devices from the final chapter to a log, which requires locating textual evidence.
Lesson 9
Parables
Students read four parables and are asked to explain the moral or lesson of each story to a parent. Students practice summarizing the text by orally retelling a selected parable without reading it and by creating an illustration that captures key story elements. Students respond to prompts and discussions (e.g., describing the lesson of the Good Samaritan, comparing The Pearl to the biblical parable) that require identification of central ideas.
Lesson 10
Writing a Parable
Students are prompted to "think about the different moral lessons that are taught in The Pearl" and make a list in their journal, then describe the lesson their parable will teach to a parent. The Story Map activity includes a dedicated "Themes" box and asks students to consider how place and time influence the theme or message. The Parent Plan and rubric ask that the child's chosen lesson be supported with evidence from the text and include an evaluation criterion asking whether the theme is clearly portrayed.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students are asked to produce explicit summaries in multiple tasks: the Quick Script requires students to create a 2-minute script summarizing the book that focuses on key events, characters, and the book's message, and the Book Cover task requires an illustrated summary of the book. Part D short-answer questions ask students to explain how Kino is changed by the pearl and what the pearl symbolizes, requiring identification of central ideas and supporting evidence. Several activities (Scene Memory, Compare/Contrast, Speech, Kino Trial) require students to cite evidence from the text and describe plot and themes.
Unit 2: Africa Today
Lesson 1
Overview of Africa
Students read pages 204–207 of a secondary source and answer focused comprehension questions (Question #1 asks students to explain why Africa is called "a land of contrasts"; Question #2 asks them to identify the Sahara, Namib, and Kalahari; Question #3 asks them to describe three problems people in Africa face). Students also complete brainstorming pages that record prior knowledge about countries, leaders, cultures, resources, climate, and major landforms. The map activities require students to extract geographic information (locations of oceans, rivers, deserts, mountains) from the reading and map key.
Lesson 2
Northwestern Africa
Students read pages 208–213 of Geography of the World and extract information about climate, crops, and exports to complete a country-by-country table (Option 1). Students may write a focused paragraph about how a country's environment influences its economy (Option 2). For current events, students identify news stories, record the source and date, and write a 2–3 sentence brief summary of each story on a Current Events Report page separate from a personal reaction section.
Lesson 3
Northeastern Africa
Students are assigned to read pages 214-219 of Geography of the World (a secondary source) and answer specific content questions (e.g., which country is smallest by area, the impact of the Nile, types of work in Ethiopia), requiring them to extract information from the text. In the "Cultures of Sudan" student activity, students fill a comparison table using resources to list climate, languages, religions, and housing for northern and southern Sudan, which asks them to identify and organize key information. Activity 3 asks students to add 1–2 news stories on Africa to a current events journal, which requires locating and summarizing recent sources.
Lesson 4
West Africa
Students read a specified secondary source (pages 220–231 of Geography of the World) and answer focused comprehension questions about landscape/climate changes, cultural storytelling, and historical connections. Students synthesize information into a two-column comparison chart (Option 1) documenting climate, landscape, resources, crops, and human-environment interactions for northern vs. southern West Africa. In Option 2 and the current events activity students write a letter and add news items, tasks that require summarizing countries' climates, natural resources, adaptations, and economies based on source material.
Lesson 5
Central Africa
Students are directed to read pages 232–237 of Geography of the World and answer specific comprehension questions that ask them to describe landscapes and explain causes (e.g., why drought is a problem in Chad). In Activity 2 students must use Geography of the World and other research sources to record colonial history, natural resources, languages, religions, and the current state of government and economy for two countries, writing 2–3 sentences in several sections. In Activity 4 Option 2 students are asked to "write a well-organized paragraph summarizing some of the challenges that the government faces," with prompts about natural environment, human needs, and conflict. The current events journal activity asks students to add 1–2 news stories on Africa, implying they will identify and record main information from news sources.
Lesson 6
Central East Africa
Students are assigned to read pages 238-245 of Geography of the World and then answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., how people use resources in the Great Rift Valley, causes of Uganda's 1986 problems, components of Kenya's economy), which requires extracting central information from a secondary source. Students must use information from that reading to fill their brochure (including a page of "Interesting Facts About Central East Africa") and to create a tourism brochure describing landscapes and wildlife. In Activity 4 students research an issue (e.g., endangered gorillas or HIV/AIDS), answer focused questions about what people should know and why it is a problem, and then synthesize that information into a poster and a 2-minute public announcement.
Lesson 7
Southern Africa
Students are asked to read a secondary source (Geography of the World, pp.246-253) and answer directed comprehension questions asking what the eight countries have in common, what apartheid was, and why Angola struggles economically, which requires extracting central information. In Activity 4 students are instructed to use definitions on pages 270-271 to write forms of government "in your own words" and to place the eight countries into the appropriate government categories, which requires summarizing source definitions and categorizing information. Activity 2 asks students to complete a Venn diagram comparing apartheid in South Africa with U.S. segregation, requiring students to identify and record similarities and differences between two historical accounts.
Final Project
African News Report
Students are instructed to find a current events story for each chosen country and "use the information in your source articles to begin planning or writing a draft" and to "use your own words as you write." The Mini-book #6 task explicitly asks students to "summarize a current events report," and the News Report Citation page requires students to record author, title, date, URL, and access date for each source. Rubric criteria evaluate "accurate reporting of recent news" and require citation information for each news item.
Unit 2: The Atmosphere
Lesson 1
What Is the Atmosphere?
Students are directed to "Read Chapter 1 of Air: The Story of the Atmosphere. Then answer the following questions," including Question 2 which asks them to "Explain why scientists say that air is matter. Give two pieces of evidence from the chapter to support your answer." Activity 2 asks students to create diagrams and to "label each arrow with an example from the reading," and several prompts (e.g., "Explain Your Thinking," Part 3 cause-and-effect questions) require students to use information drawn from the chapter as evidence.
Lesson 2
Layers of the Atmosphere
Students read Chapter 2 of Air: The Story of the Atmosphere and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., which layer houses nearly all weather; describe a characteristic of a layer; imagine Earth without an ozone layer). In Activity 1 students record altitude, temperature, unique characteristics, and importance for each layer and respond to prompts asking them to describe temperature patterns and explain layers. In Activity 2 students sort phenomena into layers and are required to "explain your reasoning using evidence from Chapter 2," explicitly asking them to support answers with facts from the source.
Lesson 3
Air Pressure and Density
Students are asked to read Chapter 3 of Air: The Story of the Atmosphere and watch a video, then answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., explain why air pressure decreases with altitude, predict weather from falling pressure). Students perform the collapsing-can activity and record observations, describing what happened and explaining cause-and-effect (questions ask them to describe the sequence and explain why the can collapsed). In the "When Air Masses Move" activity, students analyze a five-day data table, identify patterns, explain what is happening using evidence, draw particle-level models, and make a prediction supported by the data.
Lesson 4
Energy from the Sun
Students are asked to read Chapter 4 of Air: The Story of the Atmosphere and then answer direct comprehension questions (Q1–Q3) that require identifying core information from the text (e.g., the Sun as the primary energy source; reasons Earth heats unevenly). In Activity 2 and Part 4 students build a model, fill a table, and complete prompts that instruct them to "use evidence from your model" and to explain which locations absorb or reflect the most energy. The Student Activity Pages include a "Final Explanation" prompt that asks students to explain how energy from the Sun drives processes on Earth using specific vocabulary (absorption, reflection, energy, uneven heating, atmosphere), requiring a concise synthesis of source information.
Lesson 6
Wind and Global Circulation
Students are instructed to read Chapter 6 in Air: The Story of the Atmosphere and then answer directed comprehension questions (e.g., identify the main reason wind forms; explain how uneven heating creates global circulation; explain the Jet Stream's importance). In the activities, students build models and complete map-based tasks and short-answer sections (Pattern Detective, Connecting to Weather, Questions to Ponder) that require them to state central processes and outcomes of the text (rising/sinking air, trade winds, Coriolis effect). The Coriolis activity includes explicit question prompts asking students to explain what happened and to describe how the effect influences global wind patterns and weather.
Lesson 7
Air Masses and Weather Systems
Students are asked to read Chapter 7 (Part I and II) and answer guided questions, requiring them to pull information from that text. In Activity 1 they use a weather map and are instructed to "use evidence from the map" and "explain your thinking" to identify fronts and predict weather. In Activity 2 the Severe Storms Case Study asks students to identify interacting air masses, explain causes of rotation, and "use evidence from the case study" to explain prediction challenges, which requires extracting central information from a secondary source.
Lesson 8
Human Impact on the Atmosphere
Students are asked to read Chapter 8 (Part I and II) of Air: The Story of the Atmosphere and answer directed questions about the content. In the Climate Data Analysis activity students analyze graphs, identify overall patterns and trends in CO2 and temperature, and answer prompts about relationships and evidence linking human activities to emissions. The What's in the Air activities require students to observe results, compare locations, and explain how their observations provide evidence of human influence on air quality.
Unit 2: A Girl Named Disaster
Lesson 1
Nhamo
Students are assigned the role of Cultural Commentator and instructed to read the first four chapters and use a journal to record what they learn about culture and characters (customs, homes, clothing, beliefs, food, etc.). Students are asked to provide a brief verbal summary of the chapters they read. Students are also directed to synthesize information into projects (Mozambique quilt or trivia) and to peruse linked websites for additional information, which requires collecting and restating textual and background information.
Lesson 2
Sickness
Students read Chapters 5-7 and take on the role of Investigator, recording four or five pieces of background information in a journal. Students answer and discuss questions about why the villagers thought cholera came and why the family traveled to the nganga, which requires identifying causes and information presented in the text. Students are prompted to consider why survival rates would be lower in a village than in a city, synthesizing textual details with contextual knowledge.
Lesson 3
A Visit with the Muvuki
Students read Chapters 8–10 and are assigned the role of Discussion Director, which requires them to write four discussion questions that focus on the "big ideas" of the chapters. The assignment explicitly requires at least one open-ended question and one inference question, prompting students to identify themes and infer information not directly stated. The parent/teacher discussion prompts also ask students to recall key events and consider thematic issues such as Western influence and how traditional beliefs can prevent progress.
Lesson 4
Escape
Students read Chapters 11–14 and take on the Literary Luminary role by choosing two or three passages, reading them aloud, and explaining their reasons for selecting them. Students read the book's back section on "The History and Peoples of Mozambique and Zimbabwe" and complete the "A History of Zimbabwe and Mozambique" activity pages that ask factual questions (for example, which country fought the war against Frelimo; what tribe took over the government). Students answer targeted comprehension items, color and label flags, draw national flags, and check answers using the provided answer key.
Lesson 5
Lake Cabora Bassa
Students read Chapters 14–16 and take on the role of a Travel Tracer to follow where the action happens, describing where characters move to and from and recording those movements in a journal. Students describe each setting in detail (in words or map form) and explain what role the setting plays in the conflict of the story. Parent-plan questions ask students to explain characters' behaviors and motivations (e.g., why Nhamo pretends tea parties or makes up songs), which requires extracting information from the text.
Lesson 6
Abandoned Farm
Students act as 'Line Locators' while reading chapters 17–20: they find three to five lines or short passages, record their locations, and explain why those passages are examples of good writing or important to the story. Students complete a 5 W's chart that asks them to summarize the event (Who, When, Where, What, Why), including a summary of the obstacle and how they responded. Students fill a Personal Narrative organizer and respond to discussion prompts about how Nhamo's outlook has changed and identify themes, and the rubric requires a conclusion that reveals the lesson of the story.
Lesson 7
Baboons
Students read chapters 21–23 and are asked to research baboons or other African animals. Students must write an 8–10 sentence museum plaque about baboon social dynamics or 1–2 sentence entries for five animals in a guidebook, and paste/draw supporting pictures. The Parent Plan skills list explicitly names using organizational patterns as guides for summarizing and synthesizing ideas and supporting findings with textual evidence.
Lesson 8
Survival
Students are assigned to read Chapters 24–27 and take on the role of a Summarizer, writing a four- or five-sentence summary of what happened in the chapters and sharing it with a parent. The Parent Plan and Skills sections explicitly list "Summarize information from text" and "Include the main ideas and most significant details in summary of text." The instructions define a summary as a short description containing the main events, directing students to identify and record key events in their journals.
Lesson 9
The Leopard
The lesson asks the student to explain how Nhamo has changed up to this point in the novel, prompting a summary of character development. The "Questions to Discuss" require students to identify specific factual information from the chapters (e.g., what animal Nhamo discovered and how it died). The "Getting Started" and "Wrapping Up" sections highlight main points about survival and geography, which students can use to identify central ideas of the reading.
Lesson 10
A Rude Awakening
Students are asked to create a Dialogue Designer entry that recreates interactions and centers on one or more events from Chapters 31–34, requiring them to select and represent key events. Students must write a 4–6 sentence postcard from Nhamo describing what she endured, how she survived, and how she changed, which asks them to summarize her experience. Students may also produce a storyboard of 6 important scenes and write a sentence describing the action and character development, which requires choosing central events and conveying main information about setting, culture, and survival.
Lesson 12
A New Beginning
Students answer focused comprehension questions (Part I) that require them to summarize plot points (e.g., why Nhamo left her family, how she left the island, where she ends up). In Part IV students are asked to identify the novel's theme, characterize Nhamo using text evidence, and describe her biggest problem and how it was solved. Several items explicitly ask students to use text evidence to support answers and to review story elements and 'Things to Know.'
Unit 3: Australia and Oceania
Lesson 1
The Rainbow Serpent
Students are assigned to read the Rainbow Serpent story (pages 8-11 and 56) and answer explicit comprehension questions (Q1-Q4) that ask for the story's key information (when Aborigines arrived, how animals/humans came to live, teachings and warnings of the Serpent). The activities require students to "make a list of the key parts of the Rainbow Serpent story" and either retell it creatively or complete a written comparison, and the Comparing Creation Stories worksheet asks students to record what existed at the beginning, how the world and its inhabitants came into being, the order of creation, when/how humans were made, and similarities/differences with another story.
Lesson 2
Overview of Australia and Oceania
Students read pages 254-257 in Geography of the World and answer targeted questions that require identifying key information (e.g., the groups that make up Oceania, changes in treatment of Aboriginal Australians and Maoris). Students complete a Current Events Report that asks for a 2–3 sentence brief summary of a news story and a separate section for personal reaction, which requires separating factual summary from opinion. Students also summarize governments and economies in Option 1 and compute and interpret area, population, and density data in Option 2, demonstrating practice in extracting and condensing central information from secondary sources. Additionally, students complete a "Written and Non-Written Sources" activity that asks them to analyze what can be learned from different kinds of sources.
Lesson 3
Australia and Papua New Guinea
Students read specified pages (Geography of the World, pp. 258-261) and answer factual comprehension questions that require extracting central information about Australia and Papua New Guinea. Students create a timeline of recent Australian history using the readings, which requires selecting and organizing the most important events from the source. Students complete a "Reporter's Notebook on Aboriginal Rights" where they collect a current concern, list three relevant facts, note possible solutions, and cite sources, which requires summarizing information from secondary sources. Students fill a Venn diagram comparing U.S. and Australian governments and produce a poster or radio ad about Australia's economy that requires synthesizing and presenting key information from research sources.
Lesson 4
Stories of the Yorta-Yorta People
Students read pages 12–55 of Stories from the Billabong and are asked direct comprehension questions (e.g., Q1 and Q2 ask what factual information they learned about Australian animals and plants). Question #3 requires students to identify and contrast scientists' explanations with Aboriginal explanations for Uluru. The Current Events Report activity explicitly asks students to write a brief (2–3 sentence) summary of a news story and then to record their personal reaction separately. The Amazing Australian Animals activity asks students to gather and organize factual information (habitat, diet, five facts, adaptations) from sources and record it on an activity page.
Lesson 5
New Zealand
Students read a specified section (pages 262-263) of Geography of the World and answer factual comprehension questions about climate, settlement, population, and energy sources, which requires extracting key information from a secondary source. Students research Maori artifacts using links to the Encyclopedia of New Zealand and other resources, draw a chosen artifact, and answer focused questions about what the object is, where it was found, its age and materials, how it was used, and its cultural importance, which requires gathering and recording information from primary/secondary sources.
Lesson 6
Peoples of the Pacific Ocean
Students read assigned pages (Geography of the World, pp. 264-265) and answer specific comprehension questions that require extracting key information (origins of Pacific settlers, Darwin's observations, climate, property ownership). The Current Events Report activity asks students to find a news item about Oceania and write a brief 2–3 sentence summary of the article in a dedicated summary box, with a separate box for personal reaction. In the Galápagos research options students must gather information from sources and produce a field guide page or diagram that synthesizes factual information about an animal (habitat, adaptations, size, description).
Lesson 7
Polar Regions
Students read specified pages of a secondary source (Geography of the World, pp. 266-269) and answer focused comprehension questions about traditional lifestyles, travel, the Antarctic Treaty, and recorded temperatures. Students complete a Current Events Report that requires them to find a news item about Antarctica and write a "Brief summary (2-3 sentences) of the news story." The Current Events page also includes a separate box for personal reaction, prompting students to distinguish summary from opinion; mapping and "Life in the Arctic" activities ask students to synthesize information from the reading to complete maps and short-answer prompts.
Final Project
Celebrating Australia and Oceania
Students are asked on the unit test to "Summarize a story told by Aboriginal Australians and explain how it shows the relationship between the natural world and Aboriginal culture," which requires extracting and restating central ideas from a cultural story. Planning pages and the three-column history organizer prompt students to list important details about the arrival of the first humans, European arrival, and changes over time, which asks students to identify key information. Brochure and museum planning pages require students to list at least three important things visitors should learn about governments, economies, natural environments, and cultures, prompting students to select and condense main ideas.
Unit 3: The Lithosphere
Lesson 1
Shifting, Drifting, and Spreading
Students read Chapter 1 (Parts I and II) and answer focused questions that require them to identify central information (e.g., define "scientific theory," "isostasy," "continental drift," and "lithosphere," explain causes of mid-ocean ridges, and list Wegener's evidence). Students build and interpret models (isostasy demonstration and sea-floor spreading model) and record observations, describing how the block/sea floor changes and explaining why rocks near ridges are younger. Parent prompts and activity questions ask students to explain relationships and interpret patterns (e.g., magnetic striping and relative ages of ocean crust).
Lesson 2
Plate Interactions
Students are asked to read Chapter 1 - Part III and answer direct comprehension questions about plate boundaries and mountain formation, requiring them to extract key information from a secondary source. In Option 1 students must "explain in your own words" what happens at each type of plate interaction, which requires them to restate information from the reading. In Day 2 students must look at an image of a mountain and "explain how the mountain was formed and how you can tell," asking them to summarize evidence from the image and text.
Lesson 3
Rocks and Minerals
Students are asked to read Chapter 2 (Parts I and II) of Earth: The Story of the Lithosphere and answer specific comprehension questions about minerals, rock types, and formation processes. The Skills section explicitly lists "Summarize the rock cycle," and Activity 1 asks students to label and draw arrows on a rock cycle diagram, which requires organizing key information from the reading. The Reading and Questions prompts (e.g., "What are the three types of rocks, and how does each one form?") require students to extract central information from the provided text.
Lesson 4
Seismic Waves
Students read Chapter 3 in Earth: The Story of the Lithosphere and watch a seismograph video, then answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., differences between focus and epicenter; P- vs S-waves; how seismic study reveals Earth's interior). In Option 1 students research an earthquake hazard and complete an activity page that asks them to explain what the hazard is, how an earthquake triggers it, and describe a historical example. The review prompts and question set require students to extract and report factual information from the provided primary/secondary sources.
Lesson 5
Earthquake and Volcano Research
Students are asked to read Chapter 4 in Earth: The Story of the Lithosphere and answer comprehension questions, which requires extracting factual information from a secondary source. Students complete guided research worksheets (Find Out! or Real-Life Research) that prompt them to record central facts such as date, location, causes, damages, and casualties from specific website sources. Students then organize and present that recorded information as a slideshow, poster/oral presentation, or written report, which requires them to produce a concise account of what they learned from the sources.
Lesson 6
Geologic Time
Students read Chapter 5 of Earth: The Story of the Lithosphere and answer targeted questions that require identifying core information (e.g., difference between relative and absolute age, factors that complicate age determinations, and why fossils are unlikely in igneous or metamorphic rock). Students analyze an extended analogy (the newspaper-stack excerpt) and are asked to reconstruct the sequence of events and highlight significant events, which requires extracting central information from the source. Students create a rock-layer model and explain what parts are missing and what the remaining parts can tell a scientist, which asks them to synthesize and report information drawn from readings and the model.
Lesson 7
Pedosphere and Soil
Students read a secondary source about the 12 soil orders and answer direct questions (e.g., which soil order is found in Alaska; which orders are most prevalent in the U.S.), demonstrating identification of key information. Students research their state's official soil and another state's soil and record notes, then complete Venn diagrams that require noting unique and shared characteristics and a "Difference Statement" explaining why soils differ. Students watch a video about soil erosion and answer questions about types of erosion and mitigation, requiring them to extract main ideas and proposed solutions from a multimedia source.
Final Project
Our Lithosphere and Pedosphere
Students are asked to write explanatory text for a final booklet (e.g., "Explain what the inside of the Earth is made of. Define the lithosphere," "Explain what tectonic plates are, how they move, and what happens at their boundaries," and "Write a few sentences about how rocks move through the rock cycle"). The unit test contains short-answer questions that require students to summarize concepts (e.g., explain sea-floor spreading, list Wegener's clues, differentiate lithosphere and asthenosphere). The grading rubric and booklet tasks require students to describe local rocks, soil properties (pH, texture, nutrients), and to produce clear explanatory pages for each topic.
Unit 3: The Hobbit
Lesson 1
Bilbo Baggins
Students read Chapter 1 and answer targeted comprehension questions asking how Tolkien characterizes Bilbo and how to describe the dwarves, which requires identifying central ideas about characters. Students are asked to "summarize the reason for the mission in your own words" and to record short sentences describing what happened at Bilbo's home on the "Events of the Journey" pages, which requires producing concise summaries of text information. Students trace the journey on a setting map and link events to chapter numbers, which has them extract and record key information and main events from the primary source.
Lesson 2
Trolls
The Parent Plan lists the skill "Respond to informational materials by summarizing information and determining the importance of information," explicitly tying student work to summarizing and identifying important information. Students read a primary source (Chapter 2) and answer comprehension questions that require recalling events and character traits (e.g., Bilbo's feelings, what he discovers, who rescues them). Students read secondary sources about J.R.R. Tolkien and complete tasks (write five interview questions with reasoning; create a collage with images representing early life, interests, accomplishments, change, and an interesting fact) that require selecting and explaining important biographical information.
Lesson 3
The Elves
Students read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer targeted comprehension questions about what characters discover and how events unfold (e.g., Elrond's discovery of moon letters, how Gandalf is separated, how goblins/trolls are scared off). Students chart the group's journey on a Setting Map and record descriptions on an Events of the Journey page, requiring them to identify and describe key events. Students locate examples of foreshadowing and flashbacks and record chapter/page references, which requires extracting specific information from the text.
Lesson 4
Gollum
Students read Chapter 5 and answer four comprehension questions that ask for key information (what Bilbo found, the ring's magic, how Gollum feels about the ring, and why it is a ring of power). Students draw the path on the Setting Map and write a brief description of what happens in the chapter on the Events of the Journey page, which requires summarizing plot events. Students record examples of foreshadowing from Chapter 5, identifying specific textual information that points to later developments.
Lesson 5
Wolves, Goblins, and Eagles
Students read Chapter 6 and answer specific comprehension questions about how the wolves and goblins work together, what Gandalf does, and how the eagles help. Students are instructed to "Write a brief description of what happens in this chapter" on the "Events of the Journey" page and to record examples of foreshadowing from the chapter. The activities require students to extract and restate episode-level information and events from the text.
Lesson 6
Skin-Changer
Students are asked to verbally summarize what happened after Bilbo escaped from Gollum and a sample summary is provided, which requires condensing chapter events. Students are directed to read Chapter 7 and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, which asks them to state what a skin-changer is and why Gandalf introduces the dwarves in a certain way. Students must draw paths between locations, circle each location, write chapter numbers, and briefly describe what happened on an "Events of the Journey" page, requiring them to extract and record key information from the text.
Lesson 7
Spiders
Students answer specific comprehension questions about Chapter 8 (e.g., what happens to Bombur, how Bilbo rescues the dwarves, how Bilbo feels, what happens to Thorin), which requires extracting key information from the text. Students are asked to "write a short sentence about this chapter's events" on the Events of the Journey page and to draw a path showing chapter events, which requires summarizing the chapter's information. Discussion prompts ask students to identify themes and character changes (e.g., whether Bilbo has changed, how the dwarves' opinion of Bilbo changed), which asks for identification of central ideas.
Lesson 8
Elvenking
Students read Chapter 9 and are asked to explain how Bilbo has changed, which requires identifying a central idea about character development. Students answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., why Thorin keeps the mission secret; how Bilbo frees the dwarves) that require extracting key information from the text. Students write one- or two-sentence descriptions of what happened at the Elvenking's halls and record events that advance the plot on a setting/events chart, which asks them to summarize chapter events.
Lesson 9
Men of the Lake
Students are asked to trace the journey on the Setting Map page and record chapter numbers, which requires locating and extracting informational details from the text. Students must write a short description of the events on the Events of the Journey page and record examples of flashback or foreshadowing, which requires summarizing episode-level information. Students answer comprehension questions in complete sentences about character reactions and motivations after reading Chapters 10 and 11.
Lesson 10
The Dragon
Students read Chapters 12 and 13 and are instructed to briefly summarize these chapters on the "Events of the Journey" page, requiring them to identify main events. Students answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., why the dragon wakes, how Bilbo becomes leader) that require extracting central information from the text. Students analyze central themes of greed and power through activities that ask them to collect examples, describe events, and connect textual themes to real-world and historical examples.
Lesson 11
Bard
Students read Chapters 14 and 15 and answer directed comprehension questions asking what Smaug does to Esgaroth, how the townspeople feel, who Bard is and how he saves the town, and what the townspeople plan to do—tasks that require identifying key events and information. Students record examples of foreshadowing or flashback from the chapters on a chart, which requires locating and noting textual evidence. Students also engage in discussion prompts about themes such as power, greed, and justice, which connect text details to broader ideas.
Lesson 12
The Arkenstone
Students are prompted to discuss major themes and to describe how change plays a role in the story, including Bilbo's and Thorin's transformations. Students read Chapters 16 and 17 and answer specific comprehension questions that require identifying key information (e.g., why Bilbo sneaked out, what kept the dwarves from battling). Students build a Quest Cube and explain how each quest element contributes to a central theme and the mood of the story.
Lesson 13
The Battle
Students are asked to read early literary reviews (Activity 1) and "in two or three sentences (in your journal), summarize the literary critic's response to the novel." The prompt explicitly requires students to "identify whether the response is positive or negative and explain some of the major points the critic makes" and to "describe any literary elements that the reviewer alludes to in the review." The parent guidance also has students read their summary aloud and identify literary elements and themes mentioned in the reviews.
Final Project
Responding to Literature
The lesson explicitly defines a summary and contrasts it with a personal literary response, instructing students that a summary "describes what happens in a story and provides facts about the characters and events while avoiding personal reflection." The Literary Response Outline requires students to write a brief summary of the story in the introduction (2 sentences). The prewriting web and body-paragraph prompts ask students to identify "An important lesson learned" and "How the characters changed," and the rubric assesses Comprehension and use of Textual Evidence to support ideas.
Unit 4: Ancient Asia
Lesson 1
The Caste System of Ancient India
Students read the secondary source Life in the Ancient Indus River Valley (pages 1–21) and answer focused comprehension questions asking for main information (e.g., Harappan achievements, who the Aryans were, how reincarnation and karma work). Students synthesize information across sections when they complete the "Comparing Hinduism and Buddhism" table (cut-and-paste activity) and when they place timeline cards, which requires pulling central dates and ideas from the reading. Students also produce written artifacts (daily-life schedules or murals) that require summarizing daily-life details from the text.
Lesson 3
Life in Ancient China
Students read designated pages of Life in Ancient China and answer specific comprehension questions that require identifying key information (e.g., locations and dates of early settlements, the Mandate of Heaven, Han dynasty contributions, and the purpose of the Grand Canal). Students complete Activity 2 by summarizing the accomplishments of seven dynasties in the "Accomplishments Noted" sections and add timeline cards in Activity 4 to place those central events chronologically. Students work directly with a primary source passage from the Tao Te Ching in Activity 5 by copying sections, illustrating their meanings, writing a short explanation of what the Tao Te Ching is and its significance, and composing a back-cover statement about what the passage says about wealth.
Lesson 4
Culture in Ancient China
Students read specified pages of a secondary source (Life in Ancient China, pages 18–23 and 24–31) and answer targeted comprehension questions that ask them to identify key information (e.g., differences in clothing by social class, where most people lived, Confucius's teachings on family loyalty, causes of suffering in Buddhism). Students list important innovations and explain the purpose of features like towers on the Great Wall, which requires extracting central factual points. Students also complete a timeline and create a Silk Road map showing goods traded, which requires locating and organizing main historical information from the texts.
Lesson 5
Life in Ancient Japan
Students are asked to read pages 1–17 of Life in Ancient Japan and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., how the Kojiki says Japan was created, who the uji were), which requires extracting information from a secondary source. In Activity 2 Option 1 students must write about four power groups (uji, emperors, noble families, shoguns) including when they held power and what they did, using the textbook as the source. In Activity 2 Option 2 students must create a flow chart or graphic organizer showing changes in rule over time with approximate dates and key details, which requires synthesizing the source material into a summarized representation.
Lesson 6
Culture in Ancient Japan
Students read pages 18-31 of the secondary source Life in Ancient Japan and answer direct comprehension questions about main traditions, writing, poetry, and arts. Students complete Activity 2 by filling a chart or Venn diagram that identifies and describes the core beliefs of Shinto, Buddhism, and Confucianism, requiring them to extract central information. Students complete Activity 3 by listing cultural components and technologies that traveled from China to Japan from the reading, and Activity 4 and 5 ask students to synthesize reading details into a classified ad and a labeled map or artwork summarizing the Mongol invasions.
Final Project
Puppet Show or Presentation
Students are asked to write retellings of three stories (either folktales or historical accounts) for the puppet show and to summarize each story on planning pages, which requires condensing source material. In the multimedia option, students must identify two main ideas per slide and write a script that elaborates those main points, practicing extraction of central information. The unit test includes a "Summary" prompt asking students to write one thing learned about each civilization, and rubrics explicitly require that stories from India, China, and Japan be "retold" and that slides be "accurate, well-organized," indicating practice in summarizing content.
Unit 4: Ecosystems and Ecology
Lesson 1
What Is in an Ecosystem?
Students are assigned to read pages 1-6 of Changing Ecosystems and answer targeted comprehension questions that ask for main ideas (e.g., QUESTION #1 asks for the difference between an ecosystem and a biome; QUESTION #2 asks which components are necessary and why). The Skills section explicitly lists that students will "analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing scientific texts and articles." In activities, students extract information from the reading to complete a Survey Table and to create diagrams representing relationships, which requires identifying and organizing key information from the source.
Lesson 2
Diversity within Ecosystems
Students read specified secondary sources (pages 1-7 of Exploring Ecology and biome graphics) and use provided websites to gather information. Students record key information in survey tables (location, biotic/abiotic factors, producers/consumers/decomposers) and are instructed to write a short paragraph for each ecosystem summarizing what they found, explicitly mentioning biome, location, notable biotic/abiotic factors, and major characteristics.
Lesson 4
Ecosystem Relationships
Students are assigned specific pages in Exploring Ecology and Changing Ecosystems and directed to read those sections about ecological niches, competition, and symbiosis. They answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., "What are niches and why are they important for diversity?", "What happens when two species directly compete for the same resources?", and the difference between parasitism and mutualism), which require them to extract key ideas from the texts. In the activities, students use information they collected to describe organism roles, interactions, and environments, applying text information to concrete examples.
Lesson 5
Ecological Succession
Students are instructed to read specified pages in Exploring Ecology and watch a video about ecological succession, then answer direct comprehension questions (Questions #1-#3) that require summarizing central ideas such as what makes stages of succession necessary, differences between primary and secondary succession, and whether succession is beneficial. Students create slideshows or portfolio pages with captions and descriptions that require them to organize and present the stages of succession in order, which involves extracting and summarizing key information from the sources. The Parent Plan skills list includes "Analyze evidence to explain observations," which aligns with identifying central ideas from source materials.
Lesson 6
Natural Hazards and Natural Disasters
Students are directed to read pages 6–15 of Changing Ecosystems and to "pay attention to reasons for change," which requires extracting information about climate change, natural disasters, and succession. The lesson includes four specific comprehension questions (about CO2, El Niño, catastrophes, and human impacts) that students must answer using text information. In Activity 1 students write a paragraph explaining how a volcanic island might be repopulated and create captions for images that represent stages of succession, which requires organizing ideas about ecosystem change.
Lesson 7
Succession and Natural Disasters
Students are instructed to find and use 2–3 pictures of a disaster site (before, immediately after, and contemporary) and to add brief captions that describe what is going on in each picture in terms of stages of succession. The Skills section asks students to "analyze evidence to explain observations" and the activities require students to match descriptions of succession stages with provided graphics and to explain why changes occurred between pictures. Students must write a paragraph describing the future ecosystem and provide explanations for their prediction based on the visual evidence.
Lesson 8
A Carbon Journey
Students are directed to read specific pages in Exploring Ecology and watch the "Carbon Cycle Song," then answer focused questions (Q1–Q5) that ask for processes that enable carbon cycling, where carbon is stored, and how plants cycle carbon. Students must create a short story, poem, or comic that represents comprehension of the carbon cycle and a food web, and the activity lists explicit components to include (photosynthesis, respiration, consumption, decomposition, trapping of carbon). The comic student activity page explicitly prompts students to show carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, photosynthesis, carbon within a consumer, respiration, decomposition, and a summary panel of carbon's environmental journey.
Lesson 10
Cause and Effect in the Ecosystem
Students are instructed to review the lesson introduction and a specific page (page 15) of Changing Ecosystems and then answer targeted questions (e.g., what sets humans apart, how biomagnification reveals the importance of the food chain, and which human activities changed air/soil/water). Students must record observations and write final results for the Toxicant Experiment, comparing outcomes with their predictions and answering reflective 'Questions to Ponder.' The Reading and Questions section requires students to extract factual information from a secondary source and respond in writing.
Lesson 11
Matter and the Food Web
Students are instructed to review specified pages and an optional video and then answer targeted questions (Question #1 and #2) that ask them to explain how the carbon cycle illustrates the Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy and where lost energy goes, requiring identification of central ideas from the source material. Students conduct Activity 2 by developing a food web and are asked to represent the flow of energy and matter, which requires synthesizing information from the readings into a coherent depiction. The Wrapping Up and Discussion Questions prompt students to explain why energy and matter must be cycled and to predict effects of removing decomposers, which asks students to articulate core informational points from the texts.
Lesson 12
Adaptability and Survival
Students are asked to use the Internet, library books, and other resources to find and record specific information about an extinct organism (image, map, food chain role, ecosystem details, reasons for extinction) and to save these findings on a "Notes" page. The Parent Plan skills explicitly state that students should "analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing scientific texts and articles." Students must produce a paragraph explaining how the extinction could have been prevented and assemble a presentation or portfolio summarizing their findings.
Lesson 13
Invasive Species
Students watch the video "The Threat of Invasive Species" and review pages 16-17 of Changing Ecosystems, then answer comprehension questions (Question #1 and #2) that ask them to state the impact of invasive plants and explain why balance existed in one ecosystem but not another. In Activity 1 students use linked secondary sources to determine a species' name, areas where it occurs, and write a brief description of the plant's impact on other plants on the Student Activity Page. The unit test (Part 6) asks students to explain what will happen to an ecosystem after an organism is introduced, requiring synthesis of information from sources into a concise explanation.
Unit 4: A Single Shard
Lesson 1
Korea
Students are directed to read multiple secondary sources about Korea and to record information on the "Elements of Korean Culture" charts, deciding whether facts belong in the "Today" or "Centuries Past" columns. The Parent Plan lists the skill "Evaluate information from different sources about the same topic," and Activity 3 explicitly has students locate and extract information from several web articles about ancient and modern Korea. The map activity requires students to find Korea on an atlas or online map and label geographic features, which asks students to locate and use source-based information.
Lesson 2
Tree-Ear
Students read the first two chapters of A Single Shard and are asked to give a brief oral summary highlighting the main events. Students answer targeted comprehension questions about plot and character (e.g., how Tree-ear arrived at the bridge, why he watches Min) and are prompted to add details to an "Elements of Korean Culture" page. Students are also asked to consider how relationships influence individuals, which directs them to identify central themes in the text.
Lesson 3
Hard Work
Students are instructed to locate main ideas and events as they read, to underline important information, and to write a one-page summary that combines those main ideas in logical order. The lesson gives explicit strategies (skim first sentence of each paragraph, write one sentence per 1–2 pages, restate ideas in your own words) and directs students not to include personal opinions or feelings. Guided questions ask who did what, when, where, and which events drive the plot and character development, and students must answer comprehension questions in complete sentences.
Lesson 4
Food and Pottery
Students are asked to "explain what happened in yesterday's reading," which requires them to recount information from a text. Students discuss how 12th-century Korean culture is similar to and different from their own and are prompted to add new information to an "Elements of Korean Culture" page, tasks that require extracting information from the book. Students are asked to think about how art and food reflect natural resources, connecting details from the source to broader cultural information.
Lesson 5
The Royal Emissary
Students are asked to read Chapters 5 and 6 and write four thoughtful questions including a fact-based question whose answer must come straight from the book. In Option 2 (and Option 1 sequencing), students use information from Chapters 4–6 to list and sequence the steps of the pottery-making process, producing an overview of that process. Students are also asked to add details to the "Elements of Korean Culture" pages and to explain how the pottery-making process depends on the natural environment.
Lesson 6
Village Life
Students read linked interviews and biographies of Linda Sue Park and are instructed to "take notes in your journal that reflect the important information she shares," which asks them to identify key information from secondary and primary sources. Students answer a worksheet of factual questions about the author's life (e.g., where her parents are from, when her first poem was published) that requires extracting central information. Students then write a short paragraph about how the author's experiences and relationships influenced her writing, which asks them to synthesize information from those sources.
Lesson 7
Opportunity
Students are asked to analyze themes and central ideas as stated in the Skills section, which explicitly names analyzing themes and central ideas in literature. Students create a mini-book in which they identify specific opportunities from the text and record how each opportunity benefited Tree-ear, requiring them to extract key information from Chapters 7 and 8. Discussion prompts and question-answer items ask students to explain events and character motivations and to support answers with evidence from the text.
Lesson 8
Korean Pottery
Students explore primary and secondary source materials by visiting museum and encyclopedia webpages that show pictures and provide explanations of ancient Korean celadon pottery. Students are prompted to consider how the artwork reflects Korean culture and geography and to answer questions such as how pottery reflected the environment and culture. The lesson's listed skills include "Interpret both explicit and implicit messages in various forms of media," which asks students to analyze information presented in those sources.
Lesson 9
Words of Wisdom
Students are asked to explain what happened in the last two chapters, which requires them to retell and summarize events. Students read Chapters 9 and 10 and answer comprehension questions that ask for reasons, actions, and lessons (e.g., why Tree-ear goes on the journey, what he learns from the fox), requiring extraction of key information. Students interpret Crane-man's quotes by explaining each quote in their own words, which asks them to identify central ideas or themes in short primary statements.
Lesson 10
The Fox
The lesson asks the student to "summarize what happened in the two chapters she was assigned to read yesterday," which requires producing a brief account of a text. Activity 2 directs students to visit three web links, "Read each story and think about the purpose of the story and what it teaches," prompting analysis of a source's message. Parent prompts ask the student to "explain the purpose of the story and the lesson that can be learned from it," which asks for identification of a text's purpose or central idea.
Lesson 11
Relationships
Students are asked to consider "How do relationships affect a person's decisions?" and to use that prompt to analyze themes about relationships. Students complete Relationship Web or Relationship Words activities that require them to write at least two sentences describing Tree-ear's relationships and to support descriptions with examples from the text (characters' thoughts, words, and actions). Parents are instructed to ask the child to explain a prediction before reading and then discuss whether the prediction was correct, prompting students to compare prior assumptions with textual evidence.
Final Project
Comparison and Contrast Writing
Students are prompted to brainstorm and outline the similarities and differences between Tree-ear's relationships with Min and Crane-man, directing them to consider how those relationships affect decisions, emotions, and opportunities. The essay organizers and rubric require students to provide support from the text for each similarity and difference and to write a concluding paragraph that summarizes what the reader should remember. The end-of-unit test asks students to describe the setting, the pottery-making process, and list opportunities and cultural information learned from the novel, requiring extraction of information from the primary source.
Unit 5: Asia Today
Lesson 1
Russia East of the Ural Mountains
Students read a secondary source (Geography of the World, pp.132-143) and answer focused comprehension questions (Question #1-#3) that require them to identify where first cities were established, why, and the significance of the Ural Mountains and regional differences in Russia. In Option 1 students record and distinguish traditional economic activities from those related to mineral and fuel discovery, using information from the reading. In Option 2 students compare daily life in eastern Siberia with their own hometowns and are asked to write a short story or create an image that incorporates at least three basic needs, drawing on information from the text.
Lesson 2
Turkey and Cyprus
Students are directed to read pages 144-145 of Geography of the World and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., who Kemal Ataturk was, tourist features, and the city in both Europe and Asia), which requires extracting key information from a secondary source. Students complete a ‘‘Governments of Asia: Data'' chart by recording each country's form of government, major industries/exports, adult literacy rate, and life expectancy, which consolidates central facts from the text. Students also create graphs (bar graphs and literacy vs. life expectancy plots) and answer data-based questions about which countries have the highest/lowest literacy and life expectancy, requiring synthesis of the recorded information.
Lesson 3
The Middle East
Students are assigned a reading (pages 146–159) and instructed to find and record news stories about the Middle East in a "Current Events Report". Each report requires a "News Source" entry, listings of countries and significant people, and a 2–3 sentence "Brief Summary" field. The report also separates analytical fields (government, economy, culture, environment) from a distinct "Personal Reaction" section, and students are asked to attach the original article or cite the URL.
Lesson 4
Central Asia
Students are directed to read pages 160–165 of Geography of the World and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., factors giving Kazakhstan potential wealth; changes in Turkmenistan after independence; strategic importance of Afghanistan). In Activity 3 students choose an environmental issue from the reading and must create a poster or a 30-second radio/TV ad that explains "what is happening in the environment," "why this environmental issue is a problem," and "what people should do about the problem." The storyboard and script-writing pages require students to synthesize information from the text into a concise written and visual presentation.
Lesson 5
The Indian Subcontinent
Students read specified pages (166–173 and other pages) about the Indian subcontinent and monsoons and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., why Pakistan and Bangladesh were created; religions originating in India; important crops in Sri Lanka). Students discuss and orally explain monsoon processes and impacts with a parent using guided questions that prompt synthesis of the reading (how monsoon winds create rain, impacts on agriculture, flooding). Students also complete a current-events journal entry and create postcards that require them to describe features of countries, drawing on the reading.
Lesson 6
East Asia and Japan
Students are assigned to read pages 174–187 of Geography of the World (a secondary source) and answer specific factual questions (e.g., why Tibet is called "the roof of the world" and which crops China produces). In Activity 2 students must use the book and an online resource to identify the series of steps in rice production and create an illustrated flow chart or a poem that describes those steps and the rice production process. In Activity 4 students must research and record details about government, economy, and culture for ancient and modern China (and optionally Japan), filling comparison charts based on the provided sources.
Lesson 7
Mainland Southeast Asia
Students are assigned to read pages 188–195 of Geography of the World and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., which country was not colonized; Myanmar's opium policy; Cambodia's hardships), which requires extracting key information from a secondary source. Students complete Activity 2 (compare and contrast river valleys and uplands) by describing lifestyles and farming methods, and Activity 3 (Economics Chart or Flapbook) by identifying and recording natural-resource-based and human/capital-resource-based economic activities for three countries, which requires selecting main ideas and organizing them into a concise summary form.
Lesson 8
Maritime Southeast Asia
Students are assigned to read pages 196–201 of Geography of the World about maritime Southeast Asia and to answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., which areas are at risk from typhoons, what Wallace's Line is, and East Timor's path to independence). Students complete the "Cultures of Indonesia and the Philippines" activity by cutting and pasting provided facts and recording what they have learned about history, languages, religions, ethnic identities, environmental connections, and cultural borrowing into a two-column summary chart. Students also respond to open-ended prompts asking for the most striking similarities and differences between the two countries, which requires them to synthesize information from the reading.
Lesson 9
The Indian Ocean
Students are assigned to read pages 202–203 of Geography of the World and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., explain how coral islands are formed, why there is less commercial fishing, and cultural beliefs about chameleons), which requires extracting information from a secondary source. Students are instructed to use Geography of the World and the activity page to record environmental threats (pollution, monsoon rains/tropical storms, tourism) and to create a poster that communicates the chosen issue. Students may also refer to page 202 for details when they build a salt-dough model of an atoll, requiring them to identify and use information from the text.
Final Project
A Tour of Asia
Students are asked to review Geography of the World and earlier activity pages to take notes on countries and to select information that fits a chosen theme, demonstrating use of secondary sources for planning. Students must write short summaries for each country including "In the News," "A Note About History," and summaries of government, economy, natural environment and population on the tour-book pages. The unit test asks students to write organized paragraphs explaining how natural environments influence cultures, requiring them to synthesize information from studied materials. The Final Project Planning Page and rubrics prompt students to evaluate resource availability and to produce concise informational descriptions for travelers.
Unit 5: Earth Cycles and Systems
Lesson 3
Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Students are assigned to read pp. 8-10 of a secondary source (Exploring Ecology) and are told to "pay attention to how energy is transferred through an ecosystem," which requires extracting main information from the text. The lesson includes four targeted comprehension questions (e.g., how primary producers get energy; why the energy pyramid is a pyramid) that ask students to identify and explain key ideas from the reading. In Activity 1 students draw an "Ecosystems Energy Diagram" that visually represents the flow of energy, producers, consumers, and decomposers, which requires synthesizing and representing central information from the source.
Lesson 5
Carbohydrates, Plants, and Energy
Students are directed to review specific pages (pp. 8-10 and pp. 14-15) of Exploring Ecology to extract information about producers of carbohydrates and the interactions between matter and energy. The lesson includes explicit comprehension questions (#1-5) that require students to state central information (e.g., why plants are primary producers, how energy moves through an ecosystem, and the importance of carbon cycling). The Skills section names analyzing evidence to explain observations and develop relationships between evidence and explanation, which supports extracting central ideas from texts and data.
Lesson 6
Intro to Earth's Cycles
Students are directed to read specific pages in Exploring Ecology and to "pay attention to information about the cycling of water, nitrogen, and carbon," which requires extracting key information from a secondary source. Students answer focused questions (e.g., the Sun's role in the water and carbon cycles; the role of bacteria in the nitrogen cycle) that require summarizing central information from the text. Students synthesize information across the three cycles by creating a Venn diagram that asks them to identify shared and unique characteristics, which requires determining and organizing central ideas from the reading.
Lesson 7
Oxygen Production and Life
Students are asked to review pages 8-10 and attend to the roles of oxygen and carbon dioxide in photosynthesis, which requires extracting key information from the provided text. The "Questions to Consider" and scenario-response tasks require students to explain how photosynthesis and respiration are interdependent and why oxygen is sufficient for organisms, prompting them to identify central relationships and informational points. In Option 2 students organize drawings and use a descriptive passage to answer focused questions, which asks them to synthesize information from a secondary source into answers.
Lesson 8
The Carbon Cycle
Students are asked to review specified pages in Exploring Ecology and then answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., why decomposers are important, examples of decomposers, whether consumers produce carbon). Students make predictions and record observations in the Observing Decomposition activity, then record results and write a brief explanatory paragraph about the experiment and hypothetical scenarios. The Decomposer Observations activity requires students to collect and record information from direct investigation and relate it to ideas in the reading.
Lesson 9
The Water Cycle
Students are assigned to read pp. 12-13 (or 13-14 online) in Exploring Ecology and then answer targeted comprehension questions about how water is released into the atmosphere, what condensation is and why it matters, and how water is stored. Students complete a "Questions to Consider" sheet that asks them to explain the importance of the Sun, how the solar still models the water cycle, and what the plastic sheet represents, which requires extracting key information from the reading and experiment. The activity prompts students to answer in complete sentences and to refer to the role of the Sun and processes in the water cycle, encouraging concise responses based on the source material.
Lesson 10
Energy, Food Chains, and Food Webs
Students are asked to review specific pages in Exploring Ecology and to "consider the role of energy as it passes through the ecosystem," which requires extracting key information from that secondary source. The reading is paired with direct comprehension questions (e.g., why consumers feed on more than one organism; difference between a food web and a food chain) that require students to identify main ideas from the text. Students also synthesize information when they develop a local food web graphic and are prompted to include processes (photosynthesis, respiration) and to show what is happening to energy as it passes between organisms.
Lesson 11
The Nitrogen Cycle
Students are directed to read the "Nitrogen Cycle" section (pp. 15–16/16–18) and an online article about fertilizers and then answer targeted comprehension questions (Question #1–#3) that ask them to state why fertilizer is necessary, describe what happens when there is too much nitrogen, and explain how eutrophication relates to equilibrium. Students complete Activity 1 by tracking the journey of a nitrogen atom and filling in labeled stages (nitrification, ammonification, nitrogen fixation, denitrification) on an activity page, and they fill in blanks that require restating processes and outcomes in their own words. The Plant Food activities and linked readings ask students to synthesize information about N, P, and K and to answer questions that require extracting and reporting central information from the sources.
Final Project
A Sustainable Farm
Students are asked to research two or more sustainable farming techniques using Internet or library sources and to look for results from universities and scientific organizations. Students must include labels explaining the sustainable techniques they are using and write explanations (for at least two crops/animals) about how those techniques work on their farm display. The Skills section explicitly lists "Research, evaluate, and apply agricultural techniques," and students synthesize knowledge of cycles when creating diagrams and explanations for the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles.
Unit 5: Independent Study
Lesson 1
Independent Study Introduction
Students are directed to read a primary/secondary source (the CNN article on the Dakota Access Pipeline) and complete a Point of View handout that asks them to list how each stakeholder would view the pipeline and reasons for supporting or opposing it. The unit checklist and Research Process rubric require students to find sources, record information to answer research questions, and use a note-taking method. The Parent Plan Skills section explicitly tells parents to have students "summariz[e] the author's purpose and stance," indicating an expectation that students will produce summaries of argumentative works.
Lesson 2
Bias and Propaganda
Students read two contemporary articles about the same event and answer the question "How is Sam Hughes portrayed in each article?" and record findings on a Detecting Bias handout, which requires identifying portrayal and examples of bias. Students read the "U.S. Steps Up Leaflets to Sway Afghans" article and answer targeted questions about what propaganda techniques were used and why the leaflets were distributed, extracting the article's purpose and information. In Activity 3 students watch advertisements and complete a Propaganda in Advertisements handout that asks them to identify the idea or cause being promoted, the intended audience, and whether the ad is effective, requiring them to state the central message of each ad.
Lesson 3
Starting Your Research
Students complete a KWM chart that requires them to list "What I Know" and "What I Want to Know," distinguishing prior knowledge from information to be gathered. Activities ask students to consider multiple points of view, narrow topics based on whether issues have multiple viewpoints, and form focused, open-ended research questions. The Parent Plan lists skills such as "clarify research questions and evaluate and synthesize collected information" and to "include evidence compiled through the formal research process."
Lesson 4
Finding Information
Students are asked to extract and record key information from multiple sources using a Gathering Grid and note cards (e.g., answering rows like 'What kind of effect did the oil spill have on the environment?' and filling sample entries summarizing each source). Students practice identifying supporting details and opinions for different stakeholders on the topic and recording at least three supporting details per stakeholder on a Stakeholders Chart. Students evaluate websites for purpose, authority, currency, and objectivity and are guided to distinguish fact from opinion when assessing sources.
Lesson 5
Writing the Essay
Students are asked to support the main idea of a paper with facts, details, examples, and explanations from multiple authoritative sources, and to synthesize research into a written or oral presentation that "summarizes findings." The activities require students to gather evidence to support reasons, use quotations and documentation, and include a conclusion that restates the position and briefly sums up main arguments. The example outline models identifying a position, listing supporting reasons with specific evidence (facts, statistics, expert opinion), and including counterarguments and a concluding summary.
Lesson 6
Presentation
Students are asked to synthesize research into an oral or written presentation that "compiles important information from multiple sources, develops a topic sentence, summarizes findings, and uses evidence to support conclusions" (Parent Plan skills). Student activities require creating presentations (PowerPoint, brochure, poster, film) that "explain the multiple points of view on your topic" and present persuasive evidence to support a position. The planning and presentation steps ask students to organize ideas, create an outline, and add information to help an audience understand the visual aid.
2: Semester 2
Unit 1: Greece and Rome
Lesson 1
Early Greece
Students are asked to read pages 22–23 of Ancient Civilizations and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., identify the Minoans as Europe's first civilization, list Minoan accomplishments, describe Mycenaean rule, and name Mycenaean crafts). Students add dated timeline cards (First Settlement of Greece, Beginning of the Bronze Age, The Minoans, Mycenaeans) which requires extracting key informational dates. Students create and label a map (Crete, Knossos, Mycenae, Troy) that reinforces locating and organizing factual information from the reading.
Lesson 2
Ancient Greece
Students read assigned secondary-source pages (pp. 42-43 on Ancient Greece and pp. 38-39 on the Persian Empire) and answer explicit comprehension questions (Q1–Q4) that require them to state what Greek city-states were, explain Sparta's differences, describe the Immortals, and summarize whether Persians conquered Greece. Students complete a Venn diagram comparing Athens and Sparta that requires them to identify shared ideas and main differences and to record at least three details for each side. Students create timeline cards and map additions that ask them to locate and label key events and places from the readings, and they write diary entries or lists comparing Athenian direct democracy with modern representative democracy, drawing on the readings/videos.
Lesson 3
Everyday Life in Ancient Greece
Students read specified pages and web sources about daily life and Greek gods and answer direct comprehension questions (e.g., about education and the role of women), requiring them to extract key information. In Activity 1 students must write a monologue that includes a brief retelling of a god or goddess's story and list concepts and symbols, which asks them to summarize a myth. In Activity 3 students read 5–6 short biographies and complete prompts such as "Best Known For" and "Why the Person Was Important," which asks them to condense and report central information from secondary sources. Activity 2 asks students to use readings to create a historically accurate daily schedule, requiring synthesis of informational details from sources.
Lesson 4
The Hellenistic World
Students are directed to read pages 46-47 of Ancient Civilizations (a secondary source) and answer specific comprehension questions about Macedonia's location, how Alexander became king, why Greek culture spread, and why the period is called the Hellenistic Age. Students add timeline cards with dated events (Phillip II, Alexander's rule, Hellenistic Age), and they explain Alexander's achievements when brainstorming and sketching a monument, which requires recalling and selecting key information from the reading.
Lesson 5
Ancient Rome and the Roman Republic
Students answer directed reading questions that ask for central facts (e.g., how Rome was initially ruled and the role of the Senate), requiring them to identify key information from the readings. In Activity 1, students compare and contrast the Romulus and Remus myth, the Troy-origin story, and an archaeological explanation by filling in a chart about who founded Rome, how it got its name, and how likely each theory is, which asks them to extract and restate each source's main claims. In Activity 3 and the timeline task, students identify and place key events and dates, reinforcing identification and summary of central historical information.
Lesson 6
The Roman Empire
Students are asked to read specific secondary-source sections (Ancient Civilizations pages and Ancient History Encyclopedia sections) and to "pay attention to how Augustus expanded and ruled," which directs them to identify central information. Students answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., meaning of Pax Romana, uses of Roman roads) that require extracting main ideas from the readings. In Activity 2 (Option 2) students must read about at least three emperors and complete comparison boxes listing accomplishments, challenges, and leadership qualities, requiring synthesis of source information into concise summaries.
Lesson 7
Everyday Life in Ancient Rome
Students are instructed to read a textbook page and a web article and to mark important ideas (underline/star) and note surprising facts or questions, which supports identifying key information. Question prompts ask students to describe what education was like and what Roman houses were like, requiring students to summarize information from the readings. Activity 2 asks students to fill a chart about religions (key features, who practiced them, and the government's role), and Activity 3 asks students to research a famous Roman and record what the person was best known for and why they were important, both of which require summarizing source information.
Lesson 8
The End of the Empire
Students read secondary sources (the Khan Academy video and the article sections "External Causes," "Internal Causes," and "Conclusion") and answer comprehension questions about causes of Rome's fall, Constantine's motives, and the fate of the Eastern Empire. Students categorize listed factors into internal and external causes by cutting and pasting items on an activity page. Students read primary-source passages (Romans 8, Matthew 5, 2 Timothy 3) and are asked to analyze what message the author was trying to send and how serious persecution appeared to be.
Unit 1: Force and Motion
Lesson 2
Newton's Laws of Motion
Students are directed to read pages 5–11 of Why Things Move and answer targeted comprehension questions about equilibrium, balanced/unbalanced forces, and mass versus weight. Students create a mini-book that requires matching law numbers with definitions and drawing illustrations, which asks them to state the central ideas of each of Newton's three laws. Students also explain experimental outcomes (Coin Challenge, Rubber Ball Ramp, Balloon Rocket) using the laws, requiring them to extract and use key information from the text.
Lesson 5
Centripetal Force and Terminal Velocity
Students are instructed to read pages 20–24 of Why Things Move and watch two short videos (skydivers and the Apollo 15 moonwalk) and then answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., whether gravity is a constant, why a feather and hammer fall differently, and the difference between centripetal and centrifugal force). Students complete Predict/Observe/Explain sections in the Accelerometer activity where they must record observations and write explanations relating those observations to Newton's laws. In the Bucket Swing activity students are asked to describe the forces acting on the rock from two different observer perspectives, requiring them to synthesize information from the reading and experiments.
Lesson 7
Newton in the Milky Way
Students are asked to review a linked secondary source (the Kepler's Laws web page and video) and then 'briefly list Kepler's three laws of planetary motion,' which requires extracting central ideas from that source. Activity prompts ask students to answer specific questions comparing the web content to prior activities (e.g., similarities/differences with the bucket activity) and to explain why planets closer to the Sun orbit faster, which requires using information from the source. The 'Analyzing the Data' and 'Analysis' pages also require students to summarize experimental observations and identify forces, encouraging them to state main findings from their investigation.
Unit 1: Greek Myths
Lesson 1
Ancient Greece
Students read a secondary source (pages 9–15 of D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths) that explains the Greek creation story. Question #2 explicitly asks students to "Summarize the Greek creation story in two sentences," requiring them to state the story's main events. The wrapping-up paragraph highlights repeated themes (power and revenge), prompting students to identify central themes across the myths.
Lesson 2
The Gods and Goddesses
Students read specified pages about Zeus, his family, and myths and answer guided comprehension questions in complete sentences (e.g., explain how Greeks accounted for volcanoes, storms, and seasons). Students create character cards or write short descriptions of gods and goddesses that require them to identify what each deity rules over and important details. The family-tree activity asks students to organize and synthesize information about relationships among the gods, reinforcing the main informational points.
Lesson 3
The Stories
Students are asked to "consider what people in the past were trying to convey" by myths and to answer questions about how stories could bring order and what questions people were trying to answer (Activity 2). The Parent Plan lists skills that ask students to "analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the author's purpose" and to "provide evidence from the text to support their understanding." The Go Greek activity has students read and compare cards with descriptive information about gods, which requires identifying and recalling key informational points about those figures.
Lesson 4
Minor Gods, Nymphs, Satyrs, and Centaurs
Students are directed to read specific pages of Greek myths (pages 70–89 and 90–107) and explicitly told to "consider how greed and the desire for power lead to devastating consequences," which asks them to identify a central theme. Comprehension questions ask students to explain events (e.g., why Zeus sent Pandora's box) and to provide examples of greed causing conflict (Day 2, Q3). The lesson asks students to compare flood stories from other cultures with Deucalion's story (Day 1, Q3) and to retell a chosen myth as an 18–25 line skit (Activity 4), which requires students to extract and organize the story's main events and ideas.
Lesson 5
Mortal Descendants of Zeus
Students are prompted to 'Verbally summarize the story of Perseus' in the Parent Plan discussion questions, which asks them to state main points (Zeus as father, banishment, impossible tasks, Medusa, rescue of Andromeda). The Reading and Questions section asks specific text-based comprehension items (why Acrisius locked his daughter, what the king asked Perseus to do, what sprang from Medusa's neck, how the Red Sea came to be), requiring students to identify key information from the text. The Wrapping Up section has students identify recurring themes (abuse of power, inability to change fate), and Activity 1 asks students to list conventions (hero, gods, monster, problem), which asks students to extract central elements of the myth.
Lesson 6
Vainglorious Kings
Students read multiple myths and answer specific comprehension questions in complete sentences (e.g., questions about why Heracles was sent away, whom he rescued, the irony in Oedipus' story). Students complete a comparison chart for Daedalus and Icarus that explicitly asks for 'Theme/lesson' and other central elements (setting, method of flight, role of invention). Students create condensed retellings of myths through a wordless book, song, or movie-trailer script, and they take notes comparing the filmed and written versions, focusing on how the film communicates key story details.
Lesson 7
The Trojan War
Students are instructed to read pages 178–189 (with a specific summary start and end on pp. 180–184) and to summarize/retell the story using cut-out characters and a Trojan Horse prop. Directions tell students to pick out the most important events to use in their retelling, to use their own words (except for quoted material), and to practice delivering an oral summary that includes the main ideas and the most significant details. The Parent Plan skills explicitly list delivering oral summaries that include main ideas and significant details and conveying a comprehensive understanding of sources.
Final Project
A New Twist on an Ancient Myth
Students are asked to identify conventions and the theme of an original myth using the "Conventions of a Myth" pages and to list three favorite myths before choosing one to retell, which requires extracting central ideas. The unit includes a task (Part V: Famous Myths) asking students to provide two- to three-sentence synopses of myths, and the rubric and draft directions require a clear beginning, middle, end, problem, and solution, which guides students to summarize plot and main ideas. Parent/teacher prompts ask students to explain how their retelling follows conventions and to describe the main themes, further prompting students to state central information from the texts.
Unit 2: The Middle Ages
Lesson 1
Introduction to Medieval Europe
Students read pages 1–14 of a secondary source (Great Medieval Projects You Can Build Yourself) and answer specific reading questions that require extracting core information (QUESTION #1 asks why the Middle Ages are so named; QUESTION #2 asks students to identify the three divisions and their dates). Students also answer analytic questions (QUESTION #3 and #4) that require connecting causal information from the reading to broader developments like feudalism and church power. The lesson includes review steps that ask to check students' answers to the reading questions.
Lesson 2
Monarchs
Students read a secondary source (pages 15–23 of Great Medieval Projects) and answer factual questions (Questions #1–#3) that require identifying key information about medieval monarchs. In Activity 2 Option 1, students complete a two-column chart comparing the king's powers before and after the Magna Carta, directly extracting and organizing information from the text. In Activity 2 Option 2, students work with the primary text of the Magna Carta to create a word cloud and answer questions about which words and groups the document focuses on, and they compare central ideas across multiple political documents.
Lesson 3
Knights and Warfare in the Middle Ages
Students are directed to read pages 24–48 of a secondary source and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., explain why stirrups were important and why castles were hard to attack), requiring them to extract key information and causal explanations from the text. In Activity 1 and the chivalric-code scenarios, students must reference pages 26–28 to explain knightly expectations, and in Activity 2 students must review descriptions of weapons and siege weapons (pages 28–30, 42–45) and then write a well-organized paragraph describing an attack and defenses. The timeline and game activities ask students to identify and place discrete historical items (cavalry, military orders) and to match defenses to attacks, reinforcing information from the readings.
Lesson 4
Castles and Feasts
Students are assigned to read pages 49-64 of Great Medieval Projects You Can Build Yourself and then answer four specific comprehension questions that ask for information from the text (e.g., why castles were built on hills, differences in sleeping arrangements, why kitchens were separate, and differences in medieval feast etiquette). The four questions require students to locate and restate factual information from the secondary source. The activities (designing a castle floor plan or a tapestry) ask students to use details from the reading to inform their designs.
Lesson 5
Village and City Life
Students are assigned a focused secondary source reading (pages 65-90 of Great Medieval Projects You Can Build Yourself) and must answer four specific comprehension questions about that reading (women's treatment, the church's role, town vs. village differences, and how the plague spread). Students add dated events to a medieval timeline (e.g., The Bubonic Plague 1347-1351) and complete the 'Impact of the Plague' activity that requires them to use information about mortality and consequences to analyze community effects. Several activities require students to extract factual information from the text (e.g., roles in a village/town, guild/apprenticeship details) and apply it in writing tasks like help-wanted ads.
Lesson 6
Religion in Medieval Life
Students read a specified secondary source (pages 91-104) and answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., identifying pagan practices incorporated into Christianity and defining holy relics). Students complete analytic activities that require extracting central information: the "Dissent and the Church" worksheet asks students to identify groups, explain why they were considered dangerous, and list consequences; the Reconquista cube asks students to "Summarize the Reconquista in a phrase 7 words or less"; the Crusades page asks students to write from two historical perspectives. Students also create timeline entries and write short summaries of pilgrimage benefits, all tasks that require pulling main ideas from the reading.
Lesson 7
Monasteries
Students are assigned to read pages 105-114 of Great Medieval Projects You Can Build Yourself, a secondary source about monks and monasteries, and answer targeted comprehension questions such as describing the Divine Office, the role of monasteries in their communities, and features of Gothic architecture. The reading questions require students to identify and report key information (e.g., monks copying texts preserved literature) drawn directly from the assigned pages. The activities include review prompts asking caregivers to check the student's answers to the readings, reinforcing extraction of central information from the text.
Lesson 8
The End of the Medieval Era
Students are asked to read pages 115–116 of Great Medieval Projects You Can Build Yourself, a secondary source, and answer comprehension questions about that reading (e.g., Q1 asks what "Renaissance" means and why the period was so named). Students are asked to give examples of modern interest in the Middle Ages (Q2) and to brainstorm items that show medieval influence in the activity page, which requires extracting information and connections from sources or artifacts. The "Naming Our Own Era" activity asks students to list important events, discoveries, or ideas and then identify which are most significant, which involves selecting central information from gathered responses.
Final Project
A Medieval Fair or Map
Students write 2–3 paragraph scripts for three historical roles (castle, religious, country/town life) that require summarizing a person's home, daily life, social position, and important events (e.g., the Crusades, the plague). Students create a map or model and verbally walk family members through it, explaining features such as homes, fields, churches, guilds, defenses, and the relationship of these features to medieval ways of life. Unit test short-answer questions ask students to define feudalism, describe the process to become a master craftsman or a monk, and explain the significance of the Magna Carta and the Crusades, requiring concise written summaries of central information.
Unit 2: Light and the Eye
Lesson 4
How Human Eyes Work
Students are asked to read specified sections (pages 10-11 of Light and the Eye and a KidsHealth article) and to answer direct comprehension questions about key ideas (for example, how the iris adjusts the pupil and that the retina contains photoreceptors). Students are also asked to "Explain how the retina works and why your brain has to flip images right side up," which requires them to state the core explanation from the readings and videos. Multiple activities (watching explanatory videos and summarizing observed camera obscura behavior) prompt students to restate how light is focused and how images appear on the retina.
Lesson 5
Animal Eyes
Students are instructed to read an external article about animal eyesight and then answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., compare cats' and humans' eyesight; describe birds of prey distance vision). Students categorize a list of animals by eye type (predator vs. prey or other categories) and answer explanatory questions such as "Why do predators and prey have different types of eyes?" and "How does their eye type help [an animal] in nature?" Students are asked to "Share with your parent what you have learned about the eyes of one of the animals you listed," which requires reporting information gleaned from the source.
Lesson 6
Color and Perception
Students are instructed to re-read specified pages in Light and the Eye and then answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., explain how rocks appear different colors; define the visible spectrum), which requires extracting information from a secondary source. Students watch the "Why Is the Sky Blue?" video and answer questions about the video's explanations (e.g., why the sky is blue), showing that they identify key information from a multimedia source. Multiple activities ask students to describe observations and explain phenomena (e.g., report what the water with milk looks like and why), requiring students to cite source-based evidence in responses.
Unit 2: Tales from the Middle Ages
Lesson 1
Medieval Times
Students examine a labeled map of a 1255 manor and record observations in categories (Jobs, Clothing, Homes, Inventions & Technological Advancements, Military Defense, Comparisons to Neighborhoods Today), extracting specific information from the visual source. Students identify peasants, knights, and lords on the map and write 3–4 sentence commentaries from the perspectives of a knight, a lord, and a peasant, practicing putting information into brief written form. The Parent Plan lists skills to analyze point of view and draw conclusions about author's purpose, indicating attention to interpreting sources and perspectives.
Lesson 2
Beetle
Students read the primary-source poem 'A Dialogue on Poverty' by Yamanoue no Okura and answer directed questions that ask them to describe the narrator's outlook, identify what the narrator lacks physically and emotionally, and compare the narrator's situation to Beetle/Brat. Students are asked to analyze how the poem's first-person point of view affects its impact versus a third-person point of view. The Researcher role also requires students to gather related information about the book's context to better understand the source.
Lesson 3
Summer
Students are assigned the role of Discussion Director and must write four discussion questions that "cover the big ideas" of Chapters 4 and 5 and provide answers, which requires identifying central ideas in the text. Part II directs students to write a paragraph about what they have read that may be a character description, living conditions, or a summary of the story, requiring students to produce an accurate condensed account of the source material.
Lesson 4
Special Delivery
Students are asked to read Chapters 6-8 and act as a Line Locator, finding three to five lines or short passages that they consider key to the story and recording page and paragraph numbers, then explaining why those passages are important. Students use a Venn diagram to compare a memorable event in their own life to Alyce's delivering of the calves, listing two similarities and three unique aspects. The discussion questions require students to explain character motivations and consequences (e.g., why villagers are superstitious, how Alyce's and Will's relationship changes), prompting students to identify important information about characters and events.
Lesson 7
An Angel or a Saint
Students are asked to read specified monologues in Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! (Mogg p. 24, Alice p. 14, Edgar p. 39) and to use those texts to analyze the role of domesticated animals. In Option 2 students draw three animals and write examples of how each animal influenced peasants' economics, including what they provided and what would happen if an animal or serf died. The Literary Luminary task also has students identify and record passages they deem important and then discuss those passages aloud with a parent.
Lesson 8
Newborn Hope
Students finish the novel and take the role of a Connector, recording connections they see between the book, their life, and the outside world. In Activity 2 students describe Alyce's relationships at the beginning and end of the book and are asked to provide details from the book to support their answers. Discussion prompts ask students to explain how Alyce's life changes (from survival mode to living) and to analyze themes like perseverance and relationships.
Lesson 9
Cast of Characters
Students read multiple monologues and are asked to write concise summaries: the directions require summarizing each character's monologue in 1–2 sentences on the "Cast of Characters" chart, and other activity pages ask for 5- to 7–15-sentence character summaries. The parent answer key and organizer pages provide model short summaries of each character's role and actions, showing students practice condensing source content into brief summaries.
Lesson 11
Village Life
Students read specified pages of Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! and complete a "Cast of Characters" chart, requiring them to identify who is involved and what each character does. Students answer discussion prompts asking them to describe differences in perspectives between Isobel and Barbary and to explain the relationship between Jews and Christians as described by the author. Students respond to questions about themes (e.g., how relationships shape identity) and what Petronella and Jacob learn, which requires pulling central information from the text.
Final Project
Life in the Middle Ages Think-Tac-Toe
Students are asked to "Summarize three important changes that took place during the Middle Ages and their impact" (European Transformations) and to "Provide a brief overview of feudalism in 3-4 sentences" in the unit test essay, which require identifying main ideas. Students must "summarize one of the monologues" from Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! and write a book review discussing themes and historical accuracy, which ask them to extract and report central information from texts. The unit test also includes comprehension and perspective items that require students to identify narrative viewpoint and key events from the readings.
Unit 3: The Age of Discovery
Lesson 1
Why Was There an Age of Discovery?
Students are assigned to read pages 4–13 of a secondary source (Aronson & Glenn) and answer specific comprehension questions about authors' uncertainty, religion's role, monarchs' interests, and Prince Henry's school. In Activity 2 Option 1 students write 1–2 sentence explanations of five motivations (religion, competition, wealth, glory, knowledge), and in Option 2 they organize those ideas on index cards and deliver a speech. Option 3 asks students to use a graphic organizer to draw connections among motivations, requiring them to extract and reformulate information from the reading.
Lesson 2
New World Empires
Students are asked to read pages 14–19 of a secondary source and answer four specific comprehension questions that require extracting key information (e.g., causes of Cahokia's decline, the role of corn, relationships between empires and subject peoples). The Cahokia film activity instructs students to take notes and explicitly encourages writing summaries of important ideas rather than transcribing everything. The compare/contrast activity (charts and Venn diagrams) directs students to use readings and maps to record impressions about government, economy, city sanitation, and geographic size, which requires identifying main characteristics of each source's description.
Lesson 3
European Explorers
Students are assigned a secondary source (pages 20–35 of Aronson & Glenn) and answer factual comprehension questions (e.g., why Columbus called people "Indians," causes of Inca vulnerability). In Activity 4 students read pages 26–29, identify and record factors that explain the Spanish conquest, and mark which factors they consider most significant. In Activity 6 students extract key information from the reading to create explorer trading cards (what each explorer was looking for, what they found, relationships with native people).
Lesson 4
The Consequences of Contact
Students are assigned to read pages 36–51 of The World Made New (a secondary source) and answer specific comprehension questions about foods exchanged, disease transmission, population estimates, and economic effects. In Activity 1 students extract and organize information by drawing arrows showing exchanges of beliefs, diseases, foods, animals, and wealth between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. In Activity 3 students prepare short opening and closing statements (2 and 3–4 sentences) that summarize their position and supporting facts for a debate about Columbus Day.
Lesson 5
Copernicus and Changes in Science
Students are assigned to read chapters of Newton at the Center (a secondary source) and to answer directed comprehension questions about Bacon, common beliefs about the cosmos, and Copernicus' discoveries. Students must create a 2–3 minute first-person introduction as Copernicus or a scrapbook that requires them to gather and present key facts from the reading. Students complete a compare-and-contrast activity on medieval versus modern thinking and draw diagrams of geocentric and heliocentric models, which require extracting central ideas and information from the text. These tasks explicitly instruct students to use the reading as their source of information.
Lesson 6
Galileo
Students read Chapters 5–7 of a secondary source (Newton at the Center) and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., what Galileo found when dropping objects, definition of inertia), which requires extracting central information. Students also read translated primary source documents about Galileo's trial (letters, scriptural references, recantation) and answer targeted questions about Kepler's argument, Galileo's view of faith and science, and differences with the Church, which requires identifying main ideas in primary sources.
Lesson 7
Isaac Newton
Students are asked to read specified chapters of the secondary source Newton at the Center and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., Question #1 asks what idea of Descartes influenced Newton; Question #2 asks what Newton was working on in 1666; Question #4 asks how Enlightenment thinkers connected Newton's ideas to human activity). Students add people and invention dates to a timeline, which requires extracting and recording key factual information. Student activity pages (telescope, microscope, barometer, thermometer) ask students to describe what each device does and what can be observed, prompting them to state information from the readings and observations.
Final Project
Discovery Research Project
Students are asked to write open-book essay responses (Option 2) that require them to describe the role of religion in the Age of Discovery and the Scientific Revolution and to explain how these periods ushered in the modern world, prompting them to identify and report key information from their readings. The final project requires students to introduce an explorer and a scientist, show routes on a map, and explain the historical significance of each — tasks that require extracting central information and presenting it coherently. The unit test includes descriptive and short-answer items (e.g., asking for the most interesting thing learned) and multiple-choice/matching items that require students to identify key facts and main ideas from the unit texts.
Unit 3: The Solar System
Lesson 1
The Latest View of Our Solar System
Students are directed to read the Foreword by Dr. Owen Gingerich (pp. 9–11 and 56) and to "discover how beliefs about our solar system have changed throughout human history," which asks them to extract central information from a secondary source. The three comprehension questions require students to identify who "invented the solar system," explain what that claim means (interpreting the author's main point), and list the three criteria scientists use to categorize planets, which asks for key information from the text. The reading task and targeted questions prompt students to identify and explain central ideas and supporting details from the assigned pages.
Lesson 2
Our Sun
Students are directed to read pages 14–15 of a secondary source about the Sun and answer factual questions about composition and temperature. In Activity 2 students plot yearly sunspot data from 1950–2023, label maxima/minima, and calculate average intervals between maximum years. The activity asks students to "Explain what a sunspot cycle is" and to use the graph and calculations to decide whether the data suggest regular intervals and to state the average length of the cycle.
Lesson 3
Earth, the Third Planet
Students read specified pages from 13 Planets and an online article and answer direct comprehension questions about Earth's water, axial tilt, and polar sunlight. Students record factual information about Earth by completing the "Planetary Passport" or creating question-and-answer cards for the "From Earth to Eris" board game. Students also create models/slides/animations and sketch the Earth-Sun positions for seasons, which requires extracting key information from the reading about tilt, rotation, and orbit.
Lesson 4
Satellites and Telescopes
Students are instructed to read secondary sources (e.g., "What Is a Satellite?" on NASA's The Space Place and web pages about telescopes) and then answer targeted comprehension questions such as "What are satellites used for?" and "What is the difference between geostationary and polar orbits?" Students also examine a Mars topographic map and answer what the map colors represent (elevation), and they are asked to explain how satellites make topographic maps when sharing their work with family.
Lesson 6
Other Terrestrial Planets
Students are assigned to read specified pages (17-19 and 27) from a secondary source and answer targeted content questions (e.g., why Mercury is hot and cold; whether Venus is Earth's "twin"). Students complete a "Planetary Passport" table and fill board-game cards with facts (diameter, density, orbital and rotational periods, temperatures, moons, unique features), which requires extracting central information from the text. Students also compare and shade boxes for characteristics that planets share with Earth, practicing selection of relevant information from the source.
Lesson 7
Gas Giants
Students read specified pages of a secondary source (13 Planets) and answer directed comprehension questions (e.g., why Jupiter smells like rotten eggs; how Saturn's rings are divided). Students complete the "Planetary Passport" table and board-game question cards, recording diameter, distance, rotation/orbital periods, moons, temperatures, rings, and other facts. In Activity 1 students must include information from the book about atmospheres, composition, and geographic features when creating a poster or short story.
Lesson 8
Dwarf Planets and Asteroids
Students are assigned to read specific pages in a secondary source (13 Planets: The Latest View of the Solar System) and answer directed comprehension questions (e.g., which dwarf planets were once major planets; what makes Haumea unique; how Ceres differs). Students complete a "Planetary Passport" worksheet that requires them to extract and record key information (diameter, distance, discovery, rotation, orbital period, moons, temperature, color) for each dwarf planet. Students create and answer fact-based question cards for the "From Earth to Eris" board game, which asks them to locate and summarize facts such as orbital and rotational periods and relative sizes/densities.
Lesson 9
Men on the Moon and Beyond
Students read linked webpages and watch a video about space exploration and spin-off technologies and then answer directed comprehension questions (e.g., what happened July 20, 1969; what launched April 1981; what orbited Saturn). Students complete structured reports on a chosen technology or cochlear implants, recording the year inducted, innovators, technologies/skills from the space program, improvements over previous technologies, and numbers helped. Students also research a spacecraft model (materials, procedure, success) and record procedural and factual details on activity pages.
Unit 3: The Prince and the Bard
Lesson 1
Introduction to The Little Prince
Students are instructed to read the biography of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (a secondary source) and answer guided questions asking why the biographer used the word "prestigious," what else the author did, and what happened at the end of his life. The unit also asks students to "look for messages about love and friendship" across The Little Prince and other texts, prompting students to identify recurring messages or information.
Lesson 2
Meeting the Little Prince
Students read Chapters I–VI and answer text-based comprehension questions that ask for reasons and explanations (e.g., why the prince wants the sheep to eat baobabs; why the narrator shows drawing #1). The parent notes explicitly tell students 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 to adults versus children. Students also extract and record the narrator's descriptions of what children and adults want to know by completing a Friend Venn Diagram based on the text.
Lesson 3
The Flower and Other Planets
Students read chapters VII–XII of The Little Prince and answer directed comprehension questions in full sentences (e.g., whether the King is always obeyed, what the flower is afraid of, how inhabitants are alike), which requires extracting information from the primary text. Students also perform text-editing tasks that require selecting and omitting words with ellipses (Option 1 and Option 2), and they analyze authorial uses of ellipses, which involves working directly with passages and creating condensed versions of text.
Lesson 5
Making Friends on Earth
Students answer direct comprehension questions (Q1–Q3) that require them to state meanings from Chapters XXI–XXV, e.g., explaining what it means to be "tamed" and why the rose has tamed the prince. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to explain the fox's idea about friendship preventing monotony and to give two examples, which requires students to restate and apply an idea from the text. The Parent Plan lists the skill to "Paraphrase the major ideas and supporting evidence," indicating an expectation that students paraphrase text-based ideas.
Lesson 6
Saying Goodbye
Students finish reading Chapter XXVI to the end and answer direct comprehension questions about key information (how the prince gives the narrator a gift of the stars and how he intends to get home). Students paraphrase the little prince's departure in their own words by creating a poem or drawing with an artist's description and by listing two ways the narrator says he knows the little prince made it home. Students share a letter explaining whether they agree with the narrator and offer persuasive evidence, and the Parent Plan explicitly cites paraphrasing major ideas and supporting evidence as a skill.
Lesson 8
Beginning A Midsummer Night's Dream
Students read Acts 1–2 (modern translation) and answer comprehension questions that ask for key information (e.g., Theseus's three choices for Hermia, identifying main couples, and listing Robin Goodfellow's mischief). Students are asked in discussion prompts to name the three main plot lines so far and to explain who a character is and what he or she has done, which requires synthesizing plot and character information. The Things to Know and review prompts explicitly direct students to consider plot, setting, and characters, which supports identifying central elements of the play.
Lesson 9
Puck's Pranks
Students read the modern-translation text of Act 2, Scene 2 to Act 3, Scene 2 and respond in writing. Students answer four specific comprehension questions asking what Oberon does to Titania and why, why the actors are rehearsing in the woods, what mistake Puck made, and how Oberon plans to solve the problem. The Parent Plan notes that students will "write responses to literature, developing an interpretation exhibiting careful reading, understanding, and insight."
Lesson 10
Dreams
Students are assigned to read a primary source (Act 3, Scene 2 to Act 4, Scene 1 in the modern translation) and answer specific comprehension questions that ask them to state what happens, how relationships change, and what characters plan to do. The four guided questions require students to describe central events (e.g., Demetrius falling in love with Helena, who believes events were real) and changes in character feelings. Option 2 explicitly asks students to "write a short paragraph about this section that summarizes what happens and how the passage deals with persuasion," and the parent plan notes summarizing author's purpose and stance in oral presentations and media messages.
Lesson 11
Watching the Play
Students read Act 4, Scene 2 through the end of the play and are asked specific comprehension questions that require extracting central information (for example, what the wedding guests think about the play and what Robin says at the end). Students watch a 25–30 minute animated adaptation and discuss whether the key scenes were included and whether the adaptation tells Shakespeare's story well, which asks them to compare and articulate the main events. The Parent Plan also lists a skill to "Summarize author's purpose and stance in oral presentations and media messages," indicating an expectation of summarizing related media.
Lesson 12
Tragic Love
Students read an abridged primary text (Romeo and Juliet) and answer directed comprehension questions about key information (e.g., whom Romeo loves at different points, why Romeo kills Tybalt, and how the families respond to the tragedy). Students find and cite exact quotes from the play to support interview answers in the "Quotable" activity, requiring them to locate textual evidence that answers specific questions. Students also respond to questions in complete sentences, demonstrating extraction of information from the source.
Final Project
Love Letters
Students answer specific comprehension questions on the unit test that require identifying central information (e.g., how many friends the Little Prince makes, the three main storylines of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo's moral flaw and its consequence). Students use the Outlining page to state a thesis and organize reasons with supporting evidence and quotations from the texts. Students are asked to summarize in their essay conclusion why a chosen couple's love was the strongest, and they must cite evidence and important quotes in their notes pages.
Unit 4: Elizabethan Europe
Lesson 1
Europe at the Time of Elizabeth's Birth
Students are assigned a secondary source (Introduction and Chapter 1) to read and answer focused comprehension questions (QUESTION #1–#4) that ask for central facts about Henry VIII, indulgences, Luther's doctrine, and how religion affected alliances. Students complete Activity 2 by writing Martin Luther's objections to specific Church practices, which requires identifying and restating central differences between the Church and Luther. Students create a timeline entry and write a short biographical poem (including a six-line summary) about Martin Luther, which asks them to synthesize information from the reading and other sources into a concise summary.
Lesson 2
The Renaissance and Elizabeth's Childhood
Students are assigned Chapter 2 (pages 15-16 and 18-20) of a secondary source and must answer focused reading questions (Q1–Q4) that require extracting key information about Elizabeth's education and the Renaissance. Question 4 asks students to explain how discovery of ancient ideas connected to new study in Renaissance Europe, which asks them to identify and state central ideas from the reading. Activities such as the timeline and map (Activity 1 and Activity 3) require students to select, sequence, and place major events and ideas from the reading onto a timeline and map, synthesizing information from the text.
Lesson 3
Becoming Queen
Students read specified chapters of a secondary source (Elizabeth I, The People's Queen) and answer focused comprehension questions (Questions 1–4) that ask for factual information and broader ideas about Mary Tudor's persecution of Protestants and ideas about women's roles. Students are instructed to reread passages describing Elizabeth's procession, note symbolic details, and plan and write about a coronation gift using information from the reading. Students also complete review tasks that require checking their answers to the reading questions and explaining the meaning behind their symbolic gift.
Lesson 4
Religious Turmoil
Students are assigned to read Chapter 5 of a secondary source (Elizabeth I, The People's Queen) and answer four specific comprehension questions that ask for causes, definitions, beliefs, and consequences (Q1–Q4). Students add key Reformation figures to a timeline and color-code a map of Elizabethan Europe, tasks that require identifying and organizing central information from the reading. These activities require extracting main ideas (e.g., why Elizabeth feared a Catholic takeover, the Act of Uniformity, Puritan beliefs, and the papal bull's effect) and placing those ideas into summary formats (answers, timeline entries, and map labels).
Lesson 5
International Affairs
Students read specified sections of a secondary source (Chapter 6 and pages 85–95 of Chapter 7) and answer four targeted comprehension questions about literacy, persecution of Catholics, privateers, and the Triangular Trade. Students also complete activities that require extracting factual information from the reading (placing timeline cards, mapping Hawkins/Drake voyages, and filling the Triangular Trade activity page). The Wrapping Up and review prompts ask students to review and explain what they learned about the spread of Protestant ideas and early colonization.
Lesson 6
Defeating the Spanish Armada
Students read Chapter 8 of a secondary source (Elizabeth I, The People's Queen) and answer specific comprehension questions asking how people were alerted, what life as a sailor entailed, and how the English defeated the Armada. Students reread and perform Queen Elizabeth's speech (a primary source) and are asked which line they found most powerful. Students play a simulation game and then are prompted to think about how tactical decisions and weather changed the odds for each side, connecting events and causes. An optional web link to the National Archives is provided for students who want to work with additional primary source documents and accompanying questions.
Lesson 7
The End of Elizabeth I's Era
Students are asked to read Chapter 9 of a secondary source and answer specific comprehension questions that require identifying central information (e.g., economic problems of the 1590s, definition of "the Pale," succession after Elizabeth). Students are asked to summarize Elizabeth's leadership in the epitaph activity by selecting three important accomplishments and writing a short statement summarizing her leadership. In Option 2, students must choose adjectives that describe Elizabeth and provide specific examples from her life that demonstrate each adjective, connecting claims to evidence.
Lesson 8
The Making of the Modern World
Students are asked to review prior readings and use those sources to complete Activity 1 by listing differences between Medieval Europe and the Renaissance on a comparative chart, which requires identifying key ideas from the readings. Option 2 gives students concise idea-boxes (e.g., "Books were copied by hand" vs. "printing press allows for wider information distribution") that students must sort and place, engaging them with summarized informational statements. In Activity 2 students record connections between historical themes and Elizabeth I and write brief explanations on the lines, requiring them to extract and restate information from sources to show relationships.
Final Project
An Elizabethan Lapbook
Students are asked to write 1–2 sentence summaries for each of three Historical Events flaps and a sentence about how each event was important in Elizabeth I's life (Historical Events Mini-Book). Students create a Timeline Mini-Book by selecting 7–10 dates and writing brief descriptions for each date. The Art & Culture, Triangular Trade, and Family Album mini-books require students to write brief descriptions or details about topics and people, and the rubric explicitly evaluates that mini-books provide accurate information.
Unit 4: Technological Design
Lesson 2
Technological Innovator
Students read a secondary source (Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions by Maxine Anderson, specified pages) and answer targeted questions that require extracting main information (e.g., factors that influenced culture, how da Vinci was supported, and whether his experiments worked). Students complete a "Technology Through the Centuries" chart, categorizing inventions and answering synthesis questions about trends and differences in technological design. The wrapping-up prompts ask students to reflect on what they saw in the readings and charts about technology across time.
Lesson 3
Meaningful Technological Designs
Students are asked to research a historical technology and write a paragraph about the object's inventor and when the design was invented or discovered, which requires gathering and summarizing factual information. In Part 3 students may write a paragraph about the device's rationale, tests and trials, or patents, which asks them to condense information about purpose and development. The assignment also directs students to locate web resources and to include images showing the device's evolution, supporting synthesis of source information into a concise report.
Lesson 4
Necessity vs. Luxury
Students are directed to use trusted online sources (Britannica Kids, History.com, Smithsonian, etc.) to research inventions and answer targeted questions about why the invention was created and how it improved people's lives. Students must choose technologies from 20th and 21st century lists and write responses to questions that ask whether the design solved a societal problem, why it became important, and to explain why it is a necessity or a luxury. The materials require students to 'back up her claim with evidence' and include structured lines for written responses to these research-based questions.
Lesson 5
Necessity Is the Mother of Invention
Students are instructed to read specific pages of Maxine Anderson's book and to "familiarize [themselves] with the innovations presented and how they solved a particular problem," which requires extracting key information from the source. In Option 2 students must create a diagram and a "brief but thorough set of directions" based on the book's procedure, and in Option 3 students must build and use an anemometer design from the book to collect evidence, both tasks requiring students to identify and use information from the text. The wrapping-up questions ask students to consider how scale, proportion, and innovation influenced da Vinci's designs, prompting focused reflection on the text's ideas.
Lesson 6
Da Vinci's Inventions
Students read a specified secondary source (pages 77–91) about da Vinci's parachute, ornithopter, and helical air screw. Students complete structured activity pages that ask them to identify and record Scientific Principles, Risks, Benefits, Constraints/Limitations, and Testing Protocols for each design. The lesson rubric and activity directions require students to provide "Evidence" from the text to support their ratings, prompting them to extract and cite information from the reading.
Lesson 7
Contemporary Design Approaches
Students are directed to consult specified websites about the history of the vacuum cleaner, television, and computer and to complete activity pages that ask for Scientific Principles, Risks, Benefits, Constraints/Limitations, and Testing Protocols. The Activity 1 pages include an "Evidence" column where students must record justifications drawn from those sources. Activity 2 instructs students to "research the need or problem using the Internet, library, interviews, etc.," and to "examine current solutions," which requires extracting information from secondary sources.
Lesson 9
Modeling an Idea
Students watch the video "The Earthquake Machine" and are prompted to answer focused questions such as why the instructor uses a model, how the model helps understand the scientific concept, and how each component contributes to the simulation. Students define the aim/research focus for their model, gather information, test the model, and are asked to publish results by answering prompts and discussing findings with a parent, which requires identifying goals and key information from their investigation and resources.
Final Project
Final Exam and Model Bridge
Students are asked to read a secondary source (pages 52-55 on da Vinci's camera obscura) and evaluate it by explaining Scientific Principles, Risks, Benefits, Constraints/Limitations, and Testing Protocols, filling a table that requires 'Rating' and 'Evidence.' The unit test and activity pages require students to read excerpts (e.g., a modeling scenario about air) and answer focused questions about the aim of the model and how to prove listed claims. The provided answer key includes sample evidence statements that summarize da Vinci's observations and constraints, modeling how to extract and record key information from a source.
Unit 4: Newton at the Center
Lesson 2
Newton and Math
Students read specified pages in The Story of Science and are directed to take notes on important information and unfamiliar words. The "Graphics and Summaries" activity asks students to identify the title, topic sentence, main idea, supporting details, and what a graphic shows, then give a 2-minute oral summary of page 163 including the main idea and the graph. The Skills list and multiple activities require students to summarize procedural text (ellipses steps) in written or oral form and to deliver oral summaries that include main ideas and significant details.
Lesson 3
Newton and Light
Students are directed to read pages 164-171 of a secondary source and to take notes or highlight information they think is important, which supports identifying central ideas. The Skills section explicitly lists "Summarize and determine the importance of information," and the comprehension questions (for example, Question #1 asking what was revolutionary about Newton's study of rainbows) require students to state main ideas in complete sentences. The parent plan and wrap-up ask students to discuss and review key definitions and why certain approaches were novel, reinforcing extraction of important information from the text.
Lesson 4
Newton and Motion
The Parent Plan lists the skill "Summarize and determine the importance of information," and students are instructed to read specific pages and take notes on important information and unfamiliar words. The Student Activity Page explicitly asks students to write the "Event as described in the book," requiring a written summary based on the source. The Headliners activity then requires students to record two people's perspectives and write headlines from those viewpoints, separating the source description from individual opinions.
Lesson 5
Newton's Contemporaries
The lesson's Skills list explicitly names "Summarize and determine the importance of information," and the Reading section asks students to read a chapter and take notes or highlight important information and unfamiliar words. The Parent Plan discussion prompts (for example, "What does the author mean when she says, 'We are seeing ancient history when we look at the sky'?") require students to interpret an author's meaning. Students also practice monitoring comprehension by answering specific reading questions about the text.
Lesson 6
Math and Science Take Flight
Students are instructed to read Chapter 21 of The Story of Science and to take notes/highlight important information and unfamiliar words with page numbers, which supports extracting key information from a secondary source. Students answer content questions in complete sentences about the reading (e.g., why roofs blow off in hurricanes; similarities between Bernoulli and Newton), practicing distillation of information. Students are asked to take notes on demonstrations, create a numbered procedure, and to summarize orally for a parent how an airplane wing works, and the parent plan lists "Deliver an oral summary with inferences and conclusions" as a skill.
Lesson 7
Using Newton's Work
Students read secondary sources (chapters from The Story of Science) and answer comprehension questions about key information from those readings. Students complete a K-W-L chart (What I Know / What I Want to Know / What I've Learned) to record prior knowledge and new information from research on an artist. Students give an oral summary of what they learned about an artist and write a 1–2 paragraph sidebar synthesizing biographical and artistic information drawn from readings and research.
Final Project
Lobby for Newton
Activity 1 directs students to review their highlights and notes and "summarize the key points," then compare their summaries to the "Things to Know" and "Readings and Questions" sections to confirm they identified main ideas and key facts. The Newton Test (Part A) asks comprehension questions about headings/subheadings, conservation laws, and which of Newton's laws explains the Moon's orbit, requiring students to identify central information from the text. The Outlining Newton pages and the Technical Writing Rubric require students to state a thesis, identify three supporting areas, and gather 2–3 supporting details for each area, guiding students to extract and organize central ideas from sources.
Unit 5: Modern Europe
Lesson 2
Scandinavia and Finland
Students are assigned to read pages 82–86 of a secondary source (Geography of the World) and to fill out 'Quick Guide to Europe' pages for Norway and Denmark, recording population, languages, form of government, geography and climate, and cultural examples. Students complete activity pages that ask them to explain how geography and natural resources influence the economy and to connect geographic features (forests, fjords, lakes) to specific industries (lumber, fishing, shipping, tourism). Students are prompted to identify cultural groups and cultural changes and to decide whether changes resulted from diffusion, invention, or innovation.
Lesson 3
The British Isles
Students are directed to read pages 87–90 of a secondary source (Geography of the World) and to use Parliament Education Service materials (PDF or video) as sources. Students complete 'Quick Guide' and activity pages that require them to record population, language, government, geography, and climate and to answer focused questions such as 'How does a bill become law?' and 'How do geography and available natural resources influence the economy?'. The activities include explicit note-taking and question-answer tasks about the structure and functions of Parliament, requiring students to extract key information from the provided sources.
Lesson 4
The Low Countries, Germany, and France
Students are directed to read pages 91–99 of a DK geography book and fill out Quick Guide pages for the Netherlands, Germany, and France, which requires extracting key informational points (population, language, government, geography, economy, material and non-material culture). In Option 2 students must locate three recent news stories about European environmental issues and write a 2–3 sentence summary for each, include a headline and source, and choose one article to illustrate. The newspaper activity uses secondary sources (news articles, BBC, NPR, CNN, Google News) and explicitly requires concise summaries tied to specific sources.
Lesson 5
Spain, Portugal, and Italy
Students are assigned to read pages 100–105 of a secondary source and to fill out "Quick Guide" pages for Portugal and Italy, requiring them to record population, official language(s), form of government, geography/climate, and how geography and resources influence the economy. Students complete activity pages that ask for examples of material and non-material culture, identification of cultural groups, and a description of cultural change (noting whether it is due to diffusion or invention/innovation), which requires extracting key information from the reading. Students label and color a map of the countries and capitals, reinforcing identification of central geographic information from the reading.
Lesson 6
Switzerland and Austria
Students are instructed to read pages 106–108 of a geography text and to fill out "Quick Guide" pages for Switzerland and Austria, recording population, official languages, government, geography, and climate. Students complete activity pages that ask them to explain how geography and natural resources influence the economy and to describe examples of material and non-material culture. In the International Organizations activities students read brief descriptions and then match scenarios to the United Nations, ICRC, or WHO or write examples of situations those organizations address, demonstrating extraction of key informational points from short texts.
Lesson 7
Slovenia, Croatia, Belarus, Baltic States
Students are asked to read pages 109-113 and complete the "Quick Guide to Europe" entries for Belarus and another country, requiring them to extract and record core geographic and governmental information. In Activity 2 (Soviet History) students use the book's index and listed pages to answer three focused questions about control before the USSR, how the USSR created a uniform culture, and challenges after the breakup, which requires pulling main ideas from the text. In Activity 3 (Current News) students must find three news articles and write a 2-3 sentence summary for each, explicitly practicing concise summaries of secondary sources.
Lesson 8
Central Europe
Students are asked to read pages 114–119 of a secondary source and to fill out "Quick Guide" pages for Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary that require population, official language(s), form of government, geography and climate, and how geography/resources influence the economy. Student activity pages prompt students to provide examples of material and non-material culture, identify cultural groups, and explain cultural change (diffusion or innovation). In the Central European Folk Music activity, students listen to recordings and record the song title, instruments, mood, adjectives, and other observations for three different songs.
Lesson 9
Ukraine, Moldova, Caucasian Republics
Students are assigned to read pp. 120-123 of a secondary source and then complete Quick Guide pages for Ukraine and another country, which requires recording population, official language(s), form of government, and geography and climate. Students complete an activity page titled "The Geography of Ukraine, Moldova, and the Caucasian Republics" where they describe climate, natural resources, rivers, mountains, plains & steppes and explain impacts on industrial, agricultural, and tourist economies. Activities also ask students to give examples of material and non-material culture and to explain cultural change (diffusion vs. invention), which requires extracting key information from the reading.
Lesson 10
Southeast Europe
Students are asked to skim three current news articles about tensions in Southeast Europe, select one for in-depth work, and then create a 2-3 sentence written summary (Option 1) that includes a headline, source, and short summary. Alternatively, students may prepare a 2-3 minute newscast (Option 2) that explicitly requires stating what happened, when, where, and who was involved. Parents are instructed to check the student's written summary against the original source to be sure the main ideas were correctly summarized.
Final Project
A Quick Guide to Europe
Students are prompted to write a thoughtful 5–6 sentence introduction about the diversity of Europe that must mention geographies, governments, economies, and cultures (Activity 5). Unit test prompts ask students to describe a cultural tradition and to name something they learned from the unit (Questions 9 and 10), which require students to restate information from the unit. The final-project rubric evaluates the effectiveness of the introduction and the accuracy of information, and Activity 3 directs students to label EU countries using an external EU website, which asks students to use a secondary source to identify information.
Unit 5: Energy
Lesson 1
Introduction to Energy and Matter
Students are asked to read pages 1–3 of a secondary source (Energy: 25 Projects...) and watch a video, then answer targeted comprehension questions about naturally occurring energy stores and energy carriers. Students complete activities that require identifying and categorizing information from texts and web pages (matching vocabulary terms to definitions; sorting items into energy sources vs. forms). In the neighborhood survey, students record phenomena, identify the form(s) of energy present, and list evidence supporting their identifications.
Lesson 2
Energy Transfer
Students are assigned to read Chapter 1 of a nonfiction book and watch two short videos, then answer focused comprehension questions about key ideas (e.g., difference between power and energy; kinetic vs. potential energy; the law of conservation of energy/mass). Students complete activities that require tracing and labeling the flow of energy (the pinwheel diagram) and answer reflection questions that ask them to explain why the conservation laws are the same (invoking E = mc²). Students demonstrate recall and explanation of central facts when they respond to the provided questions and when they label forms of energy along the energy path.
Lesson 3
Electricity
Students are asked to read Chapter 2 (pages 17-25) and answer specific comprehension questions about electricity (e.g., what particle moves, differences between static/current electricity and AC/DC). Students complete the "Inside a Power Plant" activity page by tracing energy transformations and filling in blanks that require identifying key parts of how power plants generate electricity. Several activities (lemon battery, electromagnet, and electromagnetic induction modeling) require students to extract and apply factual information from the readings and videos.
Lesson 4
Radiant Energy
Students are directed to read Chapter 10 of a book and watch a video, then answer specific questions (Q1–Q3) that require extracting key information about how the Sun makes energy, how photovoltaic cells work, and how solar thermal plants generate electricity. Students complete a cut-and-paste activity ordering boxes about parts of the electromagnetic spectrum and build a model of the spectrum, which requires organizing and synthesizing information from the reading and web resources. The activities and questions require students to identify and restate factual central ideas from the provided secondary sources.
Lesson 5
More Renewable Power Sources
Students are directed to read specific pages from a secondary source (Energy: 25 Projects...) about wind, hydropower, and geothermal energy and to examine an accompanying diagram and video. They answer focused comprehension questions that require extracting key information (best locations for wind farms, how a dam creates electricity, and the source and movement of geothermal heat). The activities and "Things to Review" ask students to describe how these energy sources generate electricity and to state advantages and drawbacks.
Lesson 6
Nuclear Power
Students are asked to read Chapter 7 (pages 57-62) and review a chart, then answer three specific questions about the reading. Question 1 asks students to define nuclear fission, Question 2 asks how a nuclear reactor generates electricity, and Question 3 asks students to identify benefits of fusion "based on the chart you read." These tasks require students to extract and report key information from the provided secondary sources.
Lesson 7
Fossil Fuels and Biomass
Students are assigned specific textbook pages about petroleum, natural gas, coal, and biomass to read and then answer comprehension questions (e.g., "What are fossil fuels made from?" and "What are the main differences between fossil fuels and biomass?"). Students must choose one fuel source to research further and create a poster or creative presentation that includes how the fuel was formed, how it is extracted/mined, how it is used, and its advantages and disadvantages. Students also complete tasks that require them to describe formation and uses (Questions #1–#3) and to explain experimental demonstrations or findings to a parent.
Lesson 8
Powering Our World
Students are asked to reread "Harnessing Wind" and read Chapter 13 and then answer comprehension questions (e.g., why replace fossil fuels; what problems must be solved), which requires extracting main ideas from the texts. In Activity 2 students research state-level electricity generation, create a pie chart of energy sources, and compare and contrast five energy sources using book pages for advantages and disadvantages, which requires summarizing information from secondary sources. In Activity 3 students may take a field trip, take notes and then produce a map, poster, or video report describing what they learned from the primary source (the power plant).
Final Project
Energy Conservation
Students are instructed to ask a parent for a recent utility bill, study the bill, compare usage across months or seasons, and identify trends. They are directed to use those findings to identify the top 3–5 ways the family uses gas and electricity and to record those items on the "Home Energy Consumption" activity page. Students also complete a home energy audit (online or in-book) and are told to print or record results to use in later work and presentations.
Unit 5: British Poetry
Lesson 1
Rhythm and Meter
Students are instructed to read the introduction (pages 5–15) of a secondary source (Poetry Rocks! Modern British Poetry) and answer three guided questions in complete sentences that ask them to identify major societal influences during Queen Victoria's reign, describe what happened to art and literature between the World Wars, and compare poems from the two eras. The lesson asks students to discuss modernism and to explain how poems from different periods might differ, which requires extracting central information about historical influences and literary movements from the reading.
Lesson 2
Voice and Rhyme
Students read chapters about Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning and answer directed comprehension questions in complete sentences (e.g., identifying the rhyme scheme of Sonnet 13 and explaining why it was unusual). Students are prompted to consider who is speaking in a poem, the poets' time periods, and how poem structure and voice affect meaning. Students also respond to interpretive questions about 'My Last Duchess' (e.g., how the poem might differ if it included both sides of a conversation).
Lesson 3
Graphic Elements
Students read Chapter 3 about Alfred, Lord Tennyson and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences that identify who the poems are about, the role of the poet laureate, and character motivations (e.g., why Ulysses does not stay in his kingdom). Students read a nonfiction biography of Prince Albert and choose a prose statement that expresses the same idea as a line from the poem, writing both statements and illustrating the event or emotion. Parent discussion prompts ask students to identify the main topic of the chapter's poems (memories of those who have died) and to analyze graphic and structural elements that affect meaning.
Lesson 5
Allusions
Students read chapters about W.B. Yeats, Edith Sitwell, and Wilfred Owen and answer specific comprehension questions in complete sentences (e.g., asking about roles, political involvement, and images/allusions). Students complete the News Watch or Today's News Hunt activity pages where they identify each article's title, topic, location, and list three interesting facts or vivid details. Today's News Hunt also asks students to state how an issue might affect the community and whether it will affect them, which requires extracting information from a source.
Lesson 6
Tone
Students read Chapter 9 about Stevie Smith and answer comprehension questions that ask for specific information (why she was called Stevie; what inspired 'Not Waving But Drowning'; how that poem differs from Browning's monologue). Students compare textual features such as who speaks in the poem and the use of unrhymed, varying line lengths versus strict meter and rhyme. Students discuss how an original article about the drowning event likely contained more complete factual information than Smith's poem.
Lesson 7
Themes
Students read Chapter 10 (Auden) and Chapter 11 (Dylan Thomas) and answer specific comprehension and interpretation questions about those texts (e.g., why Auden married Erika Mann, whether "The Unknown Citizen" is about a real person and what its message is, how the speaker changes in "Fern Hill"). Students choose a poem to memorize, recite it, and explain why they chose it. Parent-plan discussion prompts ask students to identify common themes in Auden's and Thomas' poems and to explain what the poems communicate about their eras.
Final Project
Autobiography of a Poet
Students are directed in Activity 6 to review the book's "Summary and Explication" and "Techniques and Devices" sections that explain the main topic, images, and structure of poems. They are explicitly asked to write a two-paragraph analysis of one of their own poems: the first paragraph must describe images and events (with a topic sentence and supporting sentences) and the second must describe structure and techniques. The project rubric requires a two-paragraph analysis for a poem as part of the final anthology, reinforcing that students must produce a focused summary/analysis of poetic content.
1: Semester 1
Unit 1: Revolution
Lesson 1
Founding of the Colonies
Students read a secondary source chapter (Great Colonial Projects You Can Build Yourself!) and answer specific comprehension questions that ask them to extract central information (e.g., reasons for settling Roanoke/Jamestown, differences between Pilgrims and Virginia settlers, description of the Triangle Trade). Students watch a documentary episode and are instructed to take notes on anything they learn that is new, to pause and ask questions, and to summarize segments when prompted by a parent. The parent guide explicitly suggests pausing the video and asking the child to summarize the segment just viewed and to think about where the film's writers got their information.
Lesson 2
Southern Colonies
Students read specified primary and secondary texts (excerpts from We Were There, Too! and a 1584 Barlowe account) and answer directed reading questions that require extracting specific information (e.g., reasons for Pocahontas's naming, how Equiano came to America). Students complete organizer activities that require summarizing and comparing information from sources (a Venn diagram comparing voyages; a pros/cons chart comparing tobacco and silk/flax). Students place timeline cards and answer content questions that require identification of key factual information from the readings.
Lesson 3
The Middle and Northern Colonies
Students read both secondary sources (assigned chapters and passages) and a primary source (the Mayflower Compact) and answer directed comprehension questions about those readings (e.g., questions about how colonists viewed American Indians and causes of change). Students create a word cloud from the Mayflower Compact and answer Prediction, Observation, Interpretation, and Analysis questions that ask them to identify which words and ideas are most prominent and what ideas were most important to the signers. Students complete analysis tables (Salem Witch Trials) and a Venn diagram/activity comparing reasons for founding colonies, which require them to extract and compare central information from provided texts and tables.
Lesson 4
Daily Life in the Colonies
Students are asked to read Chapters 3 and 4 of Great Colonial Projects You Can Build Yourself! and answer directed comprehension questions about a typical colonial house, legal consequences in Puritan New England, aristocratic attire, and clothing materials. Students complete the "Colonial Goods" activity page by identifying the source of pictured goods (e.g., wool from sheep, horseshoes from a local craftsman), applying information from the reading. Students also plan and create props or costumes based on details from the chapters, which requires using textual details about daily life and material culture.
Lesson 5
Town and Country
Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer targeted comprehension questions (Q1–Q4) that require them to extract specific information from the text (e.g., uses of milk, food preservation, reasons for pictorial signs, colonial punishments). In Option 1 students are instructed to review the sections on growing tobacco or indigo and write a detailed list of soil preparation, labor, planting/tending/harvesting/processing steps, problems, and benefits—requiring them to pull together and restate procedural information from the reading. In Option 2 students fill a chart describing what ten occupations did and provide reasons and rankings, which requires identifying and summarizing the roles and importance of those trades based on the reading.
Lesson 6
Leading Up to Revolution
Students watch a secondary source (the America: The Story of Us episode) and then answer specific comprehension questions that require summarizing key information (e.g., questions about Joseph Plumb Martin, Von Steuben, and the French navy). The Movie Review activity explicitly asks students to write a short 1-2 sentence summary of the main topics covered in the episode, separate from their opinions and criticisms. The Resistance activity directs students to use a secondary text (NCpedia timeline) to fill a table explaining what each act/policy did and why colonists objected, requiring them to extract and record central information.
Lesson 7
Independence
Students read primary sources (the Declaration of Independence and Patrick Henry's "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death") and are asked to perform close-reading tasks such as selecting the most powerful paragraph and delivering a dramatic reading. Students read secondary-source chapters and answer comprehension questions that require extracting key information (e.g., why girls in Providence spun homespun cloth, why apprentices joined the cause, how letters were delivered, and Jefferson's background). In Activity 2 students compare Jefferson's rough draft with the final Declaration, choose 3–5 significantly revised sections, and explain suggested edits and reasons for changes.
Lesson 8
Fighting the War
Students are asked to read selections from We Were There, Too and Joseph Plumb Martin's account and answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., why Sybil Ludington carried a stick; why children were used as spies; why James Forten supported the Revolution; how Deborah Sampson joined the army). Students complete a 'Revolutionary National Parks' brochure that asks them to explain factors leading to victories (Saratoga), the impact of encampments (Valley Forge), and the role of foreign forces (Yorktown). Students also produce written products (a letter home or brochure entries) and short answers that require extracting key information and causes/effects from the readings and linked primary/secondary materials.
Final Project
Living History
Students are asked to research and present a brief history of a chosen colony or soldier, including when, why, and by whom it was founded, its location, and economic contributions, which requires gathering and summarizing information. The project directs students to use the library or the Internet for additional research and to include at least three specific reasons for colonial discontent with Great Britain, which requires synthesizing source information into a coherent explanation. The unit test includes short-answer and essay prompts (e.g., describing acts by the British, explaining life at Valley Forge, ordering events) that require students to identify key information and produce concise written summaries.
Unit 1: Atoms
Lesson 1
Invisible Matter
Students are instructed to read specified pages of Eyewitness Chemistry and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., John Dalton's atomic theory, problem with Dalton's model, definition of element, common elements in Earth's crust). In Activity 1 students sketch observations, record mass measurements over time, and answer questions that require explaining what is happening to the container and why, linking observations to particle behavior. The Wrap-Up asks students to state what evidence they collected that supports that matter is made of particles and to consider mass before and after heating.
Lesson 2
Atomic Structure
In Activity 3 (Option 2) students are asked to use the provided links to research each scientist, take notes about each scientist's discoveries, and "write a brief summary of the discoveries" on a card to place on a timeline. In Activity 3 (Option 1) students read the "Scientists" page and place each scientist's discovery on the timeline, which requires identifying the main discovery for each source. The student pages and parent plan explicitly direct students to record one or two major discoveries for each scientist.
Lesson 3
Properties of Matter I
Students are assigned to read pp. 22-26 in Eyewitness Chemistry and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., who created the periodic table, characteristics of metals, reactivity, and differences between metals and nonmetals), which requires extracting key information from a secondary source. Students record observations and answers on the activity page (malleability, ductility, luster, conductivity), make predictions, and then measure and record results, demonstrating identification of central information and factual details from the reading and hands-on tests.
Lesson 6
The Recurring (Periodic) Table of Elements
Students are asked to read the provided 'Periodic Table' webpage and review periodic table images, then answer directed comprehension questions (Q1–Q3) about periods, groups, and locations of metals/nonmetals. In Activity 2 students record electron configurations from the sources and complete tables that organize key information from those readings. In Activity 3 students use their completed tables to identify inert gases and note trends in outer shells, and in Activity 4 students synthesize information by creating a visual aid that compares and contrasts elements and shows periodic trends.
Lesson 7
Classifying Matter
Students are assigned specific pages of Eyewitness Chemistry to read and then answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., asking the difference between a mixture and a compound and methods to separate mixtures), which requires extracting central information from a secondary source. Student activities ask learners to analyze chemical formulas and complete a table identifying elements and quantities in compounds, and to record observations from experiments and answer synthesis questions (e.g., whether heating changes a compound). The lesson includes a Wrapping Up and Things to Review section that states main ideas (compounds vs. mixtures, fixed proportions), providing clear central information for students to use.
Unit 1: Abigail Adams
Lesson 1
Getting to Know Abigail Adams
Students read Chapters 1 and 2 of the biographical secondary source and answer directed reading questions that require extracting information (e.g., what Elizabeth Quincy Smith emphasized; John and Abigail's first impressions). Students complete a chronology task asking for five key events with dates and analyze front- and back-matter (table of contents, foreword, bibliography) to identify important information about the book. The Exploring the Book activities ask students to evaluate chapter titles and cover elements, prompting them to identify central information and organization.
Lesson 2
John and Abigail Adams
Students read Chapters 3 and 4 of a secondary source biography and complete Paragraph Analysis activities that ask them to identify the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and concluding observation for a paragraph (Option 1 and Option 2). Students also answer discussion prompts about how the availability of primary sources influences historical writing and consider what political events and daily details a biographer might include, which asks them to reflect on important information in a source.
Lesson 3
Unrest and War
Students read Chapters 5 and 6 of Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., describing the Townshend Acts and the British response to the Boston Tea Party), which requires extracting key information from a secondary source. Students examine primary sources (Paul Revere's engraving and John Adams's diary) in Activity 2 and are asked to write a paragraph or a first-person account based on those sources, citing specific details to support their descriptions or argument about the artist's perspective.
Lesson 4
Continental Congress
Students are instructed to read Chapters 7 and 8 of Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution and then answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., why John Adams wanted Abigail to save their correspondence; what challenges Abigail faced; what role faith played; how Abigail supported the patriot effort). Several questions ask students to state facts and reasons drawn from the chapters, requiring identification of key information and causes. The wrapping-up paragraph also asks students to consider how Abigail adapted as John spent more time away, which highlights a central idea about her changing role.
Lesson 5
Remember the Ladies
Students read Chapters 9 and 10 of a biography and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., how dysentery affected the Adams family; how earlier women influenced Abigail) that require identifying central information from a secondary source. In Activity 1 students read full primary-source letters and complete a "Summary Section" asking them to "Summarize the main topics of the letter and note interesting points." In Activity 1 Option 2 students work through source-analysis categories (content, context, point of view) that prompt them to determine main ideas and relevant information from primary sources.
Lesson 6
Separation
Students read Chapters 11 and 12 of the secondary source Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution and answer targeted comprehension questions requiring extraction of central information (for example, how the crowd reacted to the Declaration and Abigail's argument for educating women). The reading questions require students to identify key facts and explain roles or reactions (e.g., the role of letter-writing in coping with absence).
Lesson 7
Education
Students read Chapters 13 and 14 of Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution (a secondary source) and answer factual comprehension questions (e.g., why John Adams left America, how Abigail earned income), which requires extracting central information. In Activity 2, students locate a news article about girls' education and use a Paragraph Analysis page to select a 4–6 sentence paragraph and identify the role of each sentence; the suggested analysis statements include "States the main point" and "Summarizes."
Lesson 8
Genre
Students read Chapters 15 and 16 of a nonfiction biography (secondary source) and answer specific comprehension questions that ask them to extract reasons, impressions, and factual differences (Questions #1-#4). In Activity 2 students are instructed to "write a paragraph that summarizes the scene you chose based solely on known facts -- do not add any details or make up any additions," explicitly requiring an accurate summary distinct from invented material. The introduction also notes that students will have a chance to read the correspondence between Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson firsthand, providing exposure to a primary source.
Lesson 9
The Vice Presidency
Students read Chapters 17 and 18 of the biography Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., how George III greeted Jefferson, why John Adams feared not being elected vice president), requiring them to extract key information from a secondary source. Students are directed to read two or more original letters between Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson (primary sources) and to consider questions such as "What do Thomas Jefferson and Abigail Adams write to each other about?" and "What impression do you get of each letter writer?" Students then complete a diary entry template that asks them to state "The letter discussed ___" and describe the role of Jefferson's friendship in Abigail's life, which requires identifying main topics and influences in the letters.
Lesson 10
Presidential Politics
Students read Chapters 19 and 20 of a secondary source and answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., what John and Abigail thought about the French Revolution; why John could not return to law; what Abigail did during leisure). Students complete a three-column "Federalists and Republicans" chart filling in leaders, views of federal power, views of the French Revolution, and presidential endorsements. These tasks require students to identify and record key information and differences from the assigned text.
Lesson 11
Later Life
Students read Chapters 21 and 22 of Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution and answer specific content questions (e.g., what the Sedition Act did; why John Adams was distraught about his children; Louisa Adams's reaction to Massachusetts; Abigail Adams's political shift). Students consult the book index and external websites to gather descriptions and images of Peacefield and the President's House and complete a Venn diagram or artwork comparing the two homes.
Lesson 12
Remembering Abigail Adams
Students read Chapters 23 and 24 of a secondary source and answer specific comprehension questions asking for factual information (e.g., personal tragedies in 1811–1813, reasons for renewed correspondence, financial actions, and Abigail's late-life commentary). Students produce a written memorial (6–8 sentence eulogy or obituary) or design a memorial that must draw on important themes in Abigail Adams's life. Students complete synthesis tasks in the Wrap Up (summarize Abigail Adams in five words; prepare a final project capturing how she was influenced and how she influenced others).
Final Project
A One-Person Play
Students are asked to write a "Summary" for each of three planned events on the Plan Your Play activity pages, requiring them to state dates and explain the events. The rubric and project directions require students to quote from at least one primary source and to provide accurate dates and historical information, which encourages extracting information from sources. The unit test includes a Paragraph Analysis section that asks students to identify Abigail Adams's stance and to select supporting evidence, engaging students in identifying key information in a secondary source.
Unit 2: Civics
Lesson 1
The Origins of American Government
Students read primary sources (selections from the Magna Carta, the full Mayflower Compact, selections from the English Bill of Rights, and the Articles of Confederation) and complete tasks based on those texts. Activity 1 directs students to sort phrases from the documents into columns for limits, rights, and responsibilities and to write whose powers or duties are being defined, requiring identification of central ideas. Activity 2 provides a note-taking template that asks students to state the purpose of each section and to "Summarize key ideas in your own words in one sentence," which explicitly asks for text-based summaries.
Lesson 2
The Constitutional Convention
Students read the Archives article "A More Perfect Union" and answer direct comprehension questions (e.g., identify perceived problems with the Articles of Confederation). Students analyze the LOC essay "Identifying Defects in the Constitution" and complete a three-column activity that requires summarizing how the Articles would limit government responses to modern problems. Students engage with Federalist No. 10 (video or text) and use its central idea about factions to complete an organizer, and they prepare a 30-second Anti‑Federalist speech that requires summarizing Anti‑Federalist arguments and providing a specific example.
Lesson 3
The Constitution of the United States
Students read the Constitution and the Preamble and are instructed to go section-by-section to determine the purpose of each part of the document. In Activity 1 students must take notes and record at least two key points for each section (Preamble, Articles I–VII, Amendments). In Activity 2 students match real-world scenarios to specific amendments (Option 1) or take notes on the origins of the Bill of Rights (Option 2), requiring them to identify central ideas of those primary-source passages.
Lesson 4
The Executive Branch
Students read primary sources (George Washington's First Inaugural and Farewell Addresses) and answer specific comprehension questions that ask them to identify Washington's meanings and key points (e.g., what he meant by serving the country's interests, his view on compensation, and reasons for not seeking a third term). Students review Article II and several Amendments and then create a mini-book titled "The President and The Constitution," answering factual questions (eligibility, oath, term length, pardons, State of the Union, succession) that require extracting central information. Students also synthesize information about the executive branch by matching cabinet departments to their functions and summarizing duties in activity pages.
Lesson 5
The Legislative Branch
Students are asked to read Article I of the Constitution (a primary source) and the White House overview (a secondary source) and answer comprehension questions about representation, who may write a bill, passage requirements, and pocket vetoes. In Activity 1 students must produce a visual or musical explanation that summarizes the step-by-step legislative process. In Activity 2 students locate a bill sponsored by their own representative, read its text to get the general idea, and complete an activity page that asks them to "Summarize, in your own words, what this bill is designed to do."
Lesson 6
The Judicial Branch
Students are directed to read Article III of the Constitution and a White House webpage about the judicial branch, providing primary and secondary source material to analyze. In Activity 1 students work through explanatory pages and self-check quizzes about how cases move through the federal courts, requiring them to identify key information about processes. In Activity 2 students research a landmark Supreme Court case and complete an activity page that asks them to state the basis of the case, what the court decided, the legal precedent established, and why that precedent matters today, which requires summarizing central ideas of the source material.
Lesson 7
State Government
Students are asked to conduct online or library research (including a provided link to state government sites) to complete booklet pages with factual sections such as State Information, The Executive Branch (including a brief biography of the governor), Your State Legislature, Your Representatives, and Your State's Judicial Branch. Students must find and record specific facts (state capital, population, names of representatives, number of justices, how often legislators are elected) and insert or draw images related to those topics. The booklet tasks require students to collect and organize information from external sources into concise page entries.
Lesson 8
Local Government
Students are asked to gather information from local government websites, offices, libraries, and other sources to describe their local government and its services when creating a Z-fold brochure, which requires synthesizing source information. In Option 2 (Change in Your Community) students must "briefly summarize the issue," identify organizations involved, and list strategies used — tasks that require determining main ideas from research. The Whom Would You Call activity asks students to use local government websites to identify the correct office and phone number for specific community problems, which requires extracting relevant information from sources.
Lesson 9
Citizenship
Students are instructed to "Summary of the issue" on the Action Plan Issue Analysis page, which asks them to gather information and summarize an issue. The Federal Level page explicitly asks students to "Summarize the president's position on this issue," and the Political Parties activity directs students to use party websites and "summarize their findings" in a chart. Option 1 of Activity 1 and other pages require students to identify facts and write 2-3 short points about parties' positions, which involves extracting and condensing information from web sources.
Final Project
Government Lapbook
Students are asked to "identify the main documents that influenced early American government" and to "be able to explain some of the main weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation," which requires extracting central information from historical sources. The unit test includes open-ended questions asking students to explain weaknesses of the Articles, describe checks Congress has on other branches, and match landmark Supreme Court cases to the precedents they established, requiring students to summarize key information from those cases. The rubric and Activity 4 require students to explain the contents of their mini-books and answer questions accurately, which engages students in stating the main ideas of sources they studied.
Unit 2: Chemical Reactions
Lesson 4
Combustion and Extinguishers
Students are instructed to read specified pages in Eyewitness Chemistry and answer direct comprehension questions (e.g., "What is combustion?", "What is oxidation?") that require extracting key information from a secondary source. Students record observations and data from experiments and answer interpretive questions (e.g., whether the vinegar–baking soda reaction is endothermic or exothermic), which requires identifying main findings. The wrapping up section asks students to state conclusions about combustion and chemical reactions, providing an opportunity to state central ideas learned from the readings and activities.
Lesson 6
Physical and Chemical Properties, Part I
Students read explanatory passages and labeled images (e.g., definitions of physical vs. chemical change, chemical equations, and the specific heat paragraph) and then answer targeted questions that require extracting key information. Students categorize processes as physical or chemical in Activity 1, identify product states from chemical equations in Activity 2, and explain the relationship between specific heat and density in Activity 6. Students also record observations from experiments and note signs of chemical reactions (temperature change, color change, gas formation), which requires identifying central facts from provided descriptions and data.
Lesson 7
Physical and Chemical Properties, Part II
Students are directed to read pages 46–47 of Eyewitness Chemistry and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., who produced the first battery; what is electrolysis; why pure water conducts poorly). Students complete short-answer activities that require extracting factual information about batteries, electrolysis, and conductivity. The "Things to Review" and closing sections list and reinforce key ideas and definitions that students are expected to recall.
Lesson 10
Synthetic or Natural?
Students are instructed to read pages 52–54 (and optionally 55–57) of Eyewitness Chemistry and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., defining vulcanization, describing Bakelite, and listing reasons scientists created synthetic materials), which requires extracting key information from a secondary source. In Activity 2 students use provided web links to gather information about substances (cholesterol medicine, fertilizers, BHA, etc.) and complete a table of risks, benefits, and value judgments, which requires locating and reporting information from secondary sources. The parent/teacher notes prompt checking a student's rationale and distinguish between facts and value judgments, encouraging students to base their explanations on the evidence they find.
Final Project
Chemistry in Action
Students are asked to research a chosen medicine using the "What Does It Do?" prompts that require them to identify the chemical name and formula, what the substance does, benefits, side effects/limitations, risks, mechanisms, and natural occurrence. The assignment requires students to compile this information into a brief presentation (slides 2–4) that lists the substance, its chemical name/formula, and its benefits and risks. The unit materials also include study guides and test items that require students to extract and use factual information about chemicals and their properties.
Unit 2: Animal Farm
Lesson 1
What Is a Theme?
The Parent Plan explicitly lists the skill "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development...; provide an objective summary of the text," which directly references determining central ideas and summarizing. In Activity 2, students sort given phrases into Topics, Plots, and Themes, practicing identification of a work's theme (central idea) and reading short plot summaries. In Activity 1, students read introductory materials (cover, back cover, author biography, preface/foreword/introduction, table of contents) and answer focused questions about what they learn from those materials.
Lesson 2
Major's Dream
The Parent Plan explicitly lists as a skill: "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development...; provide an objective summary of the text." Students read Chapter 1 of Animal Farm and answer targeted questions about Major's characterization, the blame for the animals' situation, the proposed solution (rebellion), and how the meeting ends, requiring extraction of key information from the primary source. Activity 2 directs students to choose an adjective for each character and provide examples from the text that reveal those traits, which supports analysis of how details develop ideas about characters and themes.
Lesson 3
The Rebellion
Students answer specific reading questions (e.g., Q1–Q4) that require them to identify events and information from Chapter 2, such as why the pigs taught and how the rebellion occurred. In Activity 2 students analyze themes of leadership and government by comparing characters' leadership qualities (Option 1) and by comparing the Seven Commandments to the Bill of Rights (Option 2), prompting identification and analysis of central ideas. The Parent Plan skills explicitly state that students will "determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development" and to "provide an objective summary of the text."
Lesson 4
Work on the Farm
The Parent Plan explicitly states the skill: "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text." Activity 1 directs students to compare Manor Farm and Animal Farm and to "cite specific examples from the text" for what work was done, who did it, how it was done, and who benefited. The Reading and Questions section requires students to extract central information (e.g., the pigs' role, Boxer's motto, the flag's symbolism), practicing identification of main ideas and factual summarization.
Lesson 5
The Battle of the Cowshed
Students read Chapter 4 of Animal Farm and answer specific comprehension questions about how the rebellion spread, neighboring farmers' reactions, characters' responses, and what the animals did with the gun, which requires extracting information from the primary source. In Activity 1 (Option 1) students are asked to reread the battle section, attend to order of events, locations, and landmarks, and create a map based on specific evidence in the book. In Activity 1 (Option 2) students write a short speech that must explain an individual's role in the battle, highlight qualities shown by actions, and provide a lesson drawn from the Battle of the Cowshed, requiring them to synthesize and represent information from the text.
Lesson 6
Comrade Napoleon
Students read Chapter 5 of Animal Farm and answer targeted questions that require identifying key events and leadership differences (e.g., what happened to Mollie, how Snowball and Napoleon differed, how Napoleon won). Students conduct research on the Russian Revolution, fill in roles and dates for historical figures, create a short timeline, and explicitly list "specific evidence" linking those figures to elements in Animal Farm. The student activity pages and answer keys require students to locate factual information from primary (the novel) and secondary (historical sources) materials.
Lesson 7
Changes on the Farm
Students read Chapter 6 and answer specific questions that require extracting key information from the primary source (e.g., how work changed under Napoleon, Boxer's added slogan, what goods the farm needed and how they were obtained). Students complete a graphic organizer that asks them to describe the leadership style of Mr. Jones, Napoleon and Snowball, and Napoleon alone, tracking changes in work, sacrifice, productivity, happiness, power, and fairness. Students are asked to interpret Orwell's intentions regarding leadership and connect leadership portrayals to broader themes in the novel.
Lesson 8
The End of the Rebellion
Students read Chapter 7 of Animal Farm and answer comprehension questions that require extracting key information (e.g., why animals hid food shortages, what caused the hens' protest, why animals were killed). In Activity 1 students are asked to "summarize the advice that Napoleon might give another leader," which requires synthesizing Napoleon's actions and choices into a coherent set of points about leadership. The activities also prompt students to describe Napoleon's leadership and to review their responses about his use of power.
Lesson 9
The Battle of the Windmill
Students read Chapter 8 of Animal Farm and answer targeted comprehension questions that require listing ways animals close to Napoleon reinforced his leadership (Question 1). Students evaluate the presence of credible evidence for claims about farm success, Snowball, and Frederick (Question 2), which asks them to distinguish assertions from supported information. Discussion prompts ask students to consider Orwell's critique of abuse of power, prompting inference about the author's message.
Lesson 10
Boxer's Fate
Students are asked to diagram the plot (Activity 1) and to write 1–2 sentences stating the theme they think Orwell is exploring, which requires identifying central ideas. Activity 2 directs students to identify specific incidents from the novel that support one or two central themes and to cite textual evidence for those themes. The Skills/Parent Plan sections explicitly list determining a theme or central idea and citing textual evidence as student tasks.
Lesson 11
The Farmers Pay a Visit
The Skills section explicitly tells students to "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development...; provide an objective summary of the text," and to "Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis." The Reading and Questions direct students to finish the novel, "complete" their Plot Diagram, and "revise or add to his ideas about theme as needed," which requires identifying central ideas. Activity 2 asks students to write a paragraph applying a theme to historical or modern contexts, which requires them to articulate central ideas and summarize connections in an objective paragraph.
Final Project
Animal Farm Letter
The Skills list explicitly tells students to "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text." Activity choices require students to write a letter that shares insights about a central theme of Animal Farm or explains at least one theme for an educator. The rubric's "Ideas" category asks students to demonstrate understanding of plot and themes and to use appropriate textual evidence to support their points, and the Sample Outline shows students organizing and summarizing key thematic evidence (e.g., examples of Napoleon's abuses) to support their claims.
Unit 3: The Antebellum West
Lesson 1
America in 1800
Students are instructed to read the Preface from A History of Us: Liberty for All? 1820-1860 and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., origin of 'antebellum', population change 1800–1840, and why Andrew Jackson opposed the Bank), which requires extracting key information from a secondary source. Students watch Episode 3 of America: The Story of Us and discuss reasons people headed west, prompting them to identify central causes and information presented in the documentary. The map activity asks students to identify and label states, territories, and disputed lands, reinforcing extraction of informational content about the nation's geography at a given time.
Lesson 2
The Early Presidents
Students read primary sources (Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address and John Quincy Adams's Independence Day speech) and secondary biographies (White House Historical Association president biographies). In Option 2, students are instructed to summarize each paragraph of Jefferson's address in their own words, and in Option 1 they select sentences that correctly summarize each paragraph. Students complete a comparison worksheet that asks them to identify the occasion, key words, and overall impressions of each speech and to write brief analyses.
Lesson 3
The Beginnings of Westward Expansion
Students read both secondary accounts (Kids Kiddle, History.com, short video, and an encyclopedia paragraph) and primary-source material (an optional link to the full Northwest Ordinance and Daniel Boone's own account). Students answer directed reading questions (Q1–Q5) that require extracting central facts from those sources, such as the ordinance's title and date, territory/state requirements, which states resulted, and policies on slavery. In Option 2, students read Boone's primary account and plan a movie poster that must "reflect what your child learned about Daniel Boone from reading the historical document," which asks them to represent central information from a primary source.
Lesson 4
The Louisiana Purchase
Students are assigned to read Chapter 1 of a secondary source and the introduction/sections of a linked web page and then answer specific comprehension questions about key facts (e.g., reasons for the Louisiana Purchase, attitudes toward American Indians, length and mileage of the Lewis and Clark expedition). Students are asked to create a timeline or a top-10 list that requires selecting the most important places or moments and including dates and descriptions, and Option 2 explicitly instructs students to "summarize the moment in your own words." Students are also asked to write a journal-style entry (extension) "based on the historical information" and to compare and contrast tribes using a Venn diagram, which asks them to identify and synthesize information from sources.
Lesson 5
The War of 1812
Students are asked to read and summarize the bolded passages of the Monroe Doctrine in Activity 3, writing each section in their own words. Students read four short essays (American, British, Canadian, Native) and then complete a chart with guided questions about what each group was fighting for, how they responded, and the outcome (Option 2). Students also read a secondary source chapter and view a documentary, providing multiple primary/secondary texts for extracting central ideas and information.
Lesson 6
The Trail of Tears
Students read primary-source documents (Andrew Jackson's message and General Winfield Scott's ultimatum) and are instructed to "record the reasons given to justify Indian Removal...in your own words," which requires identifying central ideas and summarizing arguments. Students read opposing primary and secondary accounts (Chief John Ross's letter, Ralph Waldo Emerson's letter, and personal narratives such as Private John Burnett's account) and are asked to "record...at least four of the objections" and to "write a brief summary of the event" from a personal narrative. The reading comprehension questions for the PBS article ask students to extract key information (e.g., what happened when tribes refused, why the Treaty of New Echota was seen as illegitimate, and what the Trail of Tears was like), prompting concise summaries of source information.
Lesson 7
Border Conflict and the Mexican War
Students read a primary source account, "Enrique Esparza: Inside the Alamo," and are asked to write a plaque that includes a Summary Sentence, a Direct Quote, and an Explanatory Sentence, which requires extracting central information and citing the source. Students read chapters of A History of Us (a secondary source) about Manifest Destiny and the Mexican War. Students analyze two paintings of Manifest Destiny by listing adjectives, explaining what aspects of the art evoke those terms, and answering what the artist was trying to say and why, which asks them to identify central ideas in visual secondary sources.
Lesson 8
The Gold Rush and Further Expansion
Students read secondary (Chapters 12-14 of A History of Us) and primary sources (a Library of Congress first-person account and Mary Ballou's 1852 letter) and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., explaining supply and demand, describing the Pony Express and the telegraph). Students use details from first-person narratives in We Were There, Too! to prepare a 3-5 minute personal narrative monologue that requires stating where the character came from, why they headed west, hardships they faced, and what happened later. In Activity 2 students must read first-person accounts and then write a letter from an imagined gold miner or create an acrostic poem that incorporates miners' hopes, preparations, panning process, camp conditions, and whether the trip was successful.
Lesson 9
Life in the Mid-Nineteenth Century West
Students read Chapters 4–5 of a secondary source (Joy Hakim) and answer specific comprehension questions about changes in New Mexico and challenges on the Oregon Trail, showing extraction of information from a secondary text. Students select and examine 10–12 historical photographs (primary sources) and complete an Image Analysis activity that prompts observation of objects, setting, people, photographer intent, and what the photo tells about the West. The Image Analysis pages guide students to list visible elements, analyze setting and objects, describe people, and interpret photographer purpose and overall meaning.
Final Project
A Westward Migration Story
Students are asked to select images (including photographs, paintings, maps, and artifacts) for an art gallery and to write 1–2 sentence gallery cards describing each image and its significance; the art-gallery rubric requires a citation for each image and that each image be accompanied by descriptive sentences. In the storyboard option, students must produce panels that explain historical context, federal government actions, and how events affected the character's life, which requires condensing historical information into brief written panels. The unit test includes short-answer items asking students to briefly describe the Pony Express, hardships of westward travel, and the concept of Manifest Destiny, prompting concise summaries of historical information.
Unit 3: Energy and Matter
Lesson 2
Convection and Conduction
Students are asked to read Sections 3 and 4 of What Is Energy? and to "pay specific attention to the idea of conservation," which directs them to extract key information from a secondary source. The lesson includes targeted comprehension questions (e.g., define the Law of Conservation of Energy, thermal equilibrium, conduction, convection, dissipation) that require students to identify important information from the reading. The Wrapping Up section asks students to compare and contrast conduction, convection, and radiation, which prompts students to state central ideas about the three modes of energy transfer.
Lesson 5
Kinetic and Potential Energy
Students are instructed to re-read specified pages of What Is Energy? (pages 4-6 and 17-19) and then answer four focused questions that require restating key ideas (e.g., differences between kinetic and potential energy, their relationship, and how height influences potential energy). In Activity 2 students make a prediction about whether the Diet Coke + Mentos demonstration is a physical or chemical change, observe, and then read an explanation and determine whether their prediction was correct. The web animation and roller coaster prompt ask students to watch how energy changes and to use that information to describe transfers between kinetic and potential energy.
Lesson 6
Energy and Machines
Students are instructed in Activity 1 to use a provided web link about simple machines and to "write a brief description" under the name of each simple machine (Option 1, Part One), which requires them to extract information from a secondary source. Students then match those descriptions/labels to images, demonstrating identification of key information. The "Wrapping Up" and "Things to Review" sections state central points (definitions of efficiency, mechanical advantage, and the six simple machines) that students are expected to recognize.
Lesson 8
Energy Sources and Sustainability
Students are asked to read secondary sources (e.g., the Forbes pros/cons article and the Project Sunroof website) and then list the three most important advantages and disadvantages of solar power, which requires identifying main ideas from those texts. Students record specific information from Project Sunroof (usable sunlight hours, roof area) and the solar calculator (recommended kW and kWp), showing they extract key factual information from secondary sources. In Activity 1 students sort cue cards into renewable and non-renewable piles, demonstrating they identify and classify the central category information about different energy sources.
Final Project
Harnessing the Wind
Students are directed to read specified secondary sources about turbines, coal plants, and hydroelectric power and "summarize your understanding of these processes" in their own words or with a diagram (Part 2: Turbines and Electricity). The Presentation Guidelines require students to explain "How the energy of the wind is transformed into electricity" and to draw a diagram or use their model to demonstrate how a wind turbine works, using given web sources to support their explanation (Part 6). The Final Exam asks students to briefly explain how gasoline represents stored energy and how gasoline is used in a car to produce energy transfer and work, which requires extracting and summarizing central information from content studied earlier.
Unit 3: Einstein Adds a New Dimension
Lesson 3
The Curies' Discoveries
Students are asked to read Chapters 7–12 and answer directed content questions (QUESTION #1–#4) that require extracting central facts (e.g., reasons Marya went to college, what elements the Curies discovered). The note-taking guidance instructs students to read for main points, take notes in their own words, and to "cover it with your hand, and see if you can describe or summarize what you just read." The sample notes and answer key model condensed main ideas (bulleted central points for Chapters 11–12), showing students how to record central information.
Lesson 4
Process Writing
Students read specified chapters and answer focused comprehension questions that ask for central information (e.g., "What is quantum mechanics?", how Einstein and Bohr differed, how the debate was resolved). Option 2 explicitly asks students to "summarize the process for a reader who has not read the book," telling them to condense and summarize information from the book in their own words and not consult other sources. The Planning and Organization activity pages require students to identify a topic, people involved, important dates, key events, and to organize those events into an introduction, event sequence (Event 1–4), and a conclusion.
Lesson 5
Envisioning Fission
Students are asked to read Chapters 22–24 and "take notes on the important concepts," including what E=mc² means and how Einstein's discoveries changed conservation laws, which requires identifying central ideas. In Activity 1 students record one or two major scientific events and world events for each year (1932–1939) on a timeline, which asks them to select and organize key information from the chapter. In Activity 2 students evaluate web pages by answering whether the authors are credible, whether pages are understandable, and whether the sites would be appropriate for formal research, which engages students in distinguishing factual information and source content.
Lesson 6
Cause and Effect Writing
Students read specified pages from a secondary source and answer targeted comprehension questions (Questions #1-4) that ask them to explain significance and sequence of events from the text. In Activity 1 students must write a thesis naming a topic and two causes or effects, support each point with specific details or examples drawn from the book, and include page numbers for information taken from the text. The Planning and Organization pages and the sample paragraph guide students to paraphrase book content, choose main reasons/effects, and produce a concise organized summary-style mini-essay about a topic from the reading.
Lesson 7
Relativity
Students are assigned to read Chapters 28, 29, 31, and 32 and then answer specific comprehension questions that ask for central claims (e.g., Question #1 asks for Galileo's principle of relativity; Questions #2 and #3 ask about Einstein's view of a universe center and the invariant speed of light). The activities require students to define domain-specific vocabulary (relativity, frame of reference, invariant) and to discuss life-application questions that relate measurements and observers, which reinforces extracting main informational points from the text. The technical writing poster asks students to explain a scientific concept using domain-specific terms, which requires understanding core ideas from the reading to communicate them to others.
Lesson 8
Comparison and Contrast Writing
The Parent Plan skills list explicitly instructs students to "determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions." The reading-and-questions section asks students to read specific chapters and answer comprehension questions (e.g., the twins paradox; why Einstein rejected instantaneous gravity; how scientists tested Einstein), which requires extracting central information from the text. The lesson instructs students to re-read bolded text and analogies to find the most important points and tells students to use book examples in their own words and include page numbers when using specific information.
Lesson 9
Avoiding Plagiarism
Students read specified chapters of Joy Hakim's The Story of Science and answer targeted comprehension questions about concepts (redshift, Cepheid stars, white dwarfs), which requires identifying central information from the text. Students complete a Paraphrasing and Summarizing activity in which they must write a chapter summary beginning with "Chapter 36 is about …," choose correct paraphrases, and rewrite captions in their own words. Students are given guidance on writing summaries in their own words, using short quotations only when necessary, and recording sources so their summaries are tied to the text rather than personal opinion.
Lesson 10
Problem and Solution Writing
Students read specified chapters from a secondary source (Joy Hakim's The Story of Science) and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., what causes a supernova; why you can't see beyond an event horizon) that require extracting key factual information from the text. The lesson provides a modeled summary (the One Paragraph/Mini-Paragraph example about the ether vs. Einstein) that demonstrates condensing historical information and stating a conclusion. Students are also instructed to use their own words when writing about book topics, and one writing option asks students to explain the problem and the chosen solution from the book (Manhattan Project), which requires summarizing source information.
Lesson 11
Citing Sources
Students read Chapters 47 and 49 and answer specific comprehension questions that require pulling information from the text (e.g., identifying the object some scientists use, defining a bit and a qubit, and explaining Boolean search effects). The Student Activity Page includes a paraphrasing exercise (Part I, item 3) that asks students to paraphrase material from 'Black Holes Explained.' Activity 2 asks students to revisit a prior writing assignment and create a graphic that explains or clarifies their writing, which requires them to select and represent key information from a source or their own text.
Final Project
Research Paper
Students practice identifying a text's thesis and topic sentences in Activity 1 by underlining the thesis, double-underlining topic sentences, and listing the paper's problem and solutions. The KWS chart directs students to record what they already know (prior knowledge) and what they want to know, and Research Notes/Notecard activities require students to paraphrase or summarize explanations from sources and record page numbers. The Research Rubric and Activity 7 require students to develop a clear thesis and supporting points, and Activity 9 explicitly instructs students to paraphrase or summarize explanations from outside sources and to integrate quotations with citation.
Unit 4: Antebellum America
Lesson 1
North and South, 1820
Students view Episode 4 of America: The Story of Us (a secondary source) and answer focused comprehension questions about the Erie Canal, the cotton gin, cotton mills, punishments for runaway slaves, and regional differences. Students complete Activity 1 by filling a Venn diagram that asks them to record things unique to the North, unique to the South, and things the regions shared based on the film. The Reading and Questions section asks students to pause and jot answers while information is fresh, directing them to extract central information from the film.
Lesson 2
The Rise of Capitalism
Students read specific pages of a secondary source (Hakim, pp. 9-12) and answer targeted questions about how the Industrial Revolution changed the economy, how established interests reacted, and why Jackson opposed the Bank, requiring identification of central ideas. Students read Jackson's veto message (primary source) via Avalon and a Miller Center essay, then create a word cloud to identify prominent terms and infer Jackson's main concerns. Students complete a sorting activity that categorizes statements as supporters' or opponents' views and are asked to compare support for and opposition to the bank, which requires summarizing arguments. The parent plan explicitly lists summarizing arguments regarding tariffs, taxation, and the banking system as a skill to practice.
Lesson 3
Technology and Infrastructure
Students read Chapter 18 of a secondary source (History of US: Liberty for All? 1820-1860) and answer directed comprehension questions (e.g., identifying inventions, surprising features of 19th-century hotels, how newspapers spread democracy, and problems of 19th-century cities). Students read primary-account selections (Gene Schermerhorn; mill workers) and are asked to recall the canal-worker video and add events (#60-63) to a timeline, which requires extracting key information and placing it in chronological context. Students also complete activities (timeline cards, answering reading questions) that require identifying factual information from the texts.
Lesson 4
Immigration and Migration
Students read Chapter 19 of Joy Hakim's A History of US, a secondary source about antebellum America. Students analyze 1850 census data in Option 2 by extracting counts of foreign-born residents and creating a color-coded map that represents countries of origin and relative numbers. Students read first-person accounts in We Were There, Too! and plan and perform a short dramatic retelling from the perspective of an individual, identifying and rehearsing important events to include.
Lesson 5
Education and Women's Rights
Students are directed to read Chapters 21-24 of Joy Hakim's A History of US and answer four comprehension questions that require identifying main points (e.g., how Sarah Pierce's schooling differed, three ways women had fewer rights, what the Seneca Falls Declaration described). Question prompts ask for descriptions and interpretations grounded in the reading (answers reference specific pages and facts). The activity instructions and parent notes repeatedly require students to base answers on the reading and to review answers for accuracy.
Lesson 6
Art and Literature
Students read secondary-source chapters (Chapters 29-31 of A History of US) and primary-source poems by Emerson, Thoreau, and Fuller. Students answer comprehension questions that ask them to explain Melville's statement, compare Whitman and Dickinson to other poets, and identify what made Audubon's drawings unique. Students complete activities that ask them to state Emerson's ideas, list things Thoreau valued, and give three examples from poems that illustrate Transcendentalist values.
Lesson 7
The Agrarian Economy and Slavery
Students read both secondary sources (chapters from A History of Us and We Were There, Too!) and primary sources (Library of Congress slave narratives and historical documents such as Hammond's defense) and answer directed comprehension questions (e.g., brief explanations of the 1808 law, the Fugitive Slave Law, and Ellen Craft's escape). Activity 3 instructs students to list three interesting details from two slave narratives, state what they learned that they didn't know before, and compare similarities and differences between the narratives. Activity 5 requires students to identify Hammond's main arguments in favor of slavery and then choose and refute two of his points, which asks students to extract and respond to central ideas from a secondary source.
Lesson 8
Building Tensions
Students read specified chapters from Joy Hakim's A History of US and answer focused questions asking them to explain the Republican Party's opposition to slavery's expansion, define popular sovereignty, summarize the Dred Scott decision, and state the paradox Hakim describes. Students complete a timeline activity by adding cards #68-72, which requires them to identify and record central events and information. In Activity 2, students fill out a two-column activity page summarizing the case for and against allowing slavery in new territories, identifying main arguments and who might have held each position.
Final Project
A Poster Session
Students are asked to write summaries for specific topics (economies, cultures, political differences, and events leading to tensions) for their poster and to prepare a brief spoken summary of the main differences between the North and South. Students must pull 2–3 quotes from speeches (primary sources), note the speaker and region, and include those in the Politics section. Unit test short-answer prompts require students to describe technologies, who benefited or was harmed, and to describe daily life for specific historical actors, which asks students to extract and report key information from readings.
Unit 4: Biochemistry
Lesson 3
Organic and Inorganic Molecules
Students are directed to research two inorganic substances using provided web links and to record the chemical symbol/formula, functions in the human body, and how the body obtains each substance, which requires locating and recording central factual information from sources. In the Diet Survey activity, students read Nutrition Facts labels and ingredient lists to determine which biomolecule (carbohydrate, lipid, protein) is most prevalent and to note inorganic compounds, which requires interpreting source information to identify key details.
Lesson 5
Exposure and Feedback
Students are directed to read an external article and answer specific comprehension questions that ask for the key statistic about obesity, foods that cause health issues, and dietary recommendations, requiring them to identify central information from that source. In Activity 2, students use provided CDC links and other Internet sources to look up each chemical agent's type, dose for toxicity, and sources and record those central facts in a chart. In Activity 3, students synthesize the information they collected to make diagnoses for case files, using source-derived symptoms, doses, and agent types to support their conclusions.
Lesson 6
Immune Response, Part I
Students are asked to watch informational videos (e.g., "Flu Attack! How A Virus Invades Your Body") and answer focused questions such as "How is a virus duplicated?" and "How does the body combat a virus?", requiring them to extract key information from a secondary source. In Activity 4 students research historical scientists (Jenner, Pasteur, Koch, Mechnikov) using an encyclopedia or the Internet and answer targeted questions about each scientist's discoveries, which requires identifying important information from secondary sources. In several activities (Exponential Growth, Understanding Immune Response) students collect data from provided scenarios and produce graphs or complete tables, which requires summarizing numerical information and trends from the given materials.
Lesson 7
Immune Response, Part II
Students watch and take notes on videos about the immune response and then are asked to summarize the immune process in their own words (Option 2 asks for a list of steps or flow chart). Students use information from the video and provided vocabulary to answer directed questions, label illustrations, and rewrite false statements on the "Immune Response" activity page. In the Mystery Ailment activity, students read scenarios and interview excerpts and analyze details to identify the cause of an outbreak, requiring them to determine central information from a secondary source.
Lesson 8
Intake and Health
Students read secondary sources (the lesson reading, CDC and PBS fact sheets, and NIH supplement pages) and answer specific comprehension questions about diets and alcohol risks, which requires extracting key information. Students complete the Nutrient Amounts table by researching each substance and recording uses/benefits, recommended intake, natural sources, and effects of deficiency/excess, synthesizing source information into concise entries. In the Alcohol Research activity students read fact sheets and answer questions about immediate and long-term health risks, groups who should not drink, and factors affecting blood alcohol levels, which asks them to identify and report central information from the sources.
Final Project
Analyzing Your Food Journal
Students are asked to research lipids using provided web links and to "document your research findings" on worksheets that ask for the nutrient's biochemical significance, acceptable consumption rates, signs of overconsumption, and impact of improper diet. Students must "create a presentation" that includes "a brief summary of the purpose of each biomolecule" and examples, and must "write what they learned about nutrition in the unit" on the final exam. Students also summarize their own data and compare it to healthy-diet guidelines, drawing conclusions for a recommendation sheet.
Unit 4: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Lesson 1
Introduction to Mark Twain and the Novel
The Parent Plan Skills explicitly lists "Determine a central idea of a text...; provide an objective summary of the text," and students are directed to keep a journal to "collect information and quotes and to analyze the story, characters, plot, and theme." Students are asked to "Summarize in a few sentences how the slave trade arrived to America and how it spread" after reading two informational websites, and to answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., what Huck is trying to escape; Widow Douglas's view on being civilized) that require citing textual evidence and summarizing key information.
Lesson 2
Point of View
Students read Chapters 3–7 of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., describe the relationship between Huck and Pap; what Huck does with the money; where Pap takes Huck), which requires extracting information from a primary source. Students complete activities that identify the author's point of view by observing pronouns and choose the narrative perspective on practice passages, showing direct work with source details. The sketching and journal prompts ask students to analyze characters' perspectives and support answers with textual examples.
Lesson 5
Expository Writing
Students read Chapters 16-18 of the novel and answer specific comprehension questions that require locating and reporting information from the text (e.g., how Huck convinces the men, Huck's response to Jim's plan, and comparing life on the raft vs. life with adults). Students complete a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting Huck and Jim, then write a paragraph that must include a clear main idea/topic sentence and textual evidence to support two differences and one similarity. Students are instructed to support claims with quotes or events from the novel and to organize ideas into a coherent expository paragraph.
Lesson 6
The Power of Persuasion
Students read a student persuasive essay and answer guided questions that ask them to identify the thesis statement, the three reasons supporting it, the types of evidence used for each reason, and whether the conclusion reminds the reader of the thesis. Students read Chapters 19–21 of a novel and answer questions about how characters enter the plot and motives, which requires extracting key information from a primary source. The activities ask students to analyze how a writer begins an essay and to identify central elements (thesis, reasons, evidence) of a secondary persuasive text.
Lesson 7
Persuasive Writing
Students read Chapters 22–25 of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and answer targeted comprehension questions that ask for factual information (Question 1) and interpretation of character change and moral reaction (Questions 2 and 3). Students are asked to support their answers with a direct quote from the text, demonstrating practice in extracting key information from a primary source. Students also read a CBS News article about the editing debate (a secondary source) as part of the Word Choice Debate activity.
Lesson 8
Hiding the Money
Students read Chapters 26–28 of the novel and answer targeted comprehension questions about Huck's decisions, where he hides the money, and whom he blames, showing identification of key information from a primary source. Students are asked to consider and discuss what the raft and the Mississippi River symbolize and to include a symbol that reflects the meaning of the river to Huck and Jim, which asks them to identify central ideas/themes. The wrap-up and parent discussion prompts ask students to give examples and discuss the representation of freedom, reinforcing identification of thematic ideas from the text.
Lesson 11
Mark Twain's Influence
Students are asked to explain in 3–4 sentences what Hemingway meant by his quote, requiring them to identify the main idea behind the quote and connect it to Twain's techniques. In Activity 2 students listen to two slave narratives (primary sources), take notes on the life of the slave, dialect, and figurative language, and compare/contrast those conclusions to the character of Jim. The Reading and Questions section asks students to identify key events and details from Chapters 37–40, which requires extracting central information from the primary text.
Lesson 12
The Movie Adaptation
Students finish reading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and answer targeted comprehension questions that ask them to identify plot events and character development (e.g., what happened to Huck's father, whether Huck is civilized, and the irony of Jim's freedom). Students are asked to take notes while watching the 1993 film adaptation, observing changes the director or actors make regarding character, plot, language, setting, or dialect. Students are prompted to compare and contrast the novel and the film and to decide whether the directors' changes were effective.
Final Project
Cultural Biography
Students are asked to answer reflective questions such as "What did you learn about life during this time in America's history by following the adventure of Huck and Jim?" and "How are Huck and Jim similar? How are they different?", which require extracting themes and key information from the novel. The unit test and project tasks ask students to include expository sentences about slavery or dialect, point-of-view sentences, and to copy quotes that show character, all of which require students to identify important information from the primary text.
Unit 5: Civil War
Lesson 1
Sectional Differences
Students are assigned to read Fields of Fury up to the end of the 'Slavery' section and answer questions that ask for central information (e.g., Question #1 asks for the single most pressing issue that led to the Civil War). In Activity 4 students read an excerpt of Lincoln's 'House Divided' speech (a primary source) and a Douglas speech and complete a chart comparing each man's answers to three guiding questions, which requires identifying main ideas from those excerpts. In Option 1 students must write 2–3 sentences summarizing what they have heard about a chosen politician's position (a secondary-source synthesis) before stating their agreement or disagreement.
Lesson 2
Moving Toward War
Students are asked to reread pages 8–11 of James McPherson's Fields of Fury and answer targeted questions about why southerners opposed Lincoln, what Lincoln meant by secession being the "essence of anarchy," the legality of secession, and the name of the seceding states, requiring extraction of central ideas from a secondary source. Students complete a "Webster vs. Calhoun" activity in which they summarize each statesman's view of federal versus state power and then separately state their opinion, which separates summary from judgment. Students analyze an NPS article in "North and South by the Numbers," fill a data chart, and answer synthesis questions about how those facts could influence the outcome of a war, requiring identification and summarization of key information from a secondary source.
Lesson 3
The Start of the War
Students read a secondary source (pp. 14-17 in McPherson) and answer specific comprehension questions about facts and causes from that reading. Students read primary sources (Jefferson Davis's inaugural address and excerpts from Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural) and are prompted to take notes and to "write the meaning of the paragraph in their own words" after each paragraph. The note-taking guidance instructs students to highlight main ideas, keep notes concise, and paraphrase rather than recopy the source. Students also must write one-sentence summaries beneath images on the Fort Sumter timeline, reinforcing condensation of source information.
Lesson 4
Early Days of the War
Students read pages 18–29 of James McPherson's Fields of Fury and answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., whether most people expected a quick war, the description of the Anaconda Plan, and how Shiloh changed Grant's views), which requires identifying main ideas and key information from a secondary source. Students complete battle-card prompts asking for outcomes, important people, and the significance of battles, requiring them to summarize what each battle meant for each side. In Activity 3 students must retell at least one vivid event from first-person narratives and explain positives and negatives of service, which asks them to extract and convey central information from primary accounts.
Lesson 5
Wartime Strategies
Students read pages 30–43 of James McPherson's Fields of Fury, a secondary source covering campaigns up to Antietam. Students answer directed comprehension questions (Q1–Q4) that ask for campaign goals, meanings of actions, and reasons a battle was a Union victory. Students complete battle-card activities that require them to identify important people, outcomes, purposes, significance, and advantages for each campaign or battle using information from the reading.
Lesson 6
The Emancipation Proclamation
Students read pages 44-53 of James McPherson's Fields of Fury, a secondary source about the Emancipation Proclamation, African American troops, and battles. Students answer a direct question asking what changes the Emancipation Proclamation created, with an expected factual answer listing freed slaves in Confederate states, enlistment of African Americans, and escaped slaves becoming soldiers. Students complete Civil War battle cards by identifying important people, outcomes, and why each battle was important, drawing central facts from the readings.
Lesson 7
Gettysburg and Beyond
Students watch the 'Civil War' episode of America: The Story of Us and are instructed to remain active viewers, thinking about what they see and how it relates to readings. Students read pages 53–73 of Fields of Fury by James McPherson and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., roles of women, why Minie balls were dangerous, meanings of wartime phrases). Students add entries to a timeline and complete Civil War battle cards by identifying outcomes and explaining why each battle was important, which requires extracting central information from the sources.
Lesson 8
The War's End
Students read pages 74–89 of a secondary source and answer specific comprehension questions that require extracting central information (e.g., Sherman's $100 million damage estimate; why Lee withdrew from Petersburg; the role of the Freedmen's Bureau; what the Black Codes were). Students complete Civil War battle cards that prompt them to list important people, state the outcome of each battle, and explain why each battle was important, requiring condensation of key information. The Reconstruction activity asks students to identify whether historical individuals would favor punitive or lenient plans and to write 1–2 sentences explaining their reasoning, drawing on information about presidential and Congressional plans.
Final Project
Civil War Card Game
Students read and review Civil War battle information aloud when they play the card game and use the battle cards they created to recall key facts. The unit test asks students to "describe at least three differences between the North and South" and to identify the most significant cause of the war, and matching and short-answer items require identifying the main idea of campaigns and challenges soldiers faced. Several activity prompts require students to summarize campaign purposes (e.g., Anaconda Plan, March to the Sea) by matching descriptions to campaign names.
Unit 5: Microbiology and Cell Theory
Lesson 1
Cell Theory
Students are assigned to read pages 4-5 and 18-21 of What Is Cell Theory and answer comprehension questions that ask for key information (e.g., "Where do new cells come from?", "Are cells found only in plants and animals?", and "Is a theory the same thing as a hypothesis?"). Students complete activities that require labeling cell diagrams and classifying household objects as cellular or non-cellular, providing "Supporting Evidence" for their classifications. The "Things to Know" and summary statements list the central principles of cell theory that students can identify and reference.
Lesson 2
Introduction to Plant and Animal Cells
Students read pages 22–25 of a secondary source (What Is Cell Theory?) and answer directed comprehension questions about differences between plant and animal cells, the role of vacuoles, and functions of chloroplasts and mitochondria. The lesson also asks students to compare and label cell structures in activities, reinforcing extraction of factual information from the reading and diagrams.
Lesson 3
The Structures of Eukaryotic Cells
Students are asked to view three videos and then answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., Question #1–#5), which requires extracting factual information from those secondary sources. Question #4 specifically asks students to "briefly describe the journey of proteins," and Activity 2 requires students to create labels with brief descriptions of organelle functions for a cell model, both of which ask students to produce concise summaries of processes or information. The "Wrapping Up" and discussion questions prompt students to explain how specific parts ensure cell function, which requires pulling together key information about organelles.
Lesson 4
Protists
Students are directed to read three web articles (animal-like, plant-like, and fungus-like protists) and to "use the information from all three articles to answer the following questions," which asks them to state key characteristics (Questions #1–#5). Students complete a comparison chart on similarities among unicellular organisms, marking presence/absence of organelles and listing other structures. Students also answer synthesis questions that ask them to identify the significance of organelles and to explain which organisms make their own food and why.
Lesson 5
Prokaryotes
Students read multiple secondary sources and a video about prokaryotes and are instructed to "look for distinctions" among readings. Students answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., structures unique to prokaryotes, shared cell parts, shapes of bacteria, environments for archaea) that require extracting key information from the texts. Students also collect information from readings and color-coded cell diagrams, then write a paragraph comparing similarities and differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Lesson 6
Understanding Microbes
Students are directed to read specified sections of the "Viral Attack" article, watch the "Flu Attack!" video, and examine scientific illustrations, then use those resources to answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., transmission methods, virus parts, how viruses enter cells). In Activity 2, students research multiple reputable web resources about the characteristics of life and must decide whether viruses meet those criteria, providing reasoning based on their research. The student activity page asks students to state a conclusion (living / nonliving) and give their reasons, which requires synthesizing information from the sources.
Lesson 7
Specialized Cells
Students are assigned specific pages to read (pages 20-25 and 38-45 of What Is Cell Theory?) and prompted to "consider how and why cells are specialized," which requires extracting information from a secondary source. Students are asked to research a chosen cell online and fill in the "Specialized Cell" activity page with functions and unique properties, providing space for written responses. The Biceps and Triceps modeling activity asks students to explain muscle function and answer reflective "Questions to Ponder," reinforcing retrieval of key informational points from text and web sources.
Lesson 8
Mitosis
Students watch a video and read pages 30-31 of What Is Cell Theory? and then answer specific comprehension questions about mitosis (difference between mitosis and cytokinesis; the four phases; whether new cells are identical). Students use the same pages to check and label the stages on a coloring sheet (including labeling interphase as Stage 0). Students create clay models of chromosomes, centrioles, spindle fibers, and nuclear membrane and may produce a narrated presentation explaining each stage using their models and source material.
Lesson 9
Biological Hazards and Infectious Disease
Students use the Patient Diagnosis table (Illness, Symptoms, Cause, Treatment) to match a patient's symptoms to a likely illness and recommend treatment. Students answer directed questions such as "Based on your analysis of the evidence, what do you think the patient has?" and "What evidence helped you realize that the patient did not have the flu or issues with allergies?" which requires extracting central information from the provided text. Students are asked to draw conclusions and explicitly "cite evidence for their conclusions" in the Antimicrobial Properties and diagnosis activities.
Lesson 10
On Their Shoulders
Students are assigned to read specific pages of What Is Cell Theory? and answer directed comprehension questions (e.g., how spectacles impacted cell theory; how cells came to be called "cells"), which requires extracting information from a secondary source. In Activity 1 students cut out, read, and fold historical event cards, recall the facts associated with each picture, and place the cards in chronological order, practicing identification and organization of informational content. In Activity 2 students record observations in petri-dish diagrams and complete a Conclusion section, giving a rationale for their answers using collected evidence.
Final Project
Outbreak Prevention
Students are asked to "use the Internet, research these respiratory infections to help you fill out the activity page," which requires extracting symptoms and characteristics from secondary sources. Students must "review the characteristics of life" and be "prepared to explain, using evidence, why a virus is or is not considered a living thing," which asks them to use source evidence to support an explanation. Activity 5 directs students to consult WHO, Mayo Clinic, and Cleveland Clinic pages and "come up with" approaches to limiting spread, requiring synthesis of information from those secondary sources.
Unit 5: Elijah of Buxton
Lesson 1
Introduction to the Novel
Students are directed to read secondary-source webpages about the Underground Railroad (PBS and Pathways) and an optional primary-source excerpt (James Pennington) and to use those readings to complete an activity. Students answer targeted biographical questions on the "Getting to Know Christopher Paul Curtis" page, extracting key information (job, feelings, influences). Students identify and analyze a flashback passage by highlighting it and answering questions about what the flashback reveals. The "Things to Review" and activity prompts ask students to explain what the Underground Railroad was and how flashbacks are used, which asks for central-information recall.
Lesson 2
The Preacher
Students read an excerpt of Frederick Douglass's Narrative and a contrasting passage by George Fitzhugh and answer targeted questions comparing the two perspectives. Students are asked to evaluate Douglass's persuasiveness, note vivid adjectives, and underline repeated verbs to analyze how the text conveys its message. Students also consider which voice seems more authentic and explain why, using textual features as evidence.
Lesson 3
Creating a Character
Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer targeted comprehension questions that require them to describe characters and events (e.g., Describe Mrs. Brown; What are some of the rules of the settlement at Buxton?). Activity 1 asks students to "skim back through the first six chapters to find evidence for each category" and to "record textual evidence from the novel" for physical appearance, character traits, thoughts, quotes, and others' actions. The Reading and Questions section asks students to summarize life circumstances and a lesson learned, requiring students to pull together information from the text.
Lesson 4
Tone and Mood
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 of Elijah of Buxton and answer comprehension questions about events and character interactions. Students examine primary and secondary materials in the "Accounts of Slavery" activity — excerpts from slave narratives, a photograph, engravings, and sketches — and write words or brief phrases explaining what they learned about the experience of being a slave from each source. Students cite specific quotes from Mr. Leroy and Elijah's father and identify words or images that contributed to their understanding, requiring them to extract information from the provided sources.
Lesson 5
Colorful Language
Students read Chapters 9 and 10 of Elijah of Buxton and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., the Preacher's purpose in taking Elijah to the carnival; why the Preacher did not follow through; who MaWee was; how MaWee came to Buxton and felt about it), requiring them to extract explicit events and character motives. Students identify and analyze author word choice and figurative language through the Colorful Description and Figures of Speech activities, locating examples from the chapters. Students also complete exercises that require identifying meanings of idioms, similes, metaphors, personification, puns, and hyperbole in text excerpts.
Lesson 6
Symbolism
Students read Chapters 11 and 12 of Elijah of Buxton and answer specific comprehension questions asking for reasons and events (e.g., why newcomers hid in the trees, how they were coaxed out, the Liberty Bell welcome tradition, and the Duncan sisters' discovery). The lesson also has a Wrapping Up section that asks what students learned about how the community received recently freed slaves, and the Student Activity Page asks students to explain the symbolic value of items from the story in writing.
Lesson 7
The Importance of Education
Students read Chapters 13 and 14 of Elijah of Buxton and answer comprehension questions that require reporting key events and information (Q1 asks them to describe the bad news; Q2 asks how the women respond; Q3 asks how Elijah shows maturity). Students are explicitly asked to summarize a narrative element (Q4: "Summarize the story from Elijah's mother's life that she tells on the ride to the lake"). Students also complete activities that require recounting and using textual details (Option 1 interview and Option 2 writing a scene based on historical schooling for slaves).
Lesson 8
Transitions and Characters
Students read Chapters 15–17 and answer specific comprehension questions that require extracting key information (e.g., Q1 asks what Mrs. Holton paid and what it would allow Mr. Leroy to do; Q3 asks students to describe what happened to Theodore Highgate). Students complete a character comparison graphic organizer and list two words for each main character in discussion prompts, which asks them to identify important information about characters and events.
Lesson 10
Allusions and Authors
Students read Chapters 20 and 21 and answer specific comprehension questions (Questions #1-#5) that require identifying key events and information (e.g., what happened to Mr. Leroy, what Elijah plans to do). Students complete an Allusions activity that asks them to write 2-3 sentences explaining an allusion's origin and its connection to Elijah of Buxton and to analyze provided biblical passages (Mark, Joshua, Luke) as sources for those allusions. Students read the Q&A with the author and choose an option that requires writing (posing interview questions and predicting answers or writing a descriptive paragraph for a historical fiction setting).
Lesson 11
Story Reflections
Students are asked to finish reading Elijah of Buxton and answer specific comprehension questions (Q1–Q4) that require summarizing events and character actions. Students create a plot diagram that requires identifying the main conflict, listing seven rising-action events, naming the climax, and explaining the resolution. Students complete a theme web for the central idea of "freedom," recording text-based examples that develop that theme.
Final Project
Personal Narrative
Students are asked to identify the main conflict and the climax in the Story Structure section (Activity 3) and to name a theme and give two examples of how that theme was developed, which requires locating central ideas and supporting details. The unit test Identification and Vocabulary sections require students to recognize key people, places, and terms from the source, reinforcing textual comprehension. The Parent Plan provides model answers for the main conflict, climax, and theme, indicating expectations that students extract central information from the text.
2: Semester 2
Unit 1: History of Your State
Lesson 1
Your State's Natural History
Students are directed to read specific secondary sources (National Park Service physiographic pages and other web links) and to record information such as the geologic province name and its features (e.g., the activity asks, "Based on the introduction (first paragraph or two) of the Geologic Province web page, what are some interesting features and facts…"). Students must describe how at least one major feature was formed and list two features of each geologic province on their state map, which requires extracting key information from those sources. In the biome activity students identify major biome(s) that cover their state and read about their characteristics before labeling them on their map, which asks them to pull main ideas from the provided readings.
Lesson 2
Flora and Fauna
Students are asked to use field guides, library research, or online sources to fill in journal pages and to 'jot down the sources' they use. Many activity prompts require concise extraction of information (e.g., 'Scientific Name,' 'Brief description,' 'Where, in your state, is it found?,' 'Why is it a problem?,' 'Why is this animal endangered or threatened?'), which requires pulling key facts from sources. The journal format asks students to assemble and write concise entries for multiple species, implying synthesis of information from research sources.
Lesson 3
Native Populations
Students are asked to research at least one indigenous group using library and online sources and to complete guided activity pages. The activity pages require students to record historical information (where they lived, community organization, housing, clothing, food traditions) and modern information (federal/state recognition, tribal lands, current leaders, contemporary issues). Students also use provided maps and directories to locate tribes and answer specific informational prompts drawn from sources.
Lesson 4
The History of Your State
Students are instructed to take organized, clear notes and use index cards that list the event and the URL where information was found. Students are asked to write a few sentences about each event that convey date, location, key participants, issues at stake, and historical significance (Activity 1). In Activity 5, students must produce 3–4 well-crafted sentences explaining each event or era and include an image or website link for further information.
Lesson 5
State Leaders
Students are asked to research a state leader and complete activity pages that prompt them to record the leader's background/career path, notable achievements, and the person's impact on the state and beyond. The student pages require listing specific sources (websites/books/URLs) and include an activity where students must write a 6–10 sentence dedication speech that summarizes the leader's contributions and relevance to a public space. Students also generate questions for the leader and write how they think the leader might answer based on their research, which asks them to interpret information from sources.
Lesson 6
Your State by the Numbers
Students are directed to consult primary and secondary sources (the U.S. Census QuickFacts, NASBO Fiscal Survey, and a Wikipedia list) to extract factual information for Activities 1–4. Students complete structured activity pages where they record census and county population figures, plot population data on graphs, create a map keyed to population ranges, and answer specific questions about budget tables. Activity 4 asks students to locate charts of revenues and expenditures and to write a paragraph comparing their state with two others, which requires synthesizing information from those sources.
Lesson 7
Your State's Economy
Students are asked to conduct online research to complete a mini-book that requires listing at least three natural resources and describing their economic roles, naming at least three top industries, and identifying GSP figures (state GSP in millions, percent of national GDP, and rank). Students must identify three top employers, describe each employer's business, and notice trends among the employers. After a field trip option, students must write a thank-you letter that includes at least two new things they learned about the state's economy.
Unit 1: Genetics and DNA
Lesson 1
The Importance of DNA
Students are instructed to read specified pages of the secondary source Genetics: Breaking the Code of Your DNA and optional videos, and then "pay attention to specific terms" before answering comprehension questions. The Reading and Questions section requires students to answer five targeted questions about DNA structure, base sequence variation, chromatin-to-chromosome transformation, alleles, and gene regulation, which asks them to extract key information from the source. The activity prompts and the wrap-up bullet points reiterate central factual ideas (e.g., DNA is present in all multicellular organisms; traits result from decoding DNA).
Lesson 2
Inheritance
Students are asked to read pages 6–11 of Genetics: Breaking the Code of Your DNA and then answer targeted comprehension questions. Question #1 asks what Gregor Mendel was trying to discover and Question #2 asks what Mendel concluded about inheritance, with an answer key listing that traits are not blended, offspring receive one gene from each parent, and traits can be dominant or recessive. The reading and follow-up questions require students to extract central information from a secondary source and record those ideas.
Lesson 4
Reproduction and Change
Students read assigned textbook pages and watch linked videos about DNA, chromosomes, meiosis, and crossing over and then answer specific content questions (e.g., definitions of haploid/diploid, how meiosis differs from mitosis). Students complete activities (Genetic Material activity page, Chromosome Model, Crossing Over simulation) that require them to identify and explain central processes and key information from those sources. The vocabulary and matching activities require students to extract core terms and definitions from the readings and media.
Lesson 5
From Generation to Generation
Students are directed to read the linked page "Ten Human Genetic Traits" and to use that information to fill in an "Investigating Genealogy Chart," describing what each trait is and whether it is dominant or recessive. In Activity 2 students review a provided family data chart or survey their own family and record trait presence across family members on a "Family Survey" page, using the source information to trace how traits are passed. Students are prompted to discuss specific questions about inheritance that require them to reference the information they extracted from the website or sample chart.
Lesson 7
Inheritance and Environment
Students read pages 88–93 of a genetics text and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., causes of mutations, effects of mutations, single-gene vs. multifactor disorders), which requires extracting central information from a secondary source. Students complete Activity 1 by researching four disorders using provided web links and filling a chart with disease descriptions, who is affected, and physical examination results, which asks them to summarize source information. In Activity 3 students research environmental causes for illnesses and complete a table and discussion questions, requiring synthesis of information from multiple secondary sources.
Lesson 8
Cloning
Students read pages 98–107 of a secondary source (Genetics: Breaking the Code of Your DNA) and answer specific content questions (e.g., uses of genetic testing, challenges of gene therapy, potential applications of cloning). Students also explore linked explanatory webpages about cloning and are asked in Activity 1 to "understand exactly how animal cloning works," which requires extracting central information about the process. The Question set requires students to identify and restate factual information drawn from the readings and resources.
Unit 1: The House of the Scorpion
Lesson 1
Cloning
Students are instructed to read multiple secondary sources about cloning and to create source cards and note cards labeled with source numbers, recording one idea per card and either paraphrasing in their own words or quoting with quotation marks. The activities ask students to create notes that answer focused questions from each source (e.g., "What is cloning?", "What are the benefits of cloning?", "Arguments FOR/AGAINST human cloning"), and the skills list includes analyzing works on the same topic and comparing persuasive texts that reach different conclusions. The lesson also requires students to distinguish facts from opinions when preparing evidence for a persuasive essay.
Lesson 2
Revising and Editing
Students read Chapters 5 and 6 of The House of the Scorpion and answer focused comprehension questions that ask them to describe Matt's living conditions, his reactions to Celia and Maria, his impression of El Patrón, and provisions made for him. Students respond to discussion prompts that require them to identify El Patrón's position, how others respond to him, and examples of love, loyalty, corruption, and betrayal—tasks that ask them to extract thematic information from the text. Students also summarize aspects of plot and character change in the Wrapping Up section by explaining dramatic changes in Matt's life and how he coped.
Lesson 3
Cast of Characters
Students read Chapters 7–9 of The House of the Scorpion and answer directed comprehension questions that require them to identify key facts (e.g., what compels Matt to talk, what he learns about his origins, relationships, and discoveries about the house). Students compile information about the Alacrán family by creating a family tree and writing brief descriptions of each character, which requires selecting and recording central details about characters and relationships. The Wrapping Up and discussion prompts ask students to consider broader themes (e.g., human existence, consequences of programmed minds), encouraging synthesis of information from the text.
Lesson 4
Rhetorical and Logical Fallacies
Students read primary (Chapters 10–12 of The House of the Scorpion) and secondary (the essay "Human Cloning") sources and answer specific comprehension questions about events and character actions. Students also analyze the essay by identifying and marking loaded terms, caricatures, leading questions, false assumptions, and incorrect premises, which requires attention to the essay's claims and rhetoric. Parent/teacher discussion prompts ask students to explain how characters use power and how a scene influenced their thoughts about cloning, which asks for interpretation of central ethical ideas.
Lesson 5
Arguing the Issue
Students are directed to use the "Arguing the Issue" activity page to "summarize the arguments" presented in two articles and to "record each author's main arguments." The student activity page explicitly prompts students to list three main arguments for each article and to note logical and rhetorical fallacies, and the parent answer guide provides model summaries of each author's central arguments. The lesson also asks students to read chapters and answer objective comprehension questions that require summarizing events and information from the text.
Lesson 6
Societal Comparisons
Students read Chapters 16–18 of The House of the Scorpion and answer specific comprehension questions about what characters learn and discover (e.g., Furball's death, secret passageways, lives of the eejits, Tam Lin's past). Students complete a Comparing Societies organizer to record similarities and differences between Opium and the United States and answer questions about power, legality, and human rights. The Parent Plan lists skills that ask students to cite textual evidence supporting analyses and to summarize incidents (e.g., hospital incident).
Lesson 7
One-Act Play
Students read Chapters 19-21 of The House of the Scorpion and answer explicit comprehension questions asking them to identify key information (e.g., the purpose of clones, details about Maria's mother, Maria's future, and events at a wedding). Students also read and analyze sample scenes and scripts, identifying character relationships and the important actions and dialogue that communicate plot points. Parent/teacher prompts ask students to discuss character roles and the implications of events (e.g., Esperanza's role, possible plans to protect Matt), which requires extracting central information from the text.
Lesson 8
Family Crest
Students read Chapters 22–24 and answer specific comprehension questions that require them to identify key information (e.g., Maria's rescue plan and how it fails; El Patrón's justification; Celia's actions to save Matt; Tam Lin's help). Discussion prompts ask students to compare and contrast how characters use power and to consider how characters define Matt, which asks for extraction of central themes about power and identity. The family-crest and wrapping-up tasks ask students to consider and characterize El Patrón's family traits, which requires synthesizing information about the character.
Lesson 9
Science Fiction
Students read Chapters 25–57 (with specific focus on 25–27) and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., Matt's impression of Aztlán; where Matt is brought; how El Patrón's advice helps; values of the Keepers), which require extracting key information from the text. Students complete a Student Activity Page that asks them to list examples from The House of the Scorpion next to specific characteristics of science fiction, connecting textual evidence to central genre elements. The lesson's skills list explicitly directs students to cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly and in inferences.
Lesson 10
Opium and Aztlán
Students read Chapters 28–30 and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., Matt's job, why he confesses, what comforts him), which requires identifying key information from the text. Students complete a Venn diagram activity listing words and phrases that describe Opium and Aztlán and compare Matt's life in both places, which requires synthesizing details across the chapters. Discussion prompts ask students to explain Jorge's control, how Matt resists, and the author's comment about the environment, which directs students to identify thematic ideas in the reading.
Lesson 11
Wisdom and Love
Students read Chapters 31–33 and answer specific comprehension questions about plot details (e.g., changes in opinion of Ton-Ton, reasons for attacking Jorge, revelation of Matt's tattoo, and punishment), which requires extracting central information from the text. Students analyze thematic material in Activity 1 by identifying religious symbols and messages Celia communicates to Matt and by reflecting on how Tam Lin's teachings shaped Matt, using textual excerpts as evidence. Parent-plan discussion prompts and the wrapping-up statement ask students to observe and articulate overarching ideas (love, wisdom, conscience) and their effects on Matt's choices.
Lesson 13
Unit Test and Essay Reflections
Students answer targeted comprehension questions about chapters 37–38 that require identifying key information (e.g., how Matt's status changed, El Patrón's funeral plan, and Tam Lin's choice). The Parent Plan skills statement explicitly tells students to "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development...; provide an objective summary of the text." The unit test short-answer prompts and Student Activity Pages ask students to explain character power, causes/effects, and plot details, which require extracting central information from the novel.
Unit 2: Industrialization, Urbanization, and Immigration
Lesson 1
Urbanization and Migration
Students read a secondary account ("Charles Denby: Bound North") and answer focused comprehension questions (Q1–Q4) that ask for reasons for migration, outcomes, and differences in education between North and South. Students read primary-source migrant letters from the Library of Congress and are asked to use those letters to write a two-paragraph letter from a migrant's point of view describing why the person moved and how the reality matched expectations. Option 2 asks students to analyze Jacob Lawrence's paintings and write commentary that explains what the images show about the Great Migration.
Lesson 2
Indian Wars in the West
Students are asked to watch the documentary episode and use Note-Taking Pages, pausing at the end of sections to write down the things they learned and the most important or interesting information (Activity 1 and Parent Plan). Students must design an informational sign about Wounded Knee that requires selecting and organizing accurate information from the video and provided web links (Activity 2). Students compare "before" and "after" photographs from Indian boarding schools and answer guided questions that require observation and interpretation of primary-source images (Activity 3). The Parent Plan repeatedly asks parents to review students' notes and summaries to ensure critical events are noted and content is summarized.
Lesson 3
New Technologies
Students read a secondary source passage (the Jackie Cooper selection) and answer specific comprehension questions that require extracting key information (e.g., positives/negatives of his career, the Child Actors Bill). Students complete 'Changing Technologies' pages in which they describe how needs (light, transportation, communication, entertainment) were met in 1850 and 1920 and list advantages and disadvantages, which asks them to synthesize information about each period. In the inventors options, students must read biographical material (Edison, Bell, Wrights) and either summarize and advertise selected films, prepare a 60–90 second speech as Bell describing 2–3 inventions, or select and explain important artifacts from the Wright Brothers gallery.
Lesson 4
New Industries
Students read first-person accounts ("Rose Cohen: First Day in a Sweatshop" and "Joseph Miliuaskas: Breaker Boy") and answer targeted comprehension questions about treatment, motivations, and working conditions. Students are instructed to take brief notes on sections of the documentary episode "Cities," identifying major topics from the film. Students brainstorm and list at least three positive and three negative impacts of Andrew Carnegie and his company and decide whether to label him a "robber baron," synthesizing information from the film and a provided biography.
Lesson 5
Immigration
Students are directed to read a short article (with emphasis on the section "A Wave Becomes a Flood") and to answer specific comprehension questions about technology, origins, settlement patterns, and responses to immigrants. In Option 1 students read primary-source letters from Polish immigrants and use a structured activity page to identify and record push and pull factors with names, recipients, and textual evidence. In Option 2 students watch a video about Ellis Island and record 8–10 facts and statistics drawn directly from the source. Students also read secondary-source pieces about nativism and complete an activity about reasons for joining the Klan, citing textual purposes and objects.
Lesson 6
Social Problems
Students read secondary-source biographies and short historical narratives (e.g., "Jennie Curtis: Strike Leader," "Kid Blink and the Newsies," and the Pullman material) and answer direct comprehension questions asking for outcomes, causes, and advantages/disadvantages. In Activity 3 students research a Progressive-era reformer and create a poster that explains why the issue is a problem and what the leader or movement proposes — tasks that require extracting and conveying key information from sources. In Activity 1 students complete photo-analysis pages that ask them to state prior knowledge about an image separately and to describe in detail what they see, supporting distinction between observation and background knowledge.
Lesson 7
Politics
Students are asked to identify what Grangerism was and to name two important planks of the Populist Party, which requires extracting central ideas from the provided explanatory text. Activity 2 presents the Populist Party platform in bullet points and asks students to decide which groups would support those positions and explain why, which asks students to interpret core information. A web link to the 1892 Populist Party platform is provided for optional reading, enabling direct engagement with a primary source if used.
Lesson 8
World War I
Students are directed to read primary-source accounts of the Lusitania from the National Archives and a selected newspaper article from the Library of Congress and then "Summarize the article in 3-4 sentences" on the Student Activity Page. Students analyze propaganda posters using prompts that ask them to identify the poster's goal and the appeals used, which requires determining the central message of those primary sources. Students also evaluate and rank listed reasons for U.S. entry into World War I, asking them to assess which explanations are most persuasive and thereby identify key information from secondary summaries.
Unit 2: Living Organisms
Lesson 1
Levels of Organization
Students read pages 4–7 of Life Processes and answer Question #1 asking for the seven life processes and Question #2 asking why a cat is considered a living organism while a cloud is not, which require extracting key information from the text. In Activity 1 and the Student Activity Page students collect observations and then list at least three differences between plants and animals, synthesizing survey data into summary statements. In Activity 3 students describe each level of organization in one or two sentences and provide examples, which asks them to identify central ideas about biological organization.
Lesson 2
Structure and Stability
Students are directed to read specific secondary sources (pages 4-5 and 32-33 of Behavior in Living Things) and to watch a video and read two articles about plant adaptations. Students answer targeted comprehension and analysis questions drawn from those sources (e.g., the four questions for analyzing behavior, and six questions in the Stability and Change activity about how plants survive in different environments). Students also use provided web resources to define and describe tree parts and their functions, requiring them to extract information from those sources.
Lesson 3
Plant Reproduction
Students are assigned to read pages 32–35 in Life Processes and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., difference between sexual and asexual reproduction), which requires extracting main information from a secondary source. Option 2 asks students to create a mostly visual presentation explaining fertilization using a linked webpage and video, requiring students to gather and present central information about flower parts and the fertilization process. The Parent Plan lists the skill to "Summarize the basic structures and functions of flowering plants," and students produce labeled models and daily germination sketches that synthesize observed information.
Lesson 4
Biotic and Abiotic Factors
In Activity 2 students are instructed to "read a short selection about life in the rainforest," identify three abiotic and three biotic factors that may impact a macaranga tree, describe the impact of each factor, and answer follow-up questions. The "Abiotic and Biotic Factors" activity page asks students to fill a two-column chart (Biotic Factors / Abiotic Factors) based on the reading and to answer questions about which factors have the most or least impact and how they work together. Parent notes state that the child "identified three abiotic and three biotic factors...described the impact of each factor and made a prediction."
Lesson 5
Nutrition
Students are assigned to read pages 24–27 of Life Processes (a secondary source) and answer content questions that require extracting information. In the research activity students must consult more than one source about an animal's digestive system, take notes on the major parts, and then summarize the animal's digestive process in a short paragraph (Option 2) or synthesize the information into a brochure (Option 1). Parent notes explicitly instruct students to paraphrase (put information into their own words) and avoid copying word-for-word, which directs students to produce an accurate summary distinct from source wording.
Lesson 8
Behavior
The Parent Plan explicitly lists "Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions." Students are instructed to read specified pages of Behavior in Living Things and answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., whether migration is instinctive, examples of trial-and-error, mimicry), which require extracting key information. In Activity 2 Option 1 students must write a 1-2 paragraph summary "in your own words" of their research (with guidance on quoting), and the Animal Communication Notes page requires students to identify primary forms of communication and key details.
Lesson 9
Ecological Relationships
Students are asked to read the Galapagos Journal (a secondary source) and then either color-code examples in the text or create a chart with the headings "Relationship," "Example," and "Who Benefits?" to record findings. The activity directs students to underline each example and circle the organism(s) that benefit, or to write examples and beneficiaries in the chart, which requires extracting key information from the source. The parent answer key shows specific extracted examples (parasitism, mutualism, commensalism, competition, predation) that students are expected to identify and record.
Lesson 10
Structural Similarities
Students read multiple organism descriptions and list traits for each animal, then identify the most common traits and progressively narrow characteristics to group organisms (Activity 1). Students complete a trait table (living organism, multicellular, vertebra, etc.) and use that table to construct a cladogram (Activity 2), integrating textual information into a visual summary. Students use external informational sources (a video and the Animal Diversity Web) to gather classification information and then record and organize that information in charts and cladograms.
Final Project
Exploring Living Organisms
Students are instructed to choose an organism, conduct research, take notes, and record findings on booklet pages or slides for categories like Overview, Description, Nutrition, Ecological Relationships, Reproduction, and Communication. The lesson explicitly tells students that "information should be in your own words" and for slide presentations that someone viewing must understand each slide based only on the text and graphics provided. The unit test and study materials require students to recall and explain key concepts (e.g., difference between taxis and tropism, ways animals learn), which asks students to state central facts from the unit.
Unit 2: Watership Down
Lesson 2
Foreshadowing
The Parent Plan Skills section explicitly lists: "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text." Students are instructed to read Chapters 1-8 and to use character cards to record descriptions, actions, quotes, and others' reactions, and to complete a Foreshadowing and Symbolism activity identifying implied future events and symbols. The Wrapping Up paragraph tells students they have "discovered the problem that propelled a small group of rabbits to leave their home," which summarizes the opening section.
Lesson 3
An Epic Journey
Students read Chapters 9–13 and complete a Fantasy and Epic graphic organizer that asks them to record examples of genre characteristics (e.g., elements that are not realistic, serious theme, an amazing hero, a long journey, an omniscient narrator). Discussion questions prompt students to explain Fiver's premonition and what is unusual about Cowslip's warren, asking them to interpret themes such as the impact of humans on the environment and feelings of relief. The wrapping up and Parent Plan note that students considered characteristics and themes of Watership Down, linking text details to broader ideas.
Lesson 4
Comparing Rabbits
Students read Chapters 14–17 and add information to character cards, requiring them to extract details about characters and events. As Connection Commander, students write several sentences explaining connections between the reading and their own experience, the world, or other works, which asks them to restate and relate information from the text. In Activity 2, students list characteristics of Hazel's group and Cowslip's group and place them in a Venn diagram using information drawn from the text, and the parent plan lists 'cite the textual evidence' as an expected skill.
Lesson 5
Quotes and Creatures
Students read Chapters 18–21 and add details to character cards, recording characters' descriptions, actions, quotes, and others' reactions. In Activity 1, students research the works quoted at the start of chapters (Blake and Hardy), record the culture/time and main themes, and explain in a few sentences how each quotation relates to the events and theme of the Watership Down chapter. In Activity 2, students research listed organisms to determine whether each is a producer or consumer and summarize dietary information to create a food-web diagram or poster.
Lesson 6
Dramatic Irony
Students are assigned to read Chapters 22 and 23 and serve the literary role of Questioner, developing 3–5 questions about the book's big ideas, which asks them to identify core information. The Parent Plan and discussion prompts ask students to explain how the narrator shows rabbits moving on, Hazel's reason for saving the bird, and what news Kehaar brings back, requiring them to identify central information from the text. The wrapping-up text and activity prompts (e.g., character cards, discussion items) direct students to consider key events and themes from the chapters.
Lesson 7
Rabbit Societies
The Parent Plan Skills section explicitly instructs students to "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text." Students are asked to complete the "Rabbit Societies" chart, cutting and gluing boxes to record positive and negative traits of each rabbit group and their leaders, which requires identifying central information about each society. The Passage Practitioner role asks students to locate two important passages, note why they chose them in a journal, and discuss them with a parent, supporting identification and articulation of key ideas from the text.
Lesson 8
Folktales and Fantasy
Students are assigned the literary role of Summarizer and instructed in Activity 1 to write a summary of Chapter 31, "The Story of El-ahrairah and the Black Rabbit of Inle," identifying key events and ideas. The Parent Plan skills explicitly list determining a theme or central idea and providing an objective summary of the text. The skills section also asks students to cite textual evidence that most strongly supports analysis of what the text says explicitly and inferences drawn from the text.
Lesson 11
Conflict and Escape
The Parent Plan Skills explicitly instruct students to "determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text...; provide an objective summary of the text." The Introducing the Lesson and Wrapping Up sections ask students to consider the theme of caring for the environment and to answer questions about how the author communicates that idea through characters, setting, and plot. Activity 1 asks students to identify the central conflict and create a plot diagram that traces how the conflict develops (rising action, climax, falling action), which supports analyzing central ideas over the course of the text.
Lesson 12
Dramatic Enactment
Students read Chapters 41–45 and are asked to update character cards with each character's physical description, traits, important actions, memorable quotes, and reactions of other characters, which requires extracting key information. Discussion questions prompt students to provide examples of Hazel's leadership, describe the critical juncture for General Woundwort, and explain Hazel's plan to save the warren, which asks students to identify central events and their significance. The Activities and Wrapping Up sections ask students to consider whether to add or omit material when dramatizing a scene, which requires selecting and condensing essential information from the text.
Lesson 13
A Fantasy Story
Students read the primary source Watership Down and are prompted to discuss the ending and how characters have changed, how conflicts were resolved, and what themes or messages were meaningful. The study guide directs students to focus on "Leadership Development" and "Story Elements," and test items ask students to describe a rabbit leader's leadership style with two examples and to give examples of foreshadowing and other literary devices from the book. Wrapping-up prompts ask students to reflect on the author's intended commentary and to describe Hazel's legacy, which requires identifying central ideas and summarizing story outcomes.
Unit 3: The Great Depression and World War II
Lesson 1
The 1920s
Students read specified pages (v-vii and 1-2) of a secondary source and answer direct comprehension questions (e.g., Q1 asks what problems Germany faced after World War I; Q2–Q4 ask about Nazi appeal, isolationism, and the Kellogg-Briand Pact), which requires extracting central information from the text. Students explore the Kennedy Center "Faces of the Harlem Renaissance" biographies, read short biographies and associated media, and create a network chart that records people, connections, and a title expressing what they learned, which requires identifying key information across multiple short secondary sources.
Lesson 2
The Great Depression
Students watch a documentary episode and take structured notes (Activity 1), which prompts them to record important information about social impact, costs, benefits, and leading people/events. On Day 2 students read specified secondary-source texts and answer direct comprehension questions (e.g., identify the event that triggered the Depression, causes of the Dust Bowl, and how families coped), requiring them to state central information. In Activity 2 students analyze primary-source photographs from the Library of Congress and write short descriptions explaining what each photo shows about the Great Depression.
Lesson 3
The Start of World War II
Students read selected sections of World War II for Kids that cover early WWII events and answer focused comprehension questions (e.g., how the Nazi government defied the Treaty of Versailles; what action caused France and Britain to declare war; what led the U.S. to enter the war). Students add cards #124-126 to a timeline of U.S. history, which requires them to identify and record key events and dates. Students complete an activity (poster or simulated incendiary task) that asks them to connect events (like Pearl Harbor) to motivations for enlistment and civilian responses, reinforcing core informational points from the readings.
Lesson 4
1942
Students read specified selections from secondary sources (World War II for Kids and We Were There, Too!) and answer focused reading questions. Students respond to Question #1 asking why the Battles of Coral Sea and Midway were significant and to Question #2 about Hitler's motives, which requires extracting central information from the texts. Students answer Question #3 about the Allies' goals for 1943, which asks them to identify key information across the readings.
Lesson 5
The Homefront
Students are assigned specific secondary-source readings (selections from World War II for Kids and We Were There, Too!) and prompted to answer focused comprehension questions (Questions #1-#4) that require identifying causes, roles, and outcomes from the texts (e.g., why items were rationed; how women supported the war effort; why families were relocated). Students complete the rationing activity using their own grocery receipts, which requires them to extract and apply information about shortages and distribution practices. The lesson asks caregivers to review students' answers to the reading questions, indicating students produce written responses about the texts' main information.
Lesson 6
1943
Students are assigned specific sections of a secondary source (Chapter 4 of World War II for Kids) to read and then answer four focused comprehension questions that ask for the main information (e.g., shift in wartime production, Nimitz's strategy, Stalin's motive, Operation Overlord). Students add timeline cards and locate those events on a world map, which requires them to identify and record key information and dates from the reading. The reading questions and timeline/map tasks require extracting central facts and placing them in chronological and geographic context.
Lesson 7
Victory in Europe
Students are asked to watch a secondary source video (America: The Story of Us—World War II) and take notes using provided section prompts, which requires them to record important information from the source. Students read specified pages from a history book and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., why June 5/6 was chosen for D‑Day, Hitler's goal in the Battle of the Bulge) that require extracting central facts. Activity prompts (e.g., "How was America changing in response to the war?" and questions about the atomic bomb and postwar America) direct students to identify main ideas and consequences from the sources.
Lesson 8
The Holocaust
Students are prompted to take guided notes on Chapter 6, writing down important details and their thoughts as they read, which requires identifying key information from the secondary source. In the virtual museum option, students must explore specified museum sections and fill out a "Field Trip About the Holocaust" page that asks them to select and describe an exhibit and explain what they learned. In the art option, students complete forms for three artworks that ask for factual details (title, artist, year, medium) and the question "What does this artwork show us about the Holocaust?," prompting identification of main informational content.
Lesson 9
Victory in the Pacific
Students read specified selections from a secondary source (World War II for Kids) and answer directed questions asking for the Allies' goal in the Pacific, the outcome of Okinawa, invasion-related concerns, and Truman's hopes—tasks that require extracting key information from the text. Students complete the "The Atomic Bomb" activity chart where one column asks for "Facts and Advice/Estimates Available" separate from columns asking whether those facts support dropping the bomb and why or why not, which prompts students to record factual information distinct from their judgment. Students also add events to a Timeline of U.S. History, which requires pulling discrete informational items from the readings.
Final Project
Before and After World War II
Students are asked to write 2-4 sentence summaries for Politics, Economics, and Society & Culture sections in Option 2, and to write a short paragraph about a relevant World War II event or theme in each individual's During section in Option 1. Both project options require inclusion of at least one primary source (or printed diary entries/other primary sources) and the rubric evaluates historical accuracy and the use of primary sources. The unit test and short-answer tasks also require students to describe events and explain factors (for example, reasons for dropping the atomic bomb).
Unit 3: A Dynamic Planet
Lesson 1
The Dating Game
Students are assigned specific chapters in The Field Guide to Geology and asked directed questions (e.g., identify five layers of the Earth; explain the difference between relative and radiometric dating) that require extracting key information from the text. Activities ask students to apply core ideas from the reading (e.g., use the principle of superposition in 'The Sands of Time', sort fossils by relative age in 'Relative Dating', and compute age ranges using radiometric data in 'Radiometric Dating'), which requires identifying main concepts and factual details. The "Things to Know" and "Wrapping Up" sections list central ideas (e.g., stratigraphy principles, geological column, dating methods) that students must use to answer questions and complete activities.
Lesson 2
Plate Tectonics
Students are asked to read Chapter 2 of The Field Guide to Geology and answer specific comprehension questions (QUESTION #1–#4) that require extracting key information from a secondary source. Students create a "Deep Time" timeline by identifying and placing major events from readings and the National Geographic video, which requires selecting and organizing central information. Students are also asked to present their timeline to another student or group and compare work, which involves communicating the main events they identified.
Lesson 3
The First Four Billion Years
Students read specified pages from a secondary source (The Field Guide to Geology) and answer directed questions that require extracting factual information (e.g., why no Hadean rocks exist, age of oldest rocks, when life first appeared). Students place timeline cards on a timeline, which requires them to identify and organize key informational points about when events occurred. Students write a journal paragraph describing a time-lapse video, which asks them to describe what they observed (a form of summarizing multimedia content).
Lesson 4
The Age of Visible Life
Students are assigned to read specific pages of The Field Guide to Geology (pages 186-201 and 202-215) and answer comprehension questions that target main factual points (e.g., first period of the Paleozoic, where Cambrian life is found). Students create a Geologic Column timeline (Activity 1) and add Paleozoic/Mesozoic/Cenozoic timeline cards (Activities 2 and 4), which requires them to extract and organize major events and developments from the readings. Discussion prompts and parent-guided questions ask students to describe the geologic column, explain how scientists developed it, and explain how life changed in each period, which asks them to synthesize information across the source material.
Lesson 5
Digging for Clues
Students read specified pages (pages 7-11) of a secondary source and answer direct comprehension questions (Questions #1-3) that ask for the authorship, surprising findings about fossils, and patterns observed in rock layers. In Activity 1 students label eras and fossils on a geologic column and answer questions asking which layers are oldest, how fossils change over time, and how paleontologists use the progression to support evolution. In Activity 2 students extract and record which 'fossils' (beads) occur in each layer and answer which were placed first/last and how they know, requiring use of textual and experimental evidence to state central information.
Lesson 6
Natural Selection
Students are assigned to read pages 12–17 of a secondary source (Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to Be) and answer comprehension questions that ask them to state Darwin's theory and describe natural selection. The question set (e.g., "What was Charles Darwin's theory…?" and "Describe natural selection.") requires students to identify central ideas and provide summaries drawn from the text. The Parent Plan and Skills list explicitly include summarizing evidence from geology, fossils, and comparative anatomy and knowing Darwin's reasoning, which directs students to extract and restate source information.
Lesson 7
Survival of the Fittest
Students are directed to read pages 18–25 of a secondary source (Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to Be) and answer specific comprehension questions about DNA, mutation, and speciation, requiring them to extract information from the text. Students record observations and answer synthesis questions on the 'The Evolution of Colored Dots' activity page about genetic variation, loss of variation, and changing selective pressures. The wrapping up and parent-plan prompts ask students to state what they learned about how genetic variation helps populations adapt, which asks for a concise statement of key information.
Lesson 8
Convergent Evolution
Students are asked to read pages 26–35 of a secondary source (the book Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to Be) and answer targeted comprehension questions such as "What is convergent evolution?" and "What are some of the limits to evolution?". Students must research a convergent-evolution example and either write a paragraph describing the environmental challenge and similarities/differences among species or create a poster that includes brief descriptions and anatomical details drawn from sources. The activities require students to extract key information (definitions, causes, examples, comparisons) from the readings and research and present that information in written or visual form.
Final Project
Fast Forward
Students research a chosen religion's stance on evolution, document issues and side-by-side religious and scientific evidence, and interview at least two people using provided interview templates that record credentials and responses. They then create a 5–10 minute talk and slideshow in which the introduction must clearly state the religion's viewpoint and communicate differences in viewpoints, and the rubric requires conclusions to follow from the presented research. The student activity pages and rubrics explicitly ask students to identify evidence, explain why each side holds its view, and summarize whether the religion's stance aligns or conflicts with evolution.
Unit 3: The Book Thief
Lesson 1
The Author and Narrator
Students use Britannica and CNN web pages to complete the "World War II Detective" grid, identifying when, where, sides involved, important leaders, reasons for the war, the role of the U.S., and how the war ended. Students read the Prologue and Part One and answer questions about the narrator, color associations, and why Liesel is called "the book thief," extracting key information from the text. Students consult author biography webpages and an interview and then create a poster or a 90-second radio spot that communicates factual biographical information about Markus Zusak to an audience.
Lesson 3
Burning Books
Students read Part Two of The Book Thief and answer focused comprehension questions that require identifying key information (e.g., reasons Liesel didn't steal from school; how Papa obtained books; conflicts between characters). Students complete a "Historical References" activity using linked sources to identify meanings of terms (e.g., Kommunist, Aryan), the goals described in Mein Kampf, anti-Semitism, and the meaning of yellow stars. Students analyze Nazi propaganda posters by identifying the target audience, the poster's goal, and what makes the poster effective, and record examples of propaganda from the day's reading in a structured chart.
Lesson 5
The Accordion Player
Students read Part Four of the book and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., when Hans learned the accordion, how Erik saved Hans, how Walter helped Max, and what Hans did to keep Liesel quiet), which requires extracting key information from the primary text. Students also read excerpts of the Nuremberg Laws and answer targeted questions about citizenship eligibility, rights denied to non-citizens, and the purpose of the Hitler Youth, which requires interpreting and summarizing legal information from a primary historical source. The assignment to record examples of propaganda from the reading asks students to identify information and motives presented in the text.
Lesson 6
The Standover Man
Students answer focused comprehension questions after reading Part Four that ask them to identify similarities between characters, explain how Rosa changed, and state reasons for characters' actions—tasks that require extracting key information from the primary text. Students are asked to record examples of propaganda from the pages they read, which requires identifying explicit information in the source. Students may retell an event from The Book Thief in their own words as part of the Illustrated Story activity, giving them an opportunity to produce a written summary of a portion of the primary source.
Lesson 7
The Seven-Sided Die
Students read primary-source excerpts (the German National Catechism) and are asked to identify three persuasive arguments from the text and recognize logical fallacies. Students analyze specific quotes by identifying the emotions appealed to, naming logical fallacies, and explaining why the argument may have been effective. Students also practice locating and labeling claims and faulty reasoning in contemporary ads and a commercial.
Lesson 8
The Thief Strikes Again
Students watch two primary-source video clips of Hitler and are instructed to "take notes on what might people may have found compelling about the way Hitler spoke," and to "take notes on the aspects of the rally that may have been designed to appeal to the crowd." The Parent Plan Skills list asks students to "delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced." Students also answer comprehension questions that require them to explain what Max was trying to communicate in his drawings and to summarize plot events from Part Five.
Lesson 9
Close Calls
Students read Part Six of the text and answer specific comprehension questions (Questions 1–3) that require them to identify key events and information (how Liesel found out, how she warned Papa, and the effect of her actions on Max). Question 4 asks students to explain why Death begins the section with descriptions of mass death and how those descriptions relate specifically to Liesel's story, prompting students to connect broader textual material to the central concerns of the narrative. The activities require students to collect textual examples (figurative language) while reading, which engages close reading of the source text.
Lesson 10
The Trilogy of Happiness
Students read and view primary and secondary sources related to World War II: a PBS article on news/censorship (secondary), 1943 newsreel footage (primary), and an Ernie Pyle wartime column (primary). They answer focused questions that require identifying central information, such as "How were correspondents during the war able to bring Americans such vivid descriptions?" and "What three main ways did Americans during World War II get news about the war?" Students also analyze the newsreel by answering "In what ways was the newsreel footage informational? What aspects could be considered propaganda?"
Lesson 11
The Word Shaker
Students read multiple primary source excerpts (Anne Frank entry and two Warsaw Ghetto reflections) and are asked to record examples of propaganda and descriptive phrases from those readings. In the "Primary Sources vs. Historical Fiction" activity, students brainstorm advantages/disadvantages of primary sources versus historical fiction and must choose three ideas and provide specific examples from the day's primary source reading or The Book Thief. Students also reflect on the impact of primary sources versus historical fiction and justify their responses in an option that asks them to compare the two.
Lesson 12
The Teddy Bear
Students read Parts Nine and Ten and answer specific comprehension questions that require extracting key factual information (for example, why Rudy kept a teddy bear, how Hans avoided death, and why Himmel Street was bombed). In Activity 1 (Journeys) students must choose the most important details from a person's or character's experience and create a map or diagram that explains the significance of each stop and what was learned. The Journey Interview prompts students to record background, highlights, challenges, important decisions, and lessons learned—tasks that require identifying important information from a source and condensing it for presentation.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students analyze three WWII propaganda posters with prompts that ask how each poster is propaganda, what emotions it tries to generate, what logical fallacies are present, and how design elements add to the message, which requires identifying the posters' central messages and persuasive techniques. Students read an essay by Walter Kronkite about censorship and are asked to take a side, list supporting reasons with examples, and anticipate and refute an opponent's argument, which requires comprehension of the essay's main claims. Students compare the movie (or trailer) to the book, identifying what the movie omits or condenses and how it differs, which asks them to extract and contrast central information from two sources.
Unit 4: Global Conflict and Civil Rights
Lesson 1
The Post-War World
Students view primary-source photographs with captions and answer specific prompts asking them to describe the photo they found most dramatic and to explain what the image helped them understand. Students analyze quantitative secondary-source data (pre-war populations, war-related deaths, GDP 1938 and 1945), compute deaths as a percentage of pre-war population, and graph GDP changes to identify which countries had largest gains or losses. In the advertising activity, students are asked to summarize an ad in one sentence, identify what the ad is trying to make consumers buy, and compare historical and modern ads for similarities and differences.
Lesson 2
The Cold War and Communism
Students read short historical articles from the U.S. State Department (secondary sources) and are asked to answer guided questions in Day 2, including QUESTION #3 ("Summarize the Truman Doctrine") and QUESTION #4 ("Summarize the Marshall Plan"), with model answers provided. Students view the "Superpower" video and are instructed to take notes and respond to worksheet questions, and Activity 2 directs students to read Truman's actual speech (a primary source) and view Cold War political cartoons before creating their own cartoon or poster. The student activity pages include focused Cold War questions (e.g., about the Manhattan Project, Soviet atomic development) that require students to extract key information from presented materials.
Lesson 3
The Cold War
Students read secondary-source accounts (Office of the Historian) about the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis and answer focused comprehension questions (Q1–Q4) that require extracting the main facts. Students read a primary source (Kennedy's October 22 speech) and complete the Analysis of Kennedy's Speech page, including listing three facts JFK provided and explaining how he used the past to justify decisions. In Option 1 students read advisors' options from the JFK Library and complete a Decision Making page that asks them to identify key questions, weigh advantages and disadvantages, and state their chosen course of action with rationale.
Lesson 4
Civil Rights
Students read assigned secondary-source chapters about Claudette Colvin, Elizabeth Eckford, and biographical sketches in Free at Last and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., reactions of Colvin's friends; role of the Arkansas National Guard; definition of Jim Crow laws; Brown v. Board ruling). Students complete a graphic organizer comparing Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks, filling in personality traits, actions during arrest, and reasons for impact, which requires extracting and organizing key information from the readings. Students synthesize information by writing either a memorial poem or a two-paragraph newspaper clipping that summarizes how an individual died and the person's life and activism.
Lesson 5
Sit-Ins and Freedom Rides
Students read specified texts ("Carolyn McKinstry: On the Firing Line" and Section 3 of Free At Last) and answer directed questions that require extracting key information (e.g., how parents shielded children, how activists were instructed, reactions to sit-ins, what CORE was). Students read and listen to Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech and mark phrases or ideas that seem particularly powerful, focusing attention on central ideas and language. Students may complete a graphic organizer comparing "I Have a Dream" with another King speech that prompts identification of key ideas, themes, dates, audiences, and goals.
Lesson 6
The Ballot
Students read Part 4 of a secondary source (Free at Last) and answer targeted comprehension questions that require extracting central information (e.g., why Hartman Turnbow's home was firebombed, what tactics prevented African Americans from voting, why COFO used white students, and what the Voting Rights Act did). Students examine primary-source photographs in Activity 1 and describe the image, its origin, and what it reveals about reactions to the Civil Rights Movement. Students engage in Activity 2 role-play that asks them to articulate reasons for participating in Freedom Summer and to respond to objections, which requires using evidence about risks and motivations from the readings.
Lesson 7
New Directions and Other Social Movements
Students are assigned specific primary and secondary texts (Section 5 of Free at Last; Jessica Govea excerpt; Black Panther platform; SCLC page) and must answer targeted reading questions asking for causes of tensions, roles of leaders, and working conditions. Students complete a Venn diagram comparing the SCLC and the Black Panthers, recording facts, goals, principles, and overlaps. Students must select Chavez quotations and either synthesize information into a collage or write a 2–3 minute speech that includes at least one quotation and factual information about farm worker treatment.
Lesson 8
Korea
Students read a webpage about the Korean War and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., what started the war, why it was both a civil and proxy war, global events that influenced U.S. involvement, and how the war ended), which requires them to identify key events and information from the source. Students are asked to take notes on veteran memories while watching interviews and documentaries, and Option 1 asks students to answer questions on the activity page about why the U.S. was involved and what the war's goals were, prompting them to extract central ideas from those materials.
Lesson 9
Vietnam
Students read linked U.S. Department of State webpages about the Gulf of Tonkin, the Tet Offensive, and ending the Vietnam War and then answer focused Reading and Questions items. Students identify what the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution authorized, define Tet, explain the impact of the Tet Offensive, and state whether the U.S. upheld military promises—all tasks that require extracting central information from the provided secondary sources. Students also add event cards to a timeline, which requires selecting and placing key informational points about the war.
Lesson 10
The Culture of the 1960s
Students are asked to write a short review of a 1960s television episode with prompts such as "What is this show about?" and "Brief summary of the plot of the episode you watched," which requires identifying central information and summarizing the program. In the music option, students must listen to at least two protest songs and complete prompts including "What is the song's message about the war?" and comparison questions, which requires determining the central idea of primary-source songs. The lesson provides primary-source protest leaflets for students to view, giving opportunities to read original documents from the era.
Final Project
A Time Capsule
Students are asked to gather primary or secondary artifacts and complete description slips asking "What is this artifact/document?" and "What will it help future archaeologists understand about this time period?", requiring them to state each artifact's informational content. The Time Capsule Rubric evaluates inclusion of seven artifacts with descriptions, and students must create written items (e.g., a speech, letter, or political document) and answer unit test short-answer questions that require summarizing events and outcomes (for example, reasons behind choosing Rosa Parks and how marchers were treated).
Unit 4: Human Body Systems
Lesson 1
Our Bodies
Students are directed to read pages 14-17 of The Concise Human Body Book and "take notes on what each system does," which requires extracting key information from a secondary source. In Option 2 students are asked to "briefly describe the main function of each system" and to match words from a word bank to systems, which has students identify and restate central information. Activity 1 (Option 1) and the provided answer key require students to place or write system descriptions and draw arrows showing interdependence, demonstrating identification of main ideas across the text.
Lesson 2
Cells, Tissues, and Organs
The lesson directs students to read headings and the all-caps summary paragraph at the top of pages, explicitly teaching them to use these elements to understand what the pages will cover. Students read The Concise Human Body Book (pp. 24–29, 36–37) and answer specific comprehension questions that require extracting central information (e.g., functions of cell membrane, tissue types, composition of organs). The reading guidance and the end-of-lesson 'Wrapping Up' statement reiterate the organization of living things, which students encounter and confirm through activities and labeling tasks.
Lesson 3
Musculoskeletal System
Students are asked to read specified pages of The Concise Human Body Book and then answer targeted comprehension questions, which requires extracting key information from a secondary source. The lesson includes a "Things to Know" bulleted summary of major ideas (musculoskeletal definition, joint types, bone and muscle functions) that students can use to identify central information. Activities ask students to identify and label bones and muscles and to match joint types with mechanical analogs, which requires locating and using relevant information from the reading.
Lesson 4
Cardiovascular System
Students are instructed to read specified pages in The Concise Human Body Book and then answer targeted comprehension questions about blood functions, blood components, vessel types, and heartbeat phases, which requires extracting central facts from a secondary source. Students label and color the cardiovascular system and heart diagrams and explain the function of valves in the pump demonstration, which requires identifying and restating key information from the readings and visuals.
Lesson 6
Digestive System
Students are instructed to read pages 210–231 of The Concise Human Body Book and then answer targeted questions asking for the primary function of the digestive system and the primary organs, which requires extracting central information from the source. In Activity 1 students create a comic strip that follows a food particle through each digestive organ, requiring them to sequence and synthesize information about what happens at each step. In Activity 2 students color, cut out, place, and label digestive organs using the book as a guide, demonstrating identification of key information from the source.
Lesson 7
Urinary System
Students read pages 240–247 of The Concise Human Body Book and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., how blood enters and exits the kidneys; which hormones regulate urine; what nephrons are; how much blood kidneys process), which requires locating and reporting key information from a secondary source. Students create a comic-strip "Journey of a Water Droplet" that sequences and describes the major steps of urine formation and elimination, demonstrating their ability to condense process information into a coherent narrative. Students color and label a urinary system diagram, identifying and summarizing the major components (kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra) and their roles.
Lesson 8
Endocrine System
Students are asked to read pp. 130-137 of The Concise Human Body Book and answer specific comprehension questions about how hormones travel, differences in speed/effect between the nervous and endocrine systems, and the role of the pituitary gland, which requires extracting key information from the text. In activities, students match hormones to glands and functions and sort organs/descriptions under appropriate systems, which requires identifying central functions or information from the provided sources.
Lesson 9
Reproductive System
Students are assigned a focused reading (pp. 260-265) and web resources about the reproductive system and prenatal development. Students must "write one paragraph summarizing the information" or prepare a two-minute oral presentation and are explicitly told to "do not copy directly... Put the information in your own words," requiring them to condense and restate central information. Students also complete activities that order prenatal development cards and answer targeted questions (e.g., embryo vs. fetus, role of the placenta), which require extracting key information from the sources.
Lesson 10
Immune System
Students are asked to read pages 190–205 of The Concise Human Body Book and answer direct comprehension questions that target key information (e.g., role of the immune system, signs of inflammation, role of lymph nodes, and definition of phagocytosis). In Activities 1 and 2 students use the textbook diagram as a guide to label and explain parts of a lymph node and major immune-system organs, requiring them to locate and report central factual information from the source. The optional interactive activity directs students to explore descriptions and videos about immune response, reinforcing extraction of information from secondary sources.
Lesson 11
Nervous System
Students are instructed to read specified pages of The Concise Human Body Book and then answer focused questions about key ideas (e.g., functions of CNS/PNS/ANS, how neurons differ from other cells, brain protection, and roles of brain regions). Students label and color a brain diagram and create a nervous system diagram, tasks that require extracting and organizing central information from the readings. Activities such as the Nerve Impulse page ask students to sequence and label the steps of nerve signaling, which requires identifying the primary informational elements of the source material.
Lesson 13
Human Growth and Development
Students are instructed to read pages 280-285 in The Concise Human Body Book and answer direct questions about puberty and lifespan, requiring them to extract information from a secondary source. In Activity 2 students read an external environmental-health webpage and label at least four environmental issues, identifying affected body parts and briefly explaining possible negative consequences. The Student Activity Page prompts students to fill six boxes around an anatomical diagram with observations or explanations about how environmental conditions influence body systems.
Final Project
Body Systems Presentation
Students are instructed to put information in their own words and to avoid copying sentences directly from the unit or book, which requires rewriting source content. The final project asks students to state each system's function and identify two ways each system is interdependent with other systems, tasks that require extracting key information. The unit test and review activities ask students to match systems to functions and provide examples of interdependent systems, giving students practice identifying main ideas and essential information from unit materials.
Unit 4: To Kill a Mockingbird
Lesson 1
Historical Context
Students watch a video on "Alabama in the 1930s" and create a mind map to record and organize information from that secondary source. Students read the first two chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird and answer specific comprehension questions that require extracting key facts about characters, setting, and events. Students are asked explicitly to note "evidence of the historical period" in the chapters and to reflect (in the journal) on whether they would have wanted to live in Alabama in the 1930s, prompting identification of historical information and connections.
Lesson 3
The Mystery of Boo
Students are asked to read chapters 1 and 5 (and 5–7) and to list five things Jem and Scout think about Boo based on hearsay and five things known from personal experience or reliable sources. The Student Activity Page directs students to compare and contrast the two columns and then develop a hypothesis about who Boo really is. The Parent Plan notes that students should "cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text."
Lesson 4
Snow and Fire
Students read chapters 8–9 of To Kill a Mockingbird (a primary source) and are instructed to complete a literature response that requires including at least one quotation and explaining its meaning and importance. Students complete a Character Line-Up chart that records descriptions, quotes, and memorable actions for major characters. Discussion prompts ask students to explain Atticus's motives, consider the use of a derogatory word, and predict events foreshadowed in the text, prompting analysis of themes such as racism and integrity.
Lesson 5
Surprising Talent
Students read Chapters 10–11 of To Kill a Mockingbird and answer specific comprehension questions asking for reasons and explanations (e.g., why Scout and Jem changed their minds about their father; Miss Maudie's explanation about mockingbirds; why Jem lost his temper). Students are instructed to continue adding information to character Line-Up charts, which requires them to identify and record key information about characters. Discussion prompts ask students to explain Atticus's statements and to justify whether Mrs. Dubose is an example of courage, requiring students to cite textual information and interpret central ideas.
Lesson 6
Separate
Students are given a definition of a summary in "Things to Know" as "a statement of the main points of a text." In Activity 1 Part I, students must identify whether short passages are examples of quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing, which requires recognizing what constitutes a summary. In Activity 1 Part II, students are asked to write a quotation, a paraphrase, and then "summarize the changes in the relationship between Jem and Scout," requiring them to produce a summary of central information from the text.
Lesson 7
A Moral Dilemma
Students are asked to read chapters 14–15 of To Kill a Mockingbird and answer specific comprehension questions (Questions #1–#4) that require them to identify key events and character responses, such as Aunt Alexandra's reaction to Calpurnia, Dill's reappearance, the men's purpose in visiting Atticus, and how the lynch mob was persuaded to disband. Student discussion prompts ask learners to explain evidence of Jem's growing maturity and to analyze "mob mentality," which requires identifying central ideas about characters and community behavior. The Wrapping Up section and some questions summarize the tense atmosphere and challenge to the Finch family, providing material students can use to identify main ideas.
Lesson 8
Identity
The Parent Plan explicitly lists the skill: "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text." Students read chapters 16–17 and answer comprehension questions that require identifying key information (e.g., attitudes toward Calpurnia, atmosphere of trial day, seating in the courtroom). Activity 2 asks students to consider the theme of identity in the novel and relate it to Scout and Jem, prompting analysis of a central idea over the course of the text.
Lesson 9
Order in the Court
Students read chapters 18–20 of To Kill a Mockingbird and answer focused comprehension questions asking them to identify key information (e.g., details from Mayella's testimony, Tom Robinson's version of events, Mr. Dolphus Raymond's behavior, and Atticus's explanation of Mayella's actions). Students complete the page titled "The Trial" (fill-in-the-blank) and a cut-and-paste sequencing activity that requires them to extract, label, and order factual events and roles from the trial. The wrapping-up prompts and discussion questions ask students to consider whether the jury will believe Atticus and to explain why, which asks them to refer back to evidence presented in the chapters.
Lesson 10
Equal Rights?
Students read chapters 21–23 of To Kill a Mockingbird and are directed to "write a summary of these chapters" of 7–9 sentences that "include the most important events and omit small details." The Parent Plan explicitly lists the skill: "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development... provide an objective summary of the text." A sample summary of chapters 21–23 is provided to model an accurate, objective condensation of central events.
Lesson 11
The Mockingbird
The Parent Plan Skills statement asks students to determine a theme or central idea and provide an objective summary of the text, explicitly linking to analyzing development across characters, setting, and plot. In Activity 1 students identify the mockingbird as a symbol for the destruction of innocence and are directed to find and record examples across the book, which requires identifying and tracking a central idea through the text. The Reading and Questions section has students summarize key events (e.g., Tom Robinson's death, community reactions, Scout's comparison to Hitler) with concise, objective answers, giving practice in summarizing source information.
Lesson 12
Wise Words
Students read primary text (chapters 27–28) and answer direct questions that require summarizing events (e.g., what happened to Scout and Jem; who died and how). Students explain the meaning of selected quotes in their own words and choose one to memorize and display, which asks them to restate ideas from the text. Students take on characters' perspectives through diary entries or Venn diagrams, comparing and articulating different viewpoints on shared scenes.
Lesson 13
Text and Film
Students are asked to watch the film and keep a running list of similarities and differences between the novel and movie, which requires identifying key information from both sources. The Movie and Text question set asks students to identify major changes, how effects help tell the story, and which version they enjoyed more, prompting analysis of important elements and themes. One optional product asks students to design a poster that must include a sentence of summary that encapsulates the important themes of the film.
Final Project
Oral Book Presentation
Students are asked to create a "Plot" slide and to "Summarize the most important events in the story concisely," and the rubric evaluates that summary. The unit test requires students to "summarize the passage in 2 sentences or less" and includes a study guide definition: "Summary: A statement of main text points." The rubric and presentation tasks also require students to identify and explain at least two central themes with book examples and to describe the historical context using text-based examples.
Unit 5: Technology Explosion
Lesson 1
Overview of Modern America
Students watch a full documentary episode (a secondary source) and pause to record answers to focused comprehension questions that ask for key events, causes, and outcomes. Students complete a "What I learned from the video" column on brainstorming and choosing-topic pages, requiring them to state central information from the video. For the final project, students must research and write 1-2 sentence overviews for subtopics and explain how each development changed America, and rubrics for both the illustrated essay and National History Day plan require inclusion of primary and secondary sources and evaluate accuracy and clarity.
Lesson 2
Demographics and Immigration
Students read a firsthand account (Arn Chorn "Starting All Over") and answer specific comprehension questions about events and outcomes, showing engagement with a secondary/primary narrative. Students read/listen to an NPR piece on the 1965 Immigration Act and respond to scenario prompts, and they read a CFR backgrounder and are instructed to "take notes on the differing viewpoints," which requires identifying key information from a secondary source. Students also synthesize data from census charts and map activities, calculating and comparing percentages to summarize demographic changes over time.
Lesson 3
The End of the Cold War
Students are directed to read secondary source articles from the U.S. State Department about Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and the Berlin Wall and then answer specific comprehension questions that ask for key facts (e.g., Nixon's China policy, the Berlin Wall's fall). Students complete an "American Presidents and Foreign Policy — Nixon to Reagan" activity page in which they write a summary of each president's foreign policy, list major challenges, and note successes. Students also write 2–3 sentences explaining their graffiti art on the Berlin Wall activity page, connecting meaning to historical events.
Lesson 4
Leadership and Domestic Policy
Students are asked to identify "major topics covered by the speech" and to note a powerful sentence and explain its meaning in the Presidential Speeches analysis table, which requires extracting central ideas from presidential addresses. In Leadership in Crisis, students answer factual questions about what each president was accused of and how the president addressed those accusations while watching primary-source speeches. In Landmark Court Cases, students must write a "Short Summary of the Case" and describe "What did the court decide?" which asks for concise summaries of secondary-source case descriptions.
Lesson 5
Technology
Students are assigned to read the secondary source "Bill Gates: Another Revolution" and answer comprehension questions about its content, giving practice in extracting information from a text. Students are prompted to create an Annotated Bibliography where they list three primary and five secondary sources and write what each source is about and how it will help their research, requiring them to summarize source content. Students must write a 1-2 sentence overview of a technology for their illustrated essay and answer targeted questions in the Space Age Technology activity (why NASA created the technology, how it was useful in space and outside), which ask for concise summaries of researched information.
Lesson 6
Terrorism
Students are directed to read the History.com "9/11 Attacks" webpage and answer targeted questions that require retrieving specific information (who was responsible, which targets were hit, what prevented Flight 93 from hitting its target, and what Operation Enduring Freedom was). Students may interview an adult about their memories and then write a short (5–10 sentence) reaction paper describing how the interview helped them understand the attacks. Students examine primary artifacts from three museum sites, click full records and supporting documents, and write a paragraph for each artifact explaining what it symbolizes and how it helped them understand September 11, 2001.
Lesson 7
Modern American Culture
Students read a secondary source passage ("Judi Warren and the Warsaw Tigers") and answer targeted comprehension questions that require extracting key facts (e.g., differences in athletics before Title IX, changes in percent of female athletes, coach response, championship outcome). Students listen to primary sources (award-winning songs) and complete an activity that asks explicitly for the theme or main idea of each song. Students are asked to write a 1–2 sentence overview and explain how a technology changed America as part of their illustrated essay paragraph, which requires summarizing information from research sources.
Final Project
Illustrated Essay or National History Day
Students write an illustrated essay (Option 1) that requires an introductory paragraph naming three technologies and a concluding paragraph that "sums up the changes in technology" and includes citations for each paragraph. The unit test includes short-answer prompts asking students to describe an important technology learned in the unit and its impact and to state what they learned that was previously unknown. The lesson's project and image tasks have students gather, analyze, organize, and arrange information chronologically (e.g., creating timelines and assembling sources for a History Day plan).
Unit 5: Health and Nutrition
Lesson 1
Feelings
Students are assigned pages from Boy's Guide and Girl's Guide and asked direct comprehension questions (Q1–Q3) that require identifying reasons moods change, healthy responses to anger and stress, and signs of depression. In the Stress and Anger Management activities, students read scenarios and must identify the cause of stress and evaluate whether responses are healthy or unhealthy, which requires extracting central information from those brief texts. The wrapping up and review prompts ask students to consider why emotions change during the teenage years, reinforcing identification of key ideas from the readings.
Lesson 2
Being a Smart Consumer
Students are directed to read specific pages about tattoos and body piercings (reading instruction) and to examine product packaging and commercials to write down product names and the claims made (Activity 1). The student activity pages require students to record the claims from advertisements and compare those claims with other similar, lower-cost products, which has students extract and note the key information presented in ads. Students also list and evaluate three local fads, identifying positives, negatives, and cost, which requires pulling main information about those trends.
Lesson 3
Healthy Body
Students read linked articles and textbook pages and answer targeted comprehension questions asking for key information (e.g., the difference between infectious and non-communicable diseases, which causes more deaths worldwide, and ways to reduce infection). Students perform a sorting activity that requires identifying whether named diseases are communicable or chronic, which reflects extracting main informational categories from texts. Students research a chronic disease and create a public awareness poster listing at least four prevention strategies, and they create a PSA on a teen health issue, tasks that require gathering and presenting information from sources.
Lesson 4
Healthy Relationships
Students are directed to read an external secondary source (the "Conflict Resolution for Teens" webpage) and "Summarize what you have read by creating a list, in your own words, of steps for resolving conflict," which asks them to identify central steps from the source. Students read assigned pages in Boy's Guide/Girl's Guide and answer explicit comprehension questions (e.g., qualities of friends, issues affecting friendships, definition of bullying) that require extracting main ideas or information. Students complete the "A Good Friend" chart based on criteria in the readings, demonstrating identification and organization of key information from the texts.
Lesson 5
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs
Students read assigned textbook pages and multiple web articles and booklets (e.g., KidsHealth, The Truth About Drugs) and are instructed to take notes on the "Drug Use" activity page, recording "What is it?" and "Effects of Abusing it." Students answer directed comprehension questions (e.g., reasons teens try drugs, consequences of use) and create condensed products such as a five-item list of reasons to avoid alcohol, a one-minute PSA, or a summary chart in the activity page. The Parent Plan skills explicitly list "Summarize the short-term and long-term effects of being exposed to secondhand smoke" and other summarizing tasks as student skills to be practiced.
Lesson 6
Nutrition and Exercise
Students are directed to read Chapter 2 of Girl's/Boy's Guide and answer comprehension questions that ask them to identify important principles of healthy eating and the importance and types of exercise (Questions #1 and #2). Activity 8 requires students to create a 10–12 minute lesson in which they must explain how the food pyramid works, the meaning and calculation of BMI, and how to interpret a food label, which requires synthesizing and presenting core information from the readings. The reading-and-question tasks and the teaching activity ask students to extract and present key information from the assigned texts and supporting materials (food labels, BMI charts).
Unit 5: Great American Poets
Lesson 2
Early American Poetry
Students read Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "Paul Revere's Ride" and a first-person account titled "Paul Revere's Ride in His Own Words," mark significant lines, and complete a Venn diagram comparing the two texts (noting content, use of literary language, and details). The provided answer key lists details unique to Revere's account (factual, first-person, focus on reporting) and to Longfellow's poem (dramatic, third-person, use of rhyme and figurative language), and it identifies similarities, which requires identifying central information from each text.
Lesson 4
Poetic Forms
Students are asked to read and analyze specific poems (Longfellow's "The Sound of the Sea," "To My Dear and Loving Husband," "John Henry," and "Snow-storm") and to identify formal features such as rhyme scheme, meter, and poem type. They mark unstressed and stressed syllables and determine whether lines use iambic pentameter and whether a poem is a sonnet. They explain qualities of lyric poetry and discuss similarities and differences in structure and meter between poems.
Lesson 5
Edgar Allan Poe
Students are asked to read an excerpt from Poe's essay in Option 1 and answer the question, "According to Poe, what should poetry focus on?", which requires extracting Poe's stated idea. Students must also record lines from two of Poe's poems that demonstrate that focus, which asks them to cite textual evidence to support a central idea. In the Reading and Questions section, students analyze irony and mood in specific poems, requiring them to identify meanings and implications from primary texts.
Lesson 6
Meaning in Poetry
Students summarize the literal meaning of poems, for example with a stanza-by-stanza summary of "O Captain! My Captain!" and directions to express the poem's literal plot. The Student Activity Page asks students to write both a poem's literal meaning and its symbolic meaning and to look up unfamiliar words. Questions and instructions ask students to consider how Civil War context influences poets' subject matter and to reread poems to change understanding once historical knowledge is applied.
Lesson 7
Poetry Analysis
The Poem Analysis student page directs students to state the poem's literal meaning and any symbolic meaning (Part V) and to identify tone and mood (Part IV), which requires extracting central information from the poem. The Reading and Questions section asks students to identify poem types and to answer referent/comprehension questions (e.g., who "one whom life wounded and caged" refers to), prompting students to determine specific information in primary texts. Activity instructions require students to read poems multiple times, analyze layers of meaning and poetic devices, and to avoid consulting outside analyses, encouraging students to derive central ideas from the text itself.
Lesson 8
Robert Frost
Students read primary source poems (pages 41-52) and answer explicit comprehension and analysis questions (Question #1–#4) that require identifying form, imagery, rhyme scheme, and symbolic meaning. Question #3 asks students to state the poem's symbolic meaning, prompting them to determine the poem's central idea beyond its literal events. The Visual Response and discussion prompts ask students to compare a poem to Cubist artwork and to explain similarities, requiring synthesis of key features and meanings from the poem.
Lesson 9
Memorizing Poetry
Students read specified poems (pages 53-63) and answer questions that ask them to describe what is happening in a poem (Question #2) and to compare central features and themes across poems (Question #1 and the villanelle/elegy activities). The Student Activity Page asks students to judge whether a poem is an elegy and to compare adherence to villanelle rules, which requires identifying central features and main ideas of those poems. Activities ask students to recount the action urged by a speaker and to explain how structure contributes to meaning, tasks that require extracting key information from primary texts.
Lesson 10
Poems about Poetry
Students are asked to interpret central aspects of poems: they identify adjectives for J. Alfred Prufrock and explain why that poem's title is ironic, which requires locating key information about the speaker. A question asks how Claude McKay's background helps the reader understand "The Tropics in New York," prompting students to connect biographical/contextual information to the poem's imagery. Activity 1 directs students to reread last stanzas and explain what the authors mean, and Activity 1/Student Activity Page ask students to choose effective phrases or images and explain their meaning or effect.
Lesson 11
Editing Your Work
Students read primary poetic texts (poems in the book and linked poems) and answer targeted comprehension questions asking them to interpret meaning and effects (e.g., reread "Dream Deferred" and explain what the poet means in the last line). Students compare and contrast central themes across poems (e.g., how Dunbar's "Sympathy" is similar to Angelou's "Caged Bird") and analyze techniques that contribute to a poem's message (e.g., identifying how Countee Cullen's rhythm and rhyme shape the poem's impact). Students are asked to look up unfamiliar words and then reinterpret lines, which supports determining central ideas grounded in the text rather than initial assumptions.
Lesson 12
Reciting Poetry
Students read multiple poems (primary sources) via the provided web links and answer guided questions asking them to describe what each poem was about and what the poet was trying to communicate (e.g., QUESTION #3 asks students to describe a poem's subject and the poet's message about family relationships). Activity 2 requires students to research poets (secondary sources), read additional poems, and record factual information about the poet's life and work on a research sheet. Activity 1 asks students to analyze how poets make ordinary things meaningful, prompting students to identify significance and central impressions from poems.