Fourth Grade - ELA
1: Interdependence
Unit 1: Little House in the Big Woods
Lesson 1
Introducing the Story
Activity 2 directs students to recall an early memory and write an account, which requires recalling relevant information from personal experience. Activity 3 instructs students to locate pictures and read about Wisconsin online or in reference books and to record examples of plants and animals on the provided "Setting: Wisconsin" chart, which involves gathering information from print and digital sources and taking notes. The lesson includes web links to online sources and asks students to add dates to a timeline, indicating use of external sources for research.
Lesson 2
Little House in the Big Woods
Students are instructed to read the chapter and answer selected chapter questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students record and categorize observations on the "Life in the Big Woods vs. Life Today" chart, organizing information into columns. Students list natural resources and describe how each aided survival on the "Natural Resources and Survival" page, gathering details from the chapter (Option 2 explicitly asks students to find resources mentioned in the chapter).
Lesson 3
Winter Days and Winter Nights
Students read the chapter "Winter Days and Winter Nights" and answer comprehension questions in a journal and discussion, recalling specific details such as which chores Laura enjoyed and why the family made their own butter. Students record chores and responsibilities on two charts by placing tasks next to Laura's family members and then listing chores for their own family, which shows note-taking and categorization. Students illustrate and compare Laura's house and their own, listing similarities and differences that draw on personal experience and textual details.
Lesson 4
The Long Rifle
Students are asked to retell the chapter aloud and to connect their own experiences with the characters, which requires recalling relevant information from experience and the text. Students record one thing they learned on the 'Life in the Big Woods vs. Life Today' page, which involves writing down information and making a comparison between categories (then vs. now). Students practice storytelling by sharing personal or invented experiences orally, reinforcing recall and use of experiential information.
Lesson 5
Christmas
Before reading, students are asked to write three questions about Christmas in pioneer days and, if those questions are not answered in the text, to research online or in reference books to find answers. Students record one thing learned on the "Life in the Big Woods vs. Life Today" page, and they use the "Christmas at My House" graphic organizer to record main ideas and supporting details for three paragraphs. The Student Activity Pages prompt students to write and sort sentences by type and include spaces for organized notes (main idea, details, concluding sentence).
Lesson 6
Sundays and Two Big Bears
Students are asked to conduct research on bears using provided web links and are told the research is based on facts from print and digital sources. Students record factual information directly into labeled sections of a bear paw graphic organizer (Bear Habitats, Types of Bears, Bear Foods, Exact enemies, Other facts), which requires note-taking and categorizing. Students are also prompted to locate factual statements in the book and to analyze bear habitats during a suggested zoo visit, supporting gathering relevant information from experiences and print sources.
Lesson 7
The Sugar Snow
Students are asked to refer to the book and record the steps Grandpa took to make maple syrup (Maple Sugar Farming Option 2), which requires gathering information from a print source and taking notes in numbered boxes. Students are given web links under Life Application and are directed to "Read about maple sugar farming online," which prompts gathering information from digital sources. Vocabulary Mini-Book activities require students to use a dictionary or glossary to verify pronunciations and definitions and to write sentences, demonstrating use of print reference materials and recording information.
Lesson 8
Dance at Grandpa's
Students read the chapter and answer specific text-based questions (e.g., drawing a diagram of Grandma's house), which requires recalling relevant information from print. Students record observations (Activity 1) and take notes about how songs make them feel after listening to eight to ten pieces (Activity 2). In Activity 4 (Song Graphing) students gather information about genres by listening to songs and then create and label a bar graph to categorize the data. The lesson also provides digital web links for square dance music and about square dancing that students can access as digital sources.
Lesson 9
Going to Town
Students are asked to record one thing they learned on the "Life in the Big Woods vs. Life Today" page and to make lists (for example, list items the family bought at the store in Question #4). The life application asks students to research the town of Pepin, Wisconsin using a provided web link and to write about a visit to a historic place, which requires gathering information from a digital source and from personal experience. Activity 3 asks students to make lists of five adjectives for each sister, which has students organize descriptive information about characters.
Lesson 10
Summertime and Harvest
Students read print chapters ('Summertime' and 'Harvest') and answer comprehension questions, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. The lesson directs students to read about bees online using provided web links and to "explore how bees use nectar" and pollinate flowers, which engages gathering information from digital sources. Students are prompted to record words and phrases for each season, fill labeled seasonal sections, and "organize information using notes, charts, and labels" as listed in the Skills section.
Lesson 11
Finishing the Book
Students read print texts (the novel chapters and a letter by the author) and answer specific comprehension questions, demonstrating recall of relevant information from those readings. Students are asked to record one thing learned on the "Life in the Big Woods vs. Life Today" page, and to use the provided organizer that divides content into paragraph categories (who you are, family roles, entertainment, environment) to develop ideas. The life-application suggests locating early TV episodes online, which prompts students to gather information from a digital source.
Final Project
Pioneer Family Night
Students are asked to choose two to three favorite book sections to read aloud and explain their choices, which requires recalling relevant information from print. The Student Activity Pages provide lined spaces and a checklist where students list foods to prepare, gather materials for the orange-clove craft, and take notes about each task. The lesson asks students to select a traditional pioneer song (noting it can be found online), which directs students to gather information from a digital source.
Unit 2: The Sign of the Beaver
Lesson 1
Background Information
Students are directed to gather information from print and digital sources using the provided web links (e.g., All About Maine, National Geographic, Maine climate and map sites) and by completing the 'The State of Maine' activity pages. The Student Activity Pages include labeled sections (Location, Climate, Average Temperatures, Landforms and Bodies of Water, Plants, Animals, Habitats, Native American tribes) that require students to record and organize facts. Students are asked to record the year 1768 on a timeline and to list ten facts about Maine phrased as clues, which requires recalling and summarizing relevant information.
Lesson 2
Alone
Students answer chapter questions in a journal, recalling specific details (e.g., why Matt was in the woods, chores he performed). Students look up vocabulary in a dictionary/glossary and record definitions, parts of speech, roots, synonyms/antonyms on vocabulary webs. Students record and categorize character information (feelings, attitudes, actions) on character timelines as they read through the book.
Lesson 3
A Stranger
The lesson's Activity 3 directs students to "do research on natural remedies online or in other resource books," which requires gathering information from print and digital sources. The Natural Remedies student activity page provides a two-column table (Condition / Natural Remedy) for students to record remedies for listed conditions, which prompts students to write down findings. The activity also asks students to discuss which ingredients can be found in their outside environment, linking research to personal/environmental experience.
Lesson 4
A Treaty
Students read Chapter 6 and answer three or four questions in their journals, which requires recalling relevant information from a print source and recording responses. Students complete a "Character Timelines" activity to fill in information learned about Attean and Matt, which organizes and categorizes details about characters. Students discuss interdependence and answer guided questions about relationships, recalling personal experiences and relating them to the text.
Lesson 5
A Story
Students read Chapters 7–9 and answer specific comprehension questions (Q1–Q7), which requires recalling relevant information from a print text. Students write responses in a journal and complete directed prompts (e.g., why Matt identified with Crusoe), which engages them in gathering and recording information from their reading and experiences. Students fill in Character Timelines for Matt and Attean and complete the "A Desert Island" page, where they record descriptions and illustrations—activities that require taking notes and organizing information by character or item.
Lesson 6
The Beaver
The Beaver Research activity instructs students to "use the internet or books to research information about beavers" and to "record the information on the page as you find it," which shows students gather information from print and digital sources. The research worksheet has labeled boxes (Habitat, Food, Adaptations, Predators, Babies) and a prompt to "Illustrate the beaver in its habitat," which requires students to take notes and categorize information into defined categories. The Skills section also lists "Conduct research for assigned and self-selected projects from a variety of sources" and "Use text and own experiences to verify facts," supporting gathering and recalling relevant information.
Lesson 7
Real Life Learning
Students are prompted to answer comprehension questions in a journal or discussion, which requires recalling relevant information from the chapters. The vocabulary activity instructs students to look up definitions from the book pages and write them on the activity page, showing gathering information from a print source and taking notes. The Character Timelines and Rules of the Forest activities ask students to record descriptions and organize rules or events onto timeline pages or book pages, demonstrating note-taking and categorization of information.
Lesson 8
The Bear
Students read Chapters 14-16 and answer directed comprehension and journal questions, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students record information on a "Character Timelines" page and complete a Cause and Effect activity where they write effects for given causes, demonstrating note-taking and categorization of story details. Students use a double-bubble map to compare the Bible's Noah's Ark story and Attean's flood story, organizing similarities and differences between two print accounts.
Lesson 9
Attean's Past
Students are asked to summarize what happened in prior chapters and to read Chapters 17 and 18 and answer selected questions in a journal, which requires recalling and recording information from print. Activity 1 directs students to fill in "Character Timelines" for Matt and Attean, which has students organize and categorize information about characters over time. The "Stereotypes" activity asks students to describe a stereotype they have observed or held, prompting them to recall relevant personal experiences and write responses.
Lesson 10
Manitou
Students read Chapters 19 and 20 and answer assigned questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students record three passages on the "Word Pictures" page and illustrate them, which has students extract and note specific textual passages. Students complete "Character Timelines" and the "Values" worksheet, which asks them to list and sort values for Matt and Attean and to describe examples that demonstrate those values.
Lesson 11
A Choice
Students answer targeted comprehension questions about Chapters 21–22 that require recalling specific details (e.g., how Attean looked, why Matt would not go, what each gave the other). Students add information to a "Character Timelines" page, which requires recording and organizing events and character details chronologically. Students write journal responses and develop interview questions and answers, documenting their reflections and character information in writing.
Lesson 12
Persuasive Writing
Activity 1 directs students to fold paper and record all advantages of Matt going with Attean on one side and advantages of Matt staying at the cabin on the other, which has students take notes and categorize information into two groups. Activity 2 requires students to write a letter or speech that includes the three best reasons and support for each reason, which asks students to recall or select relevant information to support their arguments. The rubric asks whether students provide three reasons and support for all three reasons, reinforcing that students must gather and organize relevant evidence for their persuasive claims.
Lesson 13
The Return
Students are asked to finish the novel and answer specific comprehension questions (Questions #1–#6), which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students fill in a "Story Elements" page (setting, theme, characters, problem, resolution) and complete a "Character Timelines" entry, which requires organizing and categorizing details from the story. In the "Solving Problems" activity students record the book's solution to problems and write their own solutions in a three-column table, which functions as taking notes and categorizing information.
Final Project
The Sign of the Beaver Movie
Students are asked to browse a streaming service or movie website and read descriptions of movies as models for writing a movie synopsis, which requires gathering information from digital sources. Students refer to specific book pages when designing costumes (e.g., p.28, p.76-77, p.122-123) and must choose favorite scenes and write a script, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students write a rough draft of a synopsis and revise it using a rubric, practicing selection and use of relevant details about setting and main characters.
Unit 3: Native American Animal Stories
Lesson 1
Myths, Legends, and Folktales
Students are asked to record definitions in a journal and to record names of myths, legends, or folktales they have read in the past, which requires recalling relevant information from prior experience. Students are encouraged to identify and read stories in their home library, demonstrating gathering information from print sources. Students complete the provided "Elements of Culture" chart by rereading a myth or folktale and identifying cultural elements, which requires taking notes and categorizing information into labeled columns.
Lesson 2
People and Animal Stories
Students are asked to research the geographical locations of tribes (Activity 2) and consult specific pages (pp. xxvii-xix) of the book, which requires gathering relevant information from a print source. Multiple activities require students to take notes and categorize information, including filling in the "Elements of Culture" charts (Activities 1 and 5), completing a story map (Activity 3), and writing journal entries that list each story, its animal, the animal's importance, and lessons learned (Activity 7). Students also record and compare information using a Venn diagram or other comparison chart in the "Comparing Stories" activity.
Lesson 3
The Natural World
Students read multiple printed myths and watch a digital video (Lord Syntax) as part of the activities, providing print and digital sources to draw from. Students record cultural elements found in legends on the "Elements of Culture" chart and list camouflaged animals with descriptions, which show note-taking and categorization. Students also write in a journal the title of each story and the problem and solution, demonstrating recall and recording of relevant information.
Lesson 4
Survival Stories
Students answer guided comprehension questions in their journals after reading each survival story, which requires them to recall relevant information from print. The lesson asks students to "locate information from text for specific purposes" and to "use written language to report information," and it has students complete an Elements of Culture chart and Animals and Survival/Ecosystems pages that require note-taking and categorizing details about food, tools, transportation, and animal roles. The lesson also prompts students to "research the history of the buffalo," indicating gathering information from sources beyond the stories.
Lesson 5
Legends from Other Cultures
Students read multiple print stories (Central African, Chinese, Brazilian, Native American) and answer comprehension questions in a journal, demonstrating recall of relevant information. Students record and illustrate Pan Gu's transformations and use a double-bubble map to compare creation stories, showing they categorize information. Students complete an "Elements of Culture" chart and the "Grammar Practice" pages where they record sentence examples and proper nouns, indicating note-taking and recording of information.
Final Project
My Own Myth
Students are directed to "read about the occurrence online or in an encyclopedia to learn more about it," which has them gather information from print and digital sources. Students are asked to "brainstorm ideas in her journal," providing a place to record notes and ideas. Students complete the "Organizing the Myth" activity page that asks them to write the Natural Phenomenon, Characters, Setting, Problem in the story, and How the problem is solved, which requires them to record and categorize information.
2: Force and Power
Unit 1: Ben and Me
Lesson 1
Ben Franklin and the Colonies
Students are asked to locate information about Benjamin Franklin using provided web links and to record findings on "The Life of Ben Franklin" page and on an Age 8–10 timeline (Activity 1). The student kite-shaped activity page prompts students to fill distinct categories (date of birth, where he lived, scientific contributions, contributions to country, personality, date of death), which requires taking notes and organizing facts into labeled categories. The Skills section explicitly lists "Conduct research on a variety of topics," reinforcing that students will gather information from sources.
Lesson 2
Setting the Record Straight
Students read Chapters 1 and 2 and answer specific journal questions, which requires recalling relevant information from a print source. Students complete the "Fact and Fiction" chart after each chapter, recording a factual event and a fictional event, which has them take notes and categorize information. The lesson also tells students they may need to do more research on Franklin's life to learn which events were actual, indicating gathering relevant information beyond the book.
Lesson 3
Swimming
Students read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer journal questions that require recalling text details (e.g., what happened to Amos, why Amos disliked Ben swimming). Students record factual and fictional events from each chapter, which has them categorize events as fact or fiction. Students copy sentences that describe the hat and circle adjectives, and they list modern inventions that aid swimming in their journals.
Lesson 4
Electricity
Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer assigned journal questions that require recalling relevant information from the text. Students record events as factual or fictional on the provided "Fact and Fiction" page, which requires them to take notes and categorize information. Students verbally summarize chapter events and are asked to read a book or teach a younger child, activities that involve gathering and using information from print sources.
Lesson 5
Electrifying
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 and answer guided journal questions, which requires them to gather relevant information from a print source. Students perform the Experiment with Lightning and respond to prompts asking them to describe what happened and why, which requires recalling relevant information from an experience. Students complete a Fact and Fiction activity in which they record a factual and a fictional event from each chapter, which asks them to categorize information. Students write a first-person account after kite-flying, which again requires recalling and recording experiential details.
Lesson 6
War
Students read Chapters 9 and 10 and answer two or three chapter questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students record a factual and fictional event from each chapter and mark statements as fact or opinion, then write two facts and two opinions attributed to Amos, which has them take notes and categorize information. The life-application activity asks students to cut out sentences from newspapers and magazines and sort them as facts or opinions, which has students gather and categorize information from print sources.
Lesson 7
France
Students are asked to locate France on a map and take a "photo journey through France online," using the three provided web links to view digital images. Students are asked to read Chapters 11 and 12 and answer comprehension questions, which requires gathering relevant information from print. Students record factual and fictional events from each chapter on a "Fact and Fiction" page and are instructed to record ideas in pictures and lists and to write a step-by-step plan, demonstrating note-taking and organization of information.
Lesson 8
Amos's Account
Students are prompted to read a short biography and "read more on the Internet," which directs them to gather information from print and digital sources. Students record an event and then list ten facts, five ideas/opinions/feelings, and the sequence of events on the "Organizing My Writing" page, which requires note-taking and categorizing information. The activity asks students to look back at information gathered in Lesson 1, encouraging recall of relevant prior experiences or notes.
Lesson 9
The Rescue
Students read Chapters 13 and 14 and answer selected comprehension questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students choose and record a factual event and a fictional event on the Fact and Fiction page, and they complete the Ben and Amos Bags graphic organizer by listing characteristics (dislikes, appearance, uses of power, likes, personality) for each character. Students also collect 3–5 representative items for each character bag and explain their significance, demonstrating categorization of details drawn from the reading (and optionally from the linked Yankee Doodle video).
Lesson 10
Back Home
Students are asked to list a factual and fictional detail from today's chapter on the "Fact and Fiction" page, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students locate each maxim in context, record their interpretations, and interview adults to record adult interpretations in the "Ben's Maxims" table, which requires gathering information from print and human sources and recording notes. On the "Elements of Historical Fiction" page, students fill in examples of characters, settings, plot, theme, and descriptions, which asks them to categorize information from the book into specified categories.
Final Project
An Interview or Party for Ben
Students are asked to write ten interview questions and answer them according to what they know about Ben Franklin, which requires recalling relevant information from their experiences or prior reading. The directions suggest that it might be helpful for students to see pictures of Ben Franklin in books or online, which indicates using print and digital sources. Students also write two maxims and explain their importance, demonstrating recall and selection of relevant information.
Unit 2: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Lesson 1
The Professor's House
Students are asked to gather information from print and digital sources: Activity 2 directs students to use an online dictionary to look up vocabulary and record definitions on note cards, and Activity 3 provides web links and asks students to read about C.S. Lewis in an encyclopedia or on the Internet. Students are prompted to take notes and organize information by writing definitions on the backs of note cards, filling in a biographical 'Meet the Author' worksheet, or brainstorming five or six important details to use in a newspaper article. Activity 1 also suggests locating books and websites for additional historical background on World War II.
Lesson 2
Edmund Discovers Narnia
Students are assigned Chapters 3 and 4 to read and to answer chapter questions in their journal, which requires them to recall and record relevant information from the text. The "Good vs. Evil" chart asks students to record an example from each chapter and to illustrate it, which has students take notes and categorize examples by chapter and theme. Activity 1 has students locate Narnia and Cair Paravel on the map in the book's front cover, which has students gather geographic information from a print source.
Lesson 3
Always Winter and Never Christmas
Students are assigned Chapters 5 and 6 to read and are told to answer selected discussion questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students list and illustrate examples of good vs. evil and are asked to list book examples that fit plural-formation rules, which requires identifying and categorizing details from the reading. The Life Application asks students to take a guided tour of a historical home so students can recall and learn from an experience.
Lesson 4
The Lion
Students are directed to find a fictional short story about a lion in the library or online (with example web links provided), which requires gathering information from print and digital sources. After reading, students are asked to record words and phrases that describe the lion, which constitutes taking notes. Students are then instructed to use a Venn diagram to compare the lion in the found story to Aslan, which requires categorizing the recorded information.
Lesson 5
A Disappointment
Students are asked to summarize chapters and recall specific events (e.g., what happened to Edmund) and answer assigned journal questions, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students record examples of good vs. evil on a designated page and complete a 'Villains' page where they list, describe, and illustrate villains and write phrases and sentences about them, showing note-taking and categorization. The life-application asks students to go through books and movies (including streaming sources) and record the names of different villains, which has students gather relevant information from print and digital media.
Lesson 6
A Gift from Father Christmas
Students are asked to "record her ideas for each paragraph in the boxes at the top of the page," which requires taking notes and organizing information into three labeled categories (Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3). Students are prompted to "pretend that she is a character" and think about what gift she would want, which requires recalling or imagining relevant experiences to generate content. The activity asks students to use vocabulary words and to "look up the spelling of any words she does not know," which indicates limited use of print/digital reference sources.
Lesson 7
Spring
Students read Chapters 11 and 12 and answer selected journal questions, showing recall of relevant information from a print text. Activity 1 asks students to record examples of good vs. evil on a dedicated page, which requires taking notes and categorizing information. The Life Application directs students to read a newspaper, locate possessive nouns, and record them in a journal, which involves gathering information from a print source and recording it.
Lesson 8
Deep Magic
Activity 4 asks the student to "select a ruler to read about online or in other reference sources" and to "fill in the information below," explicitly directing students to gather information from print or digital sources. The "A Powerful Leader" activity page provides a structured place for students to record "10 Facts about" a chosen leader, which requires students to take notes. Other activities ask students to record examples (Good vs. Evil) and list words and phrases for imagery, showing students practice locating and recording specific information from the text.
Lesson 9
Back to Life
Students are asked to summarize what Lucy and Susan observed and to answer three or four comprehension questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students are prompted to record an example of good vs. evil on a 'Good vs. Evil' page, which asks them to categorize information from the chapters. One activity asks students to find information about lion habitats and create a diorama, which requires gathering information from print or digital sources.
Lesson 10
Back Through the Wardrobe
Students read Chapter 17 and answer journal questions that require recalling plot details and character outcomes (for example, questions about Edmund's bravery and what happened when the children returned through the wardrobe). Students watch The Chronicles of Narnia movie and discuss differences between the book and movie, which requires gathering information from both a print source (the novel) and a digital/film source. Students choose to produce written work such as a movie review or a casting list with explanations, which involves using information from the book and film to support their responses.
Final Project
Narnia Think-Tac-Toe
Students are asked to summarize The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for an audience, which requires recalling relevant information from a print source. Multiple Think-Tac-Toe options ask students to write journal entries, short stories, and analytical paragraphs about characters, themes, and other books/movies, which require recalling or drawing on information from the text or personal experience. The instructions tell students to "gather any materials he will need," indicating that students collect resources to complete chosen projects.
Unit 3: The BFG
Lesson 1
In the Middle of the Night
Students read the novel's "List of Characters" and the first two chapters and answer daily journal questions, which requires them to recall relevant information from the print text. Students are asked to observe their own street at night and write a paragraph describing differences, which has them gather relevant information from personal experience. The vocabulary activity has students match words to definitions, which asks them to sort and categorize vocabulary items.
Lesson 2
Snatched
Students are asked to locate London on a world map and to "help your child locate information about London in books and online," which requires gathering relevant information from print and digital sources. Students are directed to record information beneath labeled flaps (Location; Language; People; Homes; Buildings; Similarities to America; Differences from America; Other), which has them take notes and categorize information. The Skills section also states "Use text to locate information for specific purposes," reinforcing extraction of information from texts.
Lesson 3
The BFG
Students read specified chapters of the book and answer three or four journal questions about what they learned, demonstrating recall of relevant information from a print source. Students complete the "Quotable Quotes" pages by recording a meaningful quote from each chapter, which requires taking notes and organizing information by chapter. Students use the "Giant Geography" activity to locate countries on a map and fill labeled boxes for each country, which organizes information by geographic category.
Lesson 5
Time with the BFG
Students are asked to summarize chapters they read yesterday and to predict and then confirm events, which requires recalling relevant information from prior reading. The reading-and-questions section directs students to answer selected questions in a journal, which has them gather information from the print text and record responses. Activity 1 has students record quotes on a "Quotable Quotes" page and Activity 2 has students list similarities and differences across the categories appearance, personality, and power, which has them take notes and categorize information. The life application asks students to identify carbonated beverages in a store, which engages them in gathering information from experience.
Lesson 6
Catching People and Dreams
Students read two chapters and are asked to answer selected questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. The Skills list explicitly asks students to "relate plot, setting, and characters to personal experiences," prompting connections to prior experience. The "Quotable Quotes" activity asks students to identify and record quotes, and the Life Application directs students to keep a list of inventive words in a journal, which involves recording information.
Lesson 7
A Nightmare for Fleshlumpeater
Students read chapters and other print versions (The BFG chapters and Jack and the Beanstalk) and answer selected questions in their journals, showing recall and gathering of information from texts. Students record quotes on a "Quotable Quotes" page and answer journal prompts, which demonstrates taking notes. Students complete a "Tangible or Intangible" sorting page and list examples of evidence for intangibles, which requires categorizing information.
Lesson 8
A Dreamy Plan
Students are asked to locate information about the Queen of England and to look at pictures and read about her roles and responsibilities, which requires gathering information from print or digital sources. Students record quotes from Sophie and the BFG on a "Quotable Quotes" page and cut out vocabulary words and definitions to paste into their journals, which involves collecting and recording information. The activity prompts (e.g., "The queen is __", "The queen has the power to __") guide students to organize facts into specific categories for written responses.
Lesson 9
The Palace
Students are asked to locate pictures of London online or in books and are given two web links to introduce the topic, which requires gathering information from print and digital sources. Activity 2 asks students to help find information about a selected city (buildings, important places, people) to include in a rescue plan. Students record quotes on a Quotable Quotes page and answer chapter questions in a journal, and the provided cause-and-effect and positive/negative graphic organizers require students to categorize information from the story.
Lesson 10
A Breakfast Fit for a Queen
Students are asked to answer three chapter questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students record quotes from Sophie and the BFG on a "Quotable Quotes" page and provide textual examples to support five adjectives on the "Characterizing the Queen" page, which involves taking notes and categorizing information. The lesson also tells students to "review some of the information your child learned about the queen during her research," implying use of gathered information.
Lesson 11
Fighting Giants
The lesson's Skills section explicitly tells students to "Take simple notes from relevant sources" and to "Use multiple sources, including print such as an encyclopedia, technology, and experts, to locate information that addresses questions." In Activity 2 students are instructed to read about the U.S. armed forces online or in books and to take notes on four labeled sheets (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines), which requires gathering information from print/digital sources and categorizing it. The extension asks students to interview someone who serves, which engages recalling or gathering information from an experience.
Lesson 12
Snozzcumbers
Students are directed to the Roald Dahl website to read about the author's life and then write five interview questions, which requires gathering information from a digital source and recording notes. Students answer three text-based questions in a journal and record quotable lines from characters, demonstrating recall of relevant information from print and note-taking. Students complete a theme graphic organizer in which they record events, quotes, and characters' actions under specific theme headings, which asks them to categorize supporting information from the text.
3: Similarities and Differences
Unit 1: Stories from Africa and Asia
Lesson 1
Meerkats in Botswana
Students are directed to use print (the back of the book) and digital sources (National Geographic Kids; Smithsonian; NatGeoKids meerkat page) to learn about Botswana and meerkats. Students are asked to record a few notes in a graphic organizer with labeled categories (Land, Language, Animals, People), which requires categorizing gathered information. Students are prompted to write a descriptive paragraph or short story that includes at least five facts drawn from the research sources.
Lesson 2
Meeting Precious
Students are directed to read information about ostriches and cobras using two specific web links and/or other sources, showing gathering from digital sources. Students record five facts about each animal (Option 1) and/or fill in a chart with categorized information (Option 2) including diet, habitat, predators, defense, and special characteristics. The instructions also tell students to refer back to information gathered in an earlier lesson, indicating recall of relevant information from prior experiences.
Lesson 3
The Surprise
Students are asked in Activity 3 to find the names of a variety of African animals and choose one to research, then write a paragraph describing why they would study that animal, which involves gathering information from sources. The Life Application directs students to find and watch a video clip or documentary about meerkats (a digital source) and discuss similarities and differences with the book. Students are also asked to answer reading questions in a journal and to skim Chapter 3 to find examples of authorial intrusion, which requires recalling and locating relevant information from the text.
Lesson 4
A Missing Cow
Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer comprehension questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students complete the "Precious and Me" chart to compare and contrast their lives with Precious's, which involves organizing and categorizing information. On the "Story Conflict" activity page, students generate man-vs-nature conflicts for several natural settings, practicing categorization by setting and drawing on other books or experiences.
Lesson 5
A Good Idea
Students are asked to recall a personal challenging experience and write a paragraph about it in their journal (Activity 2), which requires recalling relevant information from experience. Students are directed to visit the African Wildlife Foundation website and read about animals (Activity 4), which requires gathering information from a digital source. Students write answers in their journals, fill in a "Precious and Me" chart, and sort verbs/adverbs and nouns/adjectives using circle charts, which involves taking notes and categorizing information.
Lesson 6
African Bush Diorama
Students are asked to "find descriptions of the book's setting to help [them] design the diorama," which requires gathering relevant information from the print source (the book). Students use the "Organizing My Report" pages and a four-paragraph structure that separates content into Characters/Setting, Plot, Comparison (Paragraph 3), and Opinion (Paragraph 4), which organizes and categorizes information. The rubric and organizer prompt students to summarize main events, describe characters and setting, and compare Precious's life to life in the United States, requiring recall of relevant details from experience and text.
Lesson 7
Japan
Students are asked to read A Kids Guide to Japan and answer five specific questions, requiring them to recall relevant information from a print source. The Skills section and the provided web link (Bento Box Basics) ask students to conduct research by gathering information from a variety of sources, indicating use of print and digital sources. Students complete a Venn diagram comparing Japan and America and label a map of Japan, which require organizing and categorizing information using words and pictures.
Lesson 8
Peace Day
Students read the prologue and the first two chapters of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes and answer comprehension questions in a journal that recall specific details (e.g., family members, Peace Day). Students locate and record definitions and the sentences from the book for Japanese vocabulary words, illustrate them, alphabetize cut-out cards, and assemble a small picture dictionary. Students complete graphic organizers that record cultural elements by chapter (food, clothing, school, family life, celebrations) and compare Peace Day to an American holiday. The lesson also directs use of word reference materials (dictionary, glossary) to confirm decoding, verify spelling, and extend meanings.
Lesson 9
The Secret is Out
Students answer journal questions after reading the chapters, which requires them to recall relevant information from the text. Activity 1 directs students to record information they learned about Japan's culture on specific pages, and Activity 2 asks students to create a chart or Venn diagram to organize similarities and differences between their lives and Sadako's. Activity 4 asks students to read about cancer prevention online and make a list of ways their family could live healthier, which requires gathering information from a digital source and recording it.
Lesson 10
Kenji
Students read chapters and then answer three questions in their journal and discuss others, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students are asked to summarize events and reflect on Sadako's situation, further practicing recall. Activity 1 asks students to fill in information about Japanese culture, and Activity 3 supplies two web links for origami instructions, which supports gathering information from print/digital sources.
Lesson 11
O Bon
Students read the chapters Hundreds of Wishes and Last Days and answer comprehension questions in their journals, which requires recalling relevant information from the print text. Students record information on the "Japanese Cultural Elements" chart, explicitly taking notes and categorizing cultural details. Students write journal entries or songs comparing American and Japanese remembrance practices, synthesizing and organizing information they gathered from the reading and discussion.
Lesson 12
Racing the Wind
Students read printed sections (Racing the Wind, Epilogue, About the Author) and answer questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students are instructed to record information they learn about Japanese culture on a "Japanese Cultural Elements" chart, which directs them to take notes and categorize cultural information. Students are also asked to look online for a picture of the Children's Peace Monument and to use online tools (PowerPoint, emaze, Prezi) to type and present their haiku, which involves gathering information or resources from digital sources.
Lesson 13
Precious and Sadako
Students locate details in the novels and record them on structured activity pages: they illustrate each character, write a description, cite a character quote, note a character action, record words or phrases others use about the character, and list personality traits. Students explain three or four important events from each story and use those recalls to create scrapbook images or write first-person letters about events. Students also create test questions and an answer key, demonstrating retrieval of information from the texts.
Unit 2: Holes
Lesson 1
Texas and Desert Biomes
Students are directed to gather information from print and digital sources by reading books, looking at pictures, and using the provided web links about Texas and desert biomes. Students take notes and record information in multiple places: journal brainstorming, labeling a Texas map, listing items that make Texas different, and recording names of desert animals and plants and describing adaptations. The skills section explicitly states that students should "take simple notes from relevant sources" and "compile notes into outlines, reports, summaries, or other written efforts using available technology."
Lesson 2
Camp Green Lake
Students are asked to read Chapters 1–4 and answer selected questions in a journal, prompting them to recall and record relevant information from the text. Students complete the "The Happy Campers" graphic organizer to record and categorize what they learn about each boy, and they illustrate physical details. Students are told they may look up unfamiliar legal terms in a dictionary, which directs them to gather information from a print source. Students are also invited to visit a courthouse to observe a trial and then describe what they learned from that experience.
Lesson 3
Digging
Students read Chapters 5–7 and answer selected questions in a journal, which has them recall and record relevant information from the text. The lesson provides a web link to a soil resource and asks students to use it to explore soil layers, showing use of a digital source. Students complete 'Happy Campers' pages and cut‑and‑paste or draw/match soil layers and definitions, which requires them to take notes, record details, and categorize information about characters and soil layers.
Lesson 4
Caveman
Students read Chapters 8–12 and answer assigned questions in their journals, recalling details such as the fossil, the wreck room, and character nicknames. Students record information about the boys on the 'Happy Campers' pages and write the author's description of the yellow-spotted lizard on the provided lines, then illustrate it. Students make a fossil model and discuss what archaeologists can learn from fossils, drawing on a hands-on experience to generate relevant information.
Lesson 5
KB
Students are asked to record a prediction in a journal before reading and to answer questions and record information on the "Happy Campers" pages and other student activity pages as they read Chapters 13–16. Students identify and explain examples of verbal and situational irony on a two-part activity page, which separates and labels types of irony (a form of categorizing information). Students complete structured worksheets that require underlining subjects and rewriting sentences, which involves extracting and recording relevant details from sentences or the text.
Lesson 6
Sunflower Seeds
Students read Chapters 17–20 and answer chapter questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students are prompted to write three research questions about rattlesnakes, use books and/or the Internet to find answers, and record those answers on the provided "Rattlesnake Research" page. Students record information about characters on the "Happy Campers" pages, which involves noting details they learned.
Lesson 7
Zero
Students are asked to record information about characters on the "Happy Campers" pages, which requires note-taking about textual details. Students are asked to find the author's description of Green Lake and then draw and compare Green Lake yesterday and today, which has them gather relevant information from the text and categorize similarities and differences. The materials suggest reading information online if unfamiliar with the time period, indicating students may gather information from digital sources.
Lesson 8
Sam the Onion Man
Students read Chapters 25–28 and are asked to answer four or five questions in a journal and discuss remaining questions, requiring them to recall relevant information from the text. Students are asked to summarize the story of Kate Barlow and Sam the Onion Man, which requires pulling together and restating information from the reading. The activities (e.g., writing a speech or poem about racial equality) prompt students to use information from the historical scenario in the text to support their writing.
Lesson 9
Driving a Truck
Students read Chapters 29–32 and select four questions to answer in their journal, which requires recalling and recording relevant information from the text. Students record information about the boys on the "Happy Campers" pages and complete the "Character Comparisons" graphic organizer, writing similarities and differences between characters (categorizing information). The lesson includes a web link students can look up for Wanted Poster research, showing an opportunity to gather information from a digital source.
Lesson 10
The Mary Lou
Students are asked to read Chapters 33–36 and answer three chapter questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Activity 2 (Option 1) asks students to find similes and metaphors in song lyrics and poetry and suggests providing CDs and books of poetry, which requires gathering information from print and audio sources. The Student Activity Page directs students to determine whether sentences contain similes or metaphors and to identify what is being compared, which has students categorize examples of language.
Lesson 11
The Thumb of God
Students are directed to locate onion recipes in cookbooks and to practice using the index to find specific words and page numbers (Activity 1). Students are asked to answer selected reading questions in a journal and to predict or recall events from the chapters (Reading and Questions, Getting Started). Students create a Venn diagram or another organizer to record at least two similarities and differences (Activity 3), which requires categorizing information they gathered from the text.
Lesson 12
Treasure and Lizards
Students are asked to summarize the previous chapter and to read Chapters 42–45 and then answer questions in a journal, which requires recalling and recording relevant information from the print text. Students complete the "Conflict in Holes" activity page by choosing three types of conflict, writing descriptions, and illustrating each, which requires categorizing information from the novel. Students answer comprehension questions in writing and orally, providing additional instances of gathering and recording information from the print source.
Lesson 13
Innocent
Students answer specific comprehension questions orally or in a journal after reading Chapters 46–50, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students are asked to rent and view the movie Holes and then compare similarities and differences to the book, which has them gather information from a print source and a digital/film source. In Activity 3 students cut apart event cards, sort them into two character-based plots, sequence events, and identify problem, climax, and solution, which has them take information, organize it into categories, and sequence notes on events.
Unit 3: Stories from Europe
Lesson 1
Tradition Stories
The Skills section explicitly lists recalling relevant information, gathering from print and digital sources, taking notes, categorizing information. Activity 2 directs students to brainstorm stories they remember (recall), write key words or character names (note-taking), and sort them on the "Story Traditions" page (categorizing). Activity 1 includes a linked video and Activity 3 includes a linked map, which give students print/digital sources to consult while completing tasks.
Lesson 2
Fiona's Luck
Students read the printed story Fiona's Luck and are asked to "Read more about Ireland at the following website" and to watch two linked videos, showing they gather information from print and digital sources. Students record three facts and three fantasy elements on the "Fact and Fantasy" activity page, which requires them to take notes and categorize details as fact or fantasy. Students complete a "Story Elements" page where they organize information into setting, characters, plot, conflict, resolution, and theme, demonstrating categorization of gathered information.
Lesson 3
The Sea King's Daughter
Students read the printed folktale and follow web links about Russia (Activity 1 and Day 2) to gather information from print and digital sources. Students record the story title on a map and answer guided questions about the story and the factual Russia information, demonstrating recall of relevant information. Students complete the "Fact and Fantasy" page and the "Story Elements" organizer to take notes and categorize details from the story into factual vs. fictional elements and into characters, setting, conflict, resolution, and theme.
Lesson 4
The Snow Queen
Students are asked to read print and digital sources (a website about Denmark, a Britannica biography, and linked videos) and answer specific comprehension questions about those readings. Students create a small informational book with labelled pages (Geography, History, Transportation, Food, Economy) and use multiple Student Activity Pages that provide lined areas and graphic organizers for note-taking and categorizing information (e.g., The Snow Queen Story Elements, Frozen vs The Snow Queen). The curriculum includes explicit prompts to take notes while watching the video and to record similarities/differences between the movie and the story.
Lesson 5
Comparing and Contrasting Stories
Students are asked to review activity pages and flip through the books to summarize each story, which requires recalling relevant information from print sources. Students watch a linked video (digital source) about point of view, showing use of a digital source. Students gather the Story Elements pages and complete the Comparing Story Elements sheet by listing similarities and differences and explaining which stories are most similar or different, which involves taking notes and categorizing information.
Final Project
Writing Your Own Story
Students are asked to pick a setting they are very familiar with and to brainstorm story ideas from their experiences, which supports recalling relevant information. The unit provides multiple organizers (character pages, setting page, theme web, plot organizer, and rough-draft pages) that require students to record ideas, jot down sentences, and organize events and theme-related details. The slideshow option mentions that students can find images online to enhance their writing, which implies gathering some digital resources.
4: Exploration and Survival
Unit 1: Abel's Island
Lesson 1
Survival
Students are directed to read about river habitats online using three specific web links, and to look for names of river plants and animals to add to a chart (Activity 2). Students are asked to recall and describe personal experiences of rivers and to list three things they would miss if shipwrecked in a journal (Activity 4). Students complete a 'Natural River Resources' graphic organizer that asks them to list river resources and categorize how those resources meet needs such as food, water, shelter, and clothing (Activity 3).
Lesson 2
The Storm
Students answer comprehension questions about Chapters 1–2 that require recalling details from the text (e.g., what Abel and his wife were doing, the weather, shelter). Students record natural resources Abel uses and describe how he uses them on the "Using Natural Resources" activity page, organizing notes by chapter pairs. Students complete journal responses and graphic organizers (vocabulary book, predictions/inferences) based on information drawn from the reading.
Lesson 3
Where Am I?
Students read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer assigned questions in a journal, which requires recalling and recording relevant information from the print text. Students are directed to fill in a chart titled "Using Natural Resources" by taking information from the chapters, and to locate information for specific purposes (interact with the text). The lesson includes two web links to sailing songs, giving digital sources that students can access.
Lesson 4
Who Is Abel?
Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer three to four questions in their journal, requiring them to recall relevant information from the text. Students fill in the "Using Natural Resources" chart by taking information from Chapters 5 and 6, which has them gather and categorize textual details. Students complete the "Who Is Abel?" activity page by recording physical appearance and personality traits with corresponding evidence from the text, demonstrating collection and recording of supporting information.
Lesson 5
Perseverance
Students are directed to gather information from print when Activity 1 asks them to fill in the chart "Using Natural Resources" using information taken from Chapters 7 and 8. Students are asked to recall personal experiences when Option 1 has them write about a time they persevered, which requires recalling relevant information from their own lives. Students use graphic organizers (Reflective Writing Organizer and paragraph sections) to organize ideas into categories (goal/problem, obstacles, response) and to plan and draft paragraphs.
Lesson 6
Surprises
Students read Chapters 9 and 10 and are prompted to take information from those chapters to complete Activity 1 (fill in the 'Using Natural Resources' chart), which requires gathering relevant information from print. Students cut apart and order Abel's routines and write a schedule for Abel and themselves (Activity 2), which has them organize and categorize events. Students choose five items for a deserted island and explain why they selected each (Activity 3) and record times for daily activities (Life Application), which requires recalling experiences and recording notes.
Lesson 7
Threats
Students are asked to read Chapters 11 and 12 and answer comprehension questions, which requires recalling relevant information from print. Students fill in a chart titled "Using Natural Resources" taking information from the chapters, and they create vocabulary cards recording the sentence from the book, definitions, syllable counts, root words, and parts of speech, which involves taking notes and categorizing word information. In the Adaptations activity, students list three adaptations for Abel and describe how each aids survival, categorizing ideas according to threats and adaptation type.
Lesson 8
The Dead of Winter
Students are asked to fill in the chart "Using Natural Resources" by taking information from Chapters 13 and 14, which requires locating and recording relevant details from print text. Students are directed to research information about hibernation and to answer structured questions on the Hibernation student page, providing spaces for written responses (note-taking). In the Hibernation Experiment students record pulse, breaths, and temperature in a data table before and after activity, using personal experience and recorded measurements to compare and draw conclusions.
Lesson 9
The Newcomer
The lesson asks students to fill in a chart, "Using Natural Resources," by taking information from Chapters 15 and 16, which requires gathering relevant information from print. Students are instructed to create a Venn diagram comparing Gower and Abel by physical attributes, attitudes, and personalities, which requires organizing and categorizing details. Students are asked to reread pages 93–96 and prepare a script that uses lines, stage directions, and set/prop details, which requires recalling and using specific text information.
Lesson 10
Escape
Students are asked to "use text and personal experience to verify facts, concepts, and ideas" and to write big and little questions about Chapters 17-18, which has them recall and gather relevant information from the text and their experiences. Students complete Parts of Speech activities where they identify or supply words and then label them as noun, adjective, verb, or adverb, which requires recording information and categorizing items by part of speech. In the "Abel to Change" activity, students list characteristics of Abel before and after the island and explain causes of change, organizing information into before/after categories and composing acrostic descriptions.
Lesson 11
Home at Last
Students are asked to recall events from prior chapters in the introduction and to answer specific comprehension questions about Chapters 19 and 20, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Activity 1 directs students to fill in a chart titled "Using Natural Resources," taking information from Chapters 19 and 20, which has students take notes and categorize information. Activity 3 (Theme Bubble Map) asks students to identify a theme and cite evidence from a sample story on a graphic organizer, which has students gather textual evidence and organize it visually. The Life Application suggests searching online to find where a film is available, which prompts students to gather information from digital sources.
Final Project
Your Own Deserted Island
Students are asked to make lists of the items they have with them and the resources they discover on the island (Stranded on the Island page), and to write descriptive paragraphs about how they use those resources. Students are instructed to draw an island map with a scale, symbols, and a key, which requires organizing and labeling information spatially. The Skills section explicitly lists using planning strategies (drawing, mapping, discussing, and listing) to generate topics and organize ideas, supporting note-taking and categorization activities.
Unit 2: Pedro's Journal
Lesson 1
Exploring with Columbus
Students are asked to recall prior knowledge in a journal and record questions about Columbus, which supports recalling relevant information from experience. Students are directed to gather information from print and digital sources (library biography, online links provided) to read about Columbus. Multiple activity pages require students to take notes and categorize information: the 'Columbus, The Man' positive/negative organizer, the 'Reasons for Exploration' table (reasons with possible positives/negatives), the 'Historical Fiction' bubble map (categorizing facts vs. fiction), and the 'Columbus' Route' map for recording dates and events.
Lesson 2
August
Students read Pedro's journal entries and answer questions, which requires gathering relevant information from a print source. Students are directed to locate images online and use several provided web links about navigational tools, indicating gathering information from digital sources. Students record geographic location, attitudes, and important events in a multi-column 'The Journey' chart and list ten ocean facts with illustrations, demonstrating note-taking and categorization.
Lesson 3
September
Students answer specific comprehension questions in a journal about Pedro's September entries, recalling details such as Pedro's job, signs of land, and the meteor sighting. Students are directed to read a printed "Meteors as Signs" page and to visit a NASA web link to view images and basic information about meteors, which involves gathering information from print and digital sources. Students are asked to find pictures of comets and meteors online and to summarize what happened to Columbus and the crew for September, activities that require collecting and restating relevant information.
Lesson 4
October
Students read the October journal entries and answer comprehension questions, requiring them to recall relevant information from the print text. Students record words and phrases on the two bubble maps titled "The Natives and the White Men," which asks them to categorize information about each group. Students are given web links (Google Images, List of Birds of the Bahamas, Amphibians and Reptiles) and asked to learn more about San Salvador and its animals, supporting gathering information from digital sources.
Lesson 5
Journal Writing
Students are asked to select an important personal event and recall details about it through guided questions, prompting them to remember and describe relevant information from their experience. The Pre-Writing page requires students to list ten facts about the event, three feelings, and several quotes, which directs them to take notes and organize information into labeled categories. Students then use the prewriting organizer to write a dated journal entry, applying their recalled details and organized notes in composing their writing.
Lesson 6
November
Students read Pedro's journal entries and answer guided comprehension questions, which requires recalling and gathering relevant information from a print source. Students complete "The Journey" and the two-column "Surviving Life at Sea, Surviving Life on Land" organizer, where they list disadvantages and thus take notes and categorize information. Students are directed to look at examples of Native American masks online, which requires gathering information from digital sources. The Life Application prompt asks students to recall personal experiences of seeing someone treated unkindly, which elicits recalling relevant information from experience.
Lesson 7
December
Students are asked to read the journal entries and answer three or four assigned questions in their journal, which requires recalling and recording relevant information from the text. Students are told to read pages 52–53 and then illustrate and label treasures in two chests (Treasures from the Indies vs. Treasures found in the Americas), which has them gather information from the print source and categorize items into two lists. Students complete a "Journey" page and activity pages that require writing answers or matching subjects and predicates, demonstrating they record information from the reading.
Lesson 8
The Island of the Skog
Students compare two print texts by filling in a "Comparing Stories" graphic organizer, writing similarities and unique characteristics for Pedro's Journal and The Island of the Skog. Students write journal entries listing three ways the mice showed prejudice and three ways Columbus was prejudiced, and answer targeted comprehension questions that require recalling facts from the texts. Students are also prompted to recall personal experiences with prejudice and to use text and personal experiences to verify facts and ideas, per the stated skills.
Lesson 9
January
Students are asked to read Pedro's journal and answer specific comprehension questions, which has them recall relevant information from a print text. The Skills section explicitly lists "Conduct research to learn more about a topic," and the Manatee activity directs students to find pictures of manatees online and visit the Save the Manatee Club website (a provided URL). Students also discuss the manatee's ecosystem and threats, which involves gathering information from digital images and the web link.
Lesson 10
February
Students finish reading Pedro's Journey and answer assigned journal questions that ask for specific plot details (e.g., storm, loss of the Pinta, length of voyage), showing recall of relevant information from the text. Students fill in "The Journey" pages as journal entries, recording details about the voyage that can be used later. Students use the information recorded on the "The Journey" pages to write a firsthand report from Pedro's perspective explaining crew survival, discoveries, and what it was like to sail with Columbus.
Final Project
Story Blocks
Students are asked to recall and record information from Pedro's Journal by filling eight themed cubes (e.g., Setting, Characters, Vocabulary, Survival, Quotes, Historical Fiction, Exploration). Students write names and descriptive phrases for characters, record vocabulary words in sentences, note three survival threats and three survival strategies, and record three historical facts and fictional aspects on designated cube faces. Students organize and categorize their notes by placing related information on specific cube faces and then use the cubes to explain the story aloud.
Unit 3: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Lesson 1
Sickness
Students are asked to record events, characters, and descriptions from a fantasy novel on the Fantasy Genre activity sheet, organizing information into boxes for characterization, setting, plot, theme, and style/tone. Students keep a Plot Flowchart in which they record a major event for each chapter, which requires taking notes and sequencing information. Students answer journal questions about specific details (e.g., environment, characters, Mr. Ages, Timothy) that require recalling relevant information from the text.
Lesson 2
Spring is Coming
Students read assigned chapters and answer questions in their journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. The skills list and Activity 3 instruct students to conduct research using books and technology and to read factual information online or in books. Students are asked to record and organize information in their journal using a Venn diagram to compare rats and mice, which requires note-taking and categorization.
Lesson 3
A Visit to an Owl
Students read specified chapters and answer targeted comprehension and journal questions that require recalling information from the text (Questions #1-#6). Students complete a "Plot Flowchart," which asks them to record and organize an event from the chapters, and they may use the provided Google Maps link to view a satellite (digital) source for the bird's-eye activity. The activities prompt students to use prior knowledge and discussion to anticipate meaning and draw or describe visual images based on text descriptions.
Lesson 4
Rats in the Rosebush
Students are asked to answer three or four questions in a journal after reading the chapters, which requires recalling relevant information and recording it. Students complete a Plot Flowchart and a bubble map labeled "Bravery," which have them organize and categorize details from the text (listing five ways Mrs. Frisby showed bravery). Activity 3 explicitly invites students to look for pictures and descriptions online or in books to find examples of owls' homes, which prompts gathering information from print and digital sources.
Lesson 5
Meeting the Rats
Students read chapters and answer comprehension questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students create a Plot Flowchart describing important events, and they list examples on the "Beyond Needs" organizer in labeled boxes (Inventions, Machines, Decorative Appeal, Signs of Education), which requires gathering details from the reading and categorizing them. Students are asked to record examples of simple machines and to identify machines and inventions in their home, which asks them to recall from experience and take written notes.
Lesson 6
A Plan for Mrs. Frisby
Students read the chapters "Isabella" and "A Powder for Dragon" and answer specific comprehension questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the printed text. Students complete a Plot Flowchart by describing important events from the chapters, which requires organizing and categorizing story information. Students illustrate the garden/rock/house and devise a plan, which requires arranging and representing information visually.
Lesson 7
The Capture
Students read specific chapters and answer guided comprehension questions in a journal, recalling details such as where the rats lived, how they were caught, and what tools they needed. Students are instructed to make a list of important events before writing a summary, which requires taking notes. Students complete a Plot Flowchart to describe and sequence important events, and a Life Application activity asks students to visit a farmers' market to gather information from experience.
Lesson 8
Life at NIMH
Students read specified chapters and answer guided comprehension questions in a journal, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students are instructed to look up vocabulary in a dictionary and write words on note cards with definitions, showing they gather information from print reference sources and record notes. Students complete a Plot Flowchart in which they describe important events, demonstrating organization and categorization of information.
Lesson 9
The Escape
The lesson asks students to "use text and personal experiences to verify facts, concepts, and ideas" and to "locate information in text for specific purposes," which directs students to gather relevant information from the printed chapters. Students are instructed to answer comprehension questions in a journal and to record important events on a Plot Flowchart, which requires taking notes and organizing events. Activities also ask students to make lists (e.g., needs beyond survival) and to compare Nicodemus before and after NIMH, which has students categorize and summarize information from reading and experience.
Lesson 10
Amazing Rats
Students answer specific comprehension questions after reading chapters, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students record an important event from each chapter on a "Plot Flowchart," which involves taking notes and categorizing plot information. The "Tools and Machines" activity and Activity 3 instruct students to look up unfamiliar tools or research electricity online or in an encyclopedia, which directs students to gather relevant information from print and digital sources.
Lesson 11
The Plan
Students are asked to recall events by recording an important event from each chapter on the Plot Flowchart, which requires recalling relevant information from their reading. Students are directed to read arguments about animal research online and to interview people in the community, which requires gathering information from digital sources and personal experiences. Students are asked to record the positives and negatives of animal research on a chart, which has them take notes and categorize information into "Arguments For" and "Arguments Against."
Lesson 12
Working in the Night
Students are asked to summarize chapters they read and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., what happened to Jenner, how the rats moved Mrs. Frisby), which requires recalling relevant information from print. Students complete a Plot Flowchart to place events, which has them categorize story information. Students draw and label how the rats moved the house based on the author's description, which requires gathering and using details from the text.
Lesson 13
A New Home
Students read specified chapters and answer discussion and journal questions that require recalling details (e.g., questions about why Nicodemus wanted Mrs. Frisby at the meeting and how the rats escaped). Students complete a Plot Flowchart and a Plot Diagram by listing the problem, rising action, climax, falling action, and solution, which requires recording and organizing events from the text. Students fill an "Elements of Fantasy" activity page by recording examples from the book into labeled boxes (Setting, Characterization, Plot, Theme, Style and Tone), which involves categorizing information from the print text.
Final Project
The Next Chapter or Book Float
Students are asked to look back at the chapter "Thorn Valley" to find the author's description and to write descriptions of each character, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students complete an "Outlining the Chapter" page where they list four major events and write a chapter summary, organizing information into labeled sections (Chapter Opening, Event 1–4, Chapter Ending). For the parade float option, students sketch and label separate sides for Setting, Character, and Rats' Advancements and select items to represent theme, main character, problem, and solution, which requires categorizing story elements.