Fourth Grade - ELA
1: Interdependence
Unit 1: Little House in the Big Woods
Lesson 1
Introducing the Story
The lesson directs students to begin reading a historical fiction book about pioneer life and to look at the cover for clues, showing they will read actual text. The Skills section requires students to interact with the text by making connections, answering questions, and locating information. Activity 3 asks students to read about Wisconsin and record examples of plants and animals, and the Wrapping Up step asks students to describe what they learned about the author and the state, demonstrating comprehension tasks.
Lesson 2
Little House in the Big Woods
Students are instructed to read the chapter "Little House in the Big Woods" and answer specific chapter questions, with selected questions to write in a journal and others to discuss orally. Students complete comprehension activities that require locating information and making connections, such as filling a "Life in the Big Woods vs. Life Today" chart and the "Natural Resources and Survival" organizer. Students practice vocabulary in context by finding word definitions, underlining suffixes, and completing a cloze story using chapter words. The Skills section explicitly lists "Read independently" and "Interact with the text by making connections, answering questions, and locating information."
Lesson 3
Winter Days and Winter Nights
Students read the chapter "Winter Days and Winter Nights" and are directed to answer two questions in writing and two in discussion, giving them a clear reading purpose. Questions require students to locate information (e.g., why the family made butter) and to interpret language choices (e.g., identify verbs like "screamed" and "leaped" that make the panther story exciting). Activities ask students to reread a specific paragraph for detail, compare/contrast homes, and record chores from the text, demonstrating comprehension and text-based responses.
Lesson 4
The Long Rifle
Students are directed to read the chapter "The Long Rifle" and answer four comprehension questions that require explanation and retelling (e.g., why Pa made his own bullets; retell Pa's story aloud). Students are asked to retell the story out loud and to connect the story to personal experiences (compare life in the woods vs. life today, and recall a time they disobeyed), which targets understanding and reading with purpose. Activities ask students to identify which nouns should be capitalized and to write or orally present stories, reinforcing comprehension of characters and events.
Lesson 5
Christmas
Students are prompted to set a purpose for reading by predicting from the chapter title and by writing three questions to answer as they read. Students answer specific comprehension questions about details (e.g., how the author describes the snow, what Pa made Ma) and are asked to reference the text when discussing similarities and differences. Skills and activities instruct students to interact with the text before, during, and after reading and to organize and write three paragraphs with main ideas and supporting details based on the chapter.
Lesson 6
Sundays and Two Big Bears
Students are instructed to read two chapters from the book and then answer specific comprehension questions about each chapter (e.g., why Laura and Mary disliked Sundays; what happened when Ma and Laura checked on the cow). Students are prompted to discuss whether they would enjoy living in the Big Woods and to identify a factual statement and an opinion from the book. Students are also asked to write and (encouraged to) read aloud a five-senses poem about their least favorite day, linking reading with purposeful response and oral presentation.
Lesson 7
The Sugar Snow
Students are instructed to read the chapter "The Sugar Snow" and then answer five comprehension questions that ask for reasons, details from the text, and connections across chapters. Students are asked to summarize what happened in the chapter and to use story structure and text organization to comprehend the text. In Activity 3 (Option 2) students refer back to the book to record the sequence of steps Grandpa took, showing they must read with purpose to extract procedural information.
Lesson 8
Dance at Grandpa's
Students are instructed to read the "Dance at Grandpa's" chapter and then answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., describe Grandma's house, explain why Laura enjoyed visiting, explain the maple-syrup-on-snow activity). The Skills section explicitly asks students to "draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text," and activities (Life in the Big Woods vs. Life Today; Wrapping Up) require students to reflect on and explain information from the chapter.
Lesson 9
Going to Town
Students are asked to read the chapter "Going to Town" with a stated purpose (to learn about the Ingalls' family trip) and then answer specific comprehension questions about description, character differences, reasons for behavior, and items purchased. Students complete follow-up activities that require comparing life in the woods to life today, listing adjectives for characters, acting out scenarios, and writing about a historical place—tasks that require understanding and interpreting the text. The lesson includes directed comprehension prompts (Questions #1–#5) and drawing/writing activities that require students to extract and explain information from the reading.
Lesson 10
Summertime and Harvest
Students are instructed to read the chapters "Summertime" and "Harvest" and then answer specific comprehension questions about purpose, events, and character actions. Students record author words and phrases describing each season, illustrate scenes based on text details, and compare stories (Pa's story to "The Boy Who Cried Wolf"), all tasks that require reading with purpose and demonstrating understanding. Students also discuss seasonal effects, describe the bees–flowers relationship, and write paragraphs summarizing relationships and hypothetical consequences, which require comprehension of the source text.
Lesson 11
Finishing the Book
Students read the last two chapters of Little House in the Big Woods and read aloud "A Letter from the Author." Students answer specific comprehension questions about plot and environment (for example, what Ma made from the grain, how the environment was changing, and why Pa chose not to shoot animals). Students analyze the author's letter for formality and purpose, complete an organizer that summarizes who they are and how their family lives, and use a rubric to revise and demonstrate understanding in their own writing.
Final Project
Pioneer Family Night
Students are asked to choose two to three favorite sections from Little House in the Big Woods, practice reading them aloud, and be ready to explain why they are their favorites. The Skills list explicitly states students will "Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, and expression." The Pioneer Family Night Checklist and Student Activity Page require students to read favorite parts to their family and explain their choices, and to read through tasks to prepare for the event.
Unit 2: The Sign of the Beaver
Lesson 2
Alone
Students are asked to read Chapters 1 and 2 and to make a prediction about the challenge Matt will face, giving them a clear reading purpose. Students answer selected comprehension questions in a journal and discuss others, demonstrating comprehension of plot, setting, and character (e.g., why Matt is alone, his chores, fears). Students record character feelings, attitudes, and actions on a character timeline as they read to track understanding and infer changes over time. Students use vocabulary webs to look up words in context and confirm meanings, supporting text comprehension.
Lesson 3
A Stranger
Students are directed to read Chapters 3–5 and answer explicit journal and discussion questions (Q1–Q5) about character descriptions, motives, and events, giving a clear reading purpose. Students complete a Character Timelines activity that requires them to record words or phrases describing Matt's feelings, attitudes, and actions, which asks them to extract and organize textual information. Students explain how Saknis helped heal Matt's bee stings and complete a Natural Remedies table, which requires them to interpret events and connect text details to real-world ideas.
Lesson 4
A Treaty
Students are directed to read Chapter 6 and then answer three or four questions in a journal, requiring them to read for meaning and produce written responses. Students answer open-ended comprehension questions and discuss responses orally, practicing interpretation of plot, character, and setting. Students complete activities (Character Timelines, Interdependence worksheet, and wrapping up the treaty) that require summarizing, explaining relationships, and making connections to personal experience, demonstrating comprehension of the text.
Lesson 5
A Story
The lesson directs students to read Chapters 7-9 and provides 'Questions to Explore' that give a clear purpose for reading. It lists skills that require interacting with text, summarizing main ideas, and identifying similarities/differences with textual support. The lesson includes specific comprehension questions and journal prompts that require students to demonstrate understanding and make connections to characters and perspectives.
Lesson 6
The Beaver
Students are assigned to read Chapters 10 and 11 and to answer specific comprehension questions in a journal or orally, which requires them to read for understanding (e.g., questions about how Attean fishes, what Matt is learning, and the meaning of the "sign of the beaver"). Students complete activities that require comprehension and purpose, such as filling character timelines, creating a Venn diagram to compare stories, and conducting "Beaver Research" by rereading pages 55–57 and recording factual information from texts and other sources. The wrapping-up prompts ask students to explain what Matt learned from Attean, reinforcing reading with purpose and understanding.
Lesson 7
Real Life Learning
Students are instructed to read Chapters 12 and 13 and answer specific comprehension questions in a journal or orally, giving them a clear purpose for reading. Students must reference the text to verify facts and concepts, and they complete activities (Character Timelines, Rules of the Forest book) that require them to summarize and illustrate what they understood. The Vocabulary Memory Game asks students to define words, use them in sentences, and recall their meanings, reinforcing comprehension of the passages.
Lesson 8
The Bear
Students are instructed to read Chapters 14-16 and respond to specific comprehension questions about how events unfolded (e.g., how the bear was killed, why Attean felt bad, descriptions of the feast and dance). Students complete activities that require demonstrating understanding of the text, including character timelines, cause-and-effect exercises where they write effects for given causes, and a double-bubble map comparing two flood stories. The skills list asks students to identify purpose and audience for oral or written tasks and to share written and oral products, supporting reading with purpose and understanding.
Lesson 9
Attean's Past
Students are asked to read Chapters 17 and 18 and told the purpose: that Matt learns something new about Attean. Students must summarize previous chapters and answer selected comprehension questions in a journal or discuss remaining questions, with specific Q&A prompts about plot and character. Students complete activities that require supporting interpretations with examples from the text (character timelines, stereotype responses, and tracking time explanations).
Lesson 10
Manitou
Students are instructed to read Chapters 19 and 20 and to predict what Attean will search for, giving a clear reading purpose. Students answer journal questions and participate in discussion prompts that require comprehension (e.g., describing changes in characters, defining manitou, summarizing actions). Students identify and record three passages that create vivid images and illustrate them, and complete a Values worksheet comparing character values to their own, demonstrating interpretation and understanding of the text.
Lesson 11
A Choice
Students are instructed to read Chapters 21 and 22 and to use specific journal and discussion questions, which require them to identify character changes, explain motivations, and recall events (e.g., why Matt would not go with Attean, what Attean gave Matt). Students complete activities that require constructing character timelines, reflecting on favorite/scariest/saddest/happiest parts, and composing and answering interview questions for characters, all demonstrating reading for a purpose. The questions and activities ask students to summarize, infer, and support interpretations with text-based answers.
Lesson 12
Persuasive Writing
Students are asked to read their own persuasive letter or speech during Activity 3: Final Copy, where they "read his letter/speech and to make any necessary corrections." The rubric requires students to evaluate content and organization (e.g., whether the letter addresses Matt, provides three reasons and support), which implies reading for purpose and checking understanding of one's writing. The lesson also directs students to use the rubric as a guide while producing a final copy, which involves purposeful rereading to improve clarity and content.
Lesson 13
The Return
Students are instructed to finish reading the novel and to decide whether they would recommend it, which establishes a clear reading purpose. Students answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., how Matt prepared for winter, how snowshoes helped him) that require understanding of plot and details. Students complete activities that require identifying story elements, creating character timelines, and explaining problem solutions, all of which require reading for understanding and interpretation.
Final Project
The Sign of the Beaver Movie
Students are prompted to work from The Sign of the Beaver book (specific page references for costumes: p.28, p.76-77, p.122-123) when designing costumes, which requires them to locate and interpret text details. Students must write a 6-8 sentence movie synopsis and use the Movie Synopsis Rubric that asks whether the synopsis accurately describes the setting and main characters, requiring comprehension of the text. Students select a favorite scene, design a set including props, and write a scripted dialogue between characters, all of which require understanding of characters, events, and setting from the text.
Unit 3: Native American Animal Stories
Lesson 1
Myths, Legends, and Folktales
Students are asked to read myths, legends, and folktales from their home library and to record names of stories they have read, indicating purposeful reading (Activity 1). Students retell a story after listening and discuss which parts were entertaining, supporting comprehension and understanding of story elements (Activity 2). Students reread a myth or folktale and complete an "Elements of Culture" chart, identifying cultural information found in the text (Activity 3 and the Student Activity Page).
Lesson 2
People and Animal Stories
Students are assigned specific stories to read and are asked to locate them in the table of contents, which establishes a reading purpose. After reading, students answer targeted comprehension questions for each story and complete comprehension tasks such as a story map, Venn diagram comparisons, journal entries, and elements-of-culture charts. Students also perform pre-reading research (finding tribal locations) and post-reading synthesis (writing lessons learned), demonstrating efforts to read for understanding.
Lesson 3
The Natural World
Students are instructed to read multiple myths (e.g., "How Butterflies Came to Be," "How Poison Came Into the World," "Why Possum Has a Naked Tail," "How Fawn Got its Spots") and then answer specific comprehension questions about characters, events, and details. Students retell a story to an audience using props and sequencing (adding ingredients to the bag and revealing the finished butterfly), and they record problems and solutions of each myth in a journal. Students compare the mythical explanation to a scientific explanation (adaptation/camouflage) and list camouflaged animals with descriptions, demonstrating understanding of text content and purpose.
Lesson 4
Survival Stories
Students read multiple survival stories ("The Alligator and the Hunter," "The Gift of the Whale," "The Passing of the Buffalo") and answer specific comprehension questions in a journal. Students locate information, make inferences, and draw conclusions based on events in the stories through guided questions and discussion prompts. Students complete follow-up tasks (Elements of Culture chart, Animals and Survival writing/drawing, Ecosystems drawing and sentence prompts) that require them to explain and demonstrate understanding of what they read.
Lesson 5
Legends from Other Cultures
Students are instructed to read multiple traditional stories (African, Chinese, Brazilian) over two days and to locate the settings on a map, establishing a clear reading purpose. Students answer comprehension questions in a journal, summarize the Brazilian story, and complete a double-bubble map comparing creation myths, which requires them to demonstrate understanding. Students also record transformations, fill an Elements of Culture chart, retell or summarize spoken messages, and identify sentence types and synonyms from the texts to show comprehension.
2: Force and Power
Unit 1: Ben and Me
Lesson 1
Ben Franklin and the Colonies
Students are directed to locate and record information about Benjamin Franklin from linked informational pages and to fill in a kite-shaped diagram with birth/death dates, places lived, contributions, and personality—tasks that require reading for a clear purpose and demonstrating understanding. Students are asked to read the "Elements of Historical Fiction" page and identify characters, setting, plot, theme, and descriptions from a novel they have read, which requires comprehension and application of text features. Students read explanatory text about the colonies and are asked to label and color the thirteen colonies on a map and to answer journal prompts about life in the 1700s, indicating reading with purpose and interpretation of informational content.
Lesson 2
Setting the Record Straight
Students are asked to read Chapters 1 and 2 of Ben and Me and to answer three or four comprehension questions in a journal, providing explicit tasks that require understanding of events and motivations. Students are directed to determine point of view and to record factual and fictional events for each chapter, which requires distinguishing author intent and content. Students complete vocabulary work by finding unfamiliar words, copying sentences from the book, writing definitions, and using the words in new sentences tied to the text.
Lesson 3
Swimming
Students are asked to read Chapters 3 and 4 and to answer three or four journal questions, which requires them to read for understanding and to produce written responses. Students read aloud the author's description of the hat, copy the descriptive sentences, circle adjectives, and illustrate and label the hat, showing attention to text details and meaning. Students record factual versus fictional events from each chapter and discuss their answers, demonstrating comprehension and purpose-driven reading. Students also list modern inventions that aid swimming and design a new invention, connecting text content to real-world understanding.
Lesson 4
Electricity
Students are instructed to read Chapters 5 and 6 and to answer assigned journal questions that probe comprehension of events and motivations (e.g., why Ben was interested in printing, what happened with the almanac). Students are asked to verbally summarize the chapter events and to record factual versus fictional events, which require them to demonstrate understanding. The lesson provides discussion prompts and questions to explore (e.g., How do words have power?) that give students a clear purpose for reading and reflection.
Lesson 5
Electrifying
Students are asked to read Chapters 7 and 8 and then respond to four or five comprehension questions as journal entries and discuss the remaining questions, giving clear tasks that focus reading on specific purposes. Students record factual and fictional events from each chapter, which requires them to identify and understand content from the text. Students write a first-person account of flying the kite and answer reflective questions about the experiment, demonstrating comprehension and purposeful reading-to-learn activities.
Lesson 6
War
Students read Chapters 9 and 10 and answer two or three chapter questions in a journal and discuss remaining questions, which requires reading with a clear purpose and demonstrating comprehension. Students record factual and fictional events from each chapter and mark statements as fact or opinion, showing they extract and interpret meaning from text. Students put vocabulary words into a paragraph and then read that paragraph aloud, practicing reading for understanding and checking pronunciation. Students explain why the colonists went to war in a wrap-up discussion, demonstrating comprehension of key ideas and purposes of the text.
Lesson 7
France
The lesson asks the student to read Chapters 11 and 12 and to answer selected chapter questions in a journal, which requires reading for comprehension and purpose. Students are asked to summarize what happened in the chapters and to record factual versus fictional events, demonstrating comprehension and distinguishing information types. The activity that asks the student to devise a step-by-step rescue plan and to explain when force and power should be used requires students to understand character motivations and plot details from the text.
Lesson 9
The Rescue
Students are instructed to read Chapters 13 and 14 and to answer three journal questions and discuss three others, requiring them to read with a clear purpose. Students must summarize the chapters and explain how Amos and Ben felt after the rescue, which asks for comprehension of main events and character reactions. Students complete a Fact and Fiction activity and a character-analysis 'Ben and Amos Bags' organizer that requires them to identify factual events, infer character traits, and place details into correct categories. Students also write a new verse of "Yankee Doodle" from Amos's perspective, requiring them to synthesize information from the text with a purposeful writing task.
Lesson 10
Back Home
Students are instructed to read Chapter XV of Ben and Me and answer specific comprehension questions about plot, character motivation, and opinion. They complete a Fact and Fiction activity that requires listing factual and fictional details from the chapter and a wrap-up that asks them to describe main events and their reactions to the ending. Students locate Ben's maxims in context and interpret them, and they provide textual examples for elements of historical fiction (characters, setting, plot, theme, descriptions), demonstrating text-based understanding.
Final Project
An Interview or Party for Ben
The Skills section explicitly asks students to "draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text," which requires students to read and use text-based information. Students are instructed to write ten interview questions and answer them "according to what he knows about Ben Franklin and the event," requiring comprehension of events in the text. Day 2 directs students to practice answering questions (pretending to be Ben) and to have someone read the questions that Ben will answer, involving text-based reading and oral response.
Unit 2: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Lesson 1
The Professor's House
Students are asked to read the first two chapters of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and answer three or four selected comprehension questions in a journal or online, which requires them to read for understanding. Students complete a vocabulary activity where they look up challenging words on note cards and choose context-appropriate definitions, supporting decoding and word meaning. Students summarize events and discuss why the book is fantasy rather than historical fiction, which asks them to synthesize and interpret text purpose and genre.
Lesson 2
Edmund Discovers Narnia
Students are assigned Chapters 3 and 4 to read and told which chapter questions to answer in their journal, giving them a clear purpose for reading. The lesson provides specific comprehension questions (e.g., What happened when Lucy returned from Narnia?; How did Edmund treat Lucy?) that require students to extract plot and character information. Students complete a "Good vs. Evil" chart recording examples from each chapter and illustrating them, which asks them to identify and interpret textual evidence. Additional tasks ask students to describe characters and locate settings on a map, requiring them to use details from the text to demonstrate understanding.
Lesson 3
Always Winter and Never Christmas
Students are assigned Chapters 5 and 6 to read and are given specific comprehension questions to answer in discussion and in their journals (e.g., why Edmund lied, what happened to Mr. Tumnus' home, whether the witch is a queen or a witch). Students are asked to identify story elements (skill: identify the conflict of a story) and to discuss what the children discover when they arrive in Narnia during the wrap-up. Students complete comprehension-focused activities (Good vs. Evil illustration and Narnia Logic puzzles) that require them to interpret events and draw logical conclusions from the text.
Lesson 4
The Lion
Students are assigned Chapters 7 and 8 to read and are given specific comprehension questions (Questions #1–#11) to answer in discussion or in a journal, which guides reading with purpose. The Skills section instructs students to interact with the text before, during, and after reading by making connections, and activities (Good vs. Evil, Lions in Myths and Legends, and the Animal Character writing task) require students to reflect on meaning and compare textual ideas to other texts and concepts.
Lesson 5
A Disappointment
Students are instructed to read Chapters 9 and 10 and to summarize what they learned and recall events (Getting Started; Reading and Questions). Students answer three or four assigned comprehension questions in a journal and discuss answers aloud (Reading and Questions). Students complete activities that require recording examples of good vs. evil, describing the White Witch's appearance and actions, and writing sentences about other villains, all of which require reading for specific purpose and demonstrating understanding (Activities; Wrapping Up; Life Application).
Lesson 7
Spring
Students are asked to read Chapters 11 and 12 and are given an explicit purpose: to learn more about Edmund's encounter with the White Witch. The lesson provides guiding 'Questions to Explore' and a set of specific comprehension questions that students must discuss and answer in a journal. Activities require students to analyze characters, record examples of good vs. evil, describe environmental changes in Narnia, and write reflective paragraphs—tasks that require understanding the text.
Lesson 8
Deep Magic
Students read Chapters 13 and 14 and answer three or four guided comprehension questions in a journal, demonstrating reading for a specific purpose. Students identify figurative language and conflict, locate information for specific purposes, and relate plot, setting, and characters to personal experience through activities. Students analyze imagery by recording sensory words and phrases from the text and illustrate scenes, showing comprehension of meaning and emotional tone. Students compare characters to historical leaders and summarize what Aslan endured, applying understanding to new contexts.
Lesson 9
Back to Life
Students are instructed to read Chapters 15 and 16 and to summarize what Lucy and Susan observed, which requires extracting key events from the text. Students are asked to select and answer three or four comprehension questions in a journal and to use remaining questions in a discussion, indicating reading with a purpose. The lesson provides a guiding question ("How do people use their power to help others?") and asks students to describe three ways Aslan resembles a Christ-like figure, which asks students to interpret and connect ideas across the text.
Lesson 10
Back Through the Wardrobe
Students are instructed to finish reading the novel and read Chapter 17, then select three questions to answer in a journal and discuss others, which requires comprehension of the chapter. The Skills section explicitly asks students to interact with the text before, during, and after reading by making connections and to share written and oral products, supporting purposeful reading and understanding. Activities ask students to compare the book and movie, write a movie review, and act out scenes, all of which require understanding the text and its purpose.
Final Project
Narnia Think-Tac-Toe
The skills list includes "Read aloud with fluency and expression" and "Make inferences and draw conclusions about characters and events," which require students to engage with text for comprehension. Students are asked to summarize the book for an audience and to complete multiple written responses (journal entries, describing tensions, creating text messages) that demonstrate understanding of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The Think-Tac-Toe projects require students to read and respond to the on-level novel in purposeful ways (creative writing, analysis, and oral presentation).
Unit 3: The BFG
Lesson 1
In the Middle of the Night
Students are asked to read the "List of Characters" and the first two chapters of The BFG and to answer three or four daily journal questions, giving them a clear reading purpose. Comprehension questions require students to cite textual clues (e.g., where Sophie lives, how moonlight changes the scene, words the author uses to describe the giant) and to identify genre with supporting reasons, which practices reading for understanding. Vocabulary activities ask students to reread sentences and use context clues to determine word meanings, reinforcing comprehension of the text.
Lesson 2
Snatched
Students are instructed to read two chapters, "The Snatch" and "The Cave," from The BFG, and to answer six explicit comprehension questions about events, feelings, character power, setting, and the giant's home. Students are asked to use text to locate information for specific purposes (skills list) and to copy the author's description in one activity option, which requires attending to the text. Students must summarize what happened and predict what will happen next, and they write and illustrate descriptions based on the text, demonstrating comprehension and purposeful reading.
Lesson 3
The BFG
Students are asked to read two chapters ("The BFG" and "The Giants") and to answer three or four questions in a journal, with remaining questions used for discussion. The Getting Started prompt asks students to predict what the giant will be like, and the Wrapping Up prompts students to explain how the BFG is different and why he did not use force. The "Quotable Quotes" activity requires students to identify and record an important or meaningful quote from each chapter, demonstrating attention to meaning and purpose while reading.
Lesson 4
Ears and Snozzcumbers
Students are asked to read the chapters "The Marvellous Ears" and "Snozzcumbers" and to answer selected comprehension questions in a journal, directly practicing reading for meaning (e.g., questions about setting, character feelings, and events). Activities require students to identify and record quotable lines from Sophie and the BFG, write about and illustrate a vivid dream (connecting text themes to personal experience), and discuss how the giant uses his hearing to help others. The skills list explicitly includes "Respond to stories and poems in ways that reflect understanding and interpretation in discussion, in writing, and through movement, music, art, and drama."
Lesson 5
Time with the BFG
Students are instructed to read the next two chapters of the book and to summarize what happened in prior chapters, predicting what will happen and then checking their prediction, which directs reading with purpose. Students answer selected comprehension questions in a journal and participate in discussion questions (e.g., questions about character differences, events, and inferential items). Students complete activities that require finding quotable text, comparing characters by appearance/personality/power, and making inferences and drawing conclusions about characters, all of which practice understanding of the text.
Lesson 6
Catching People and Dreams
Students are instructed to read the next two chapters, "Journey to Dream Country" and "Dream Catching," and to answer selected questions in their journal and discuss others, which requires comprehension of plot and characters. Students read a section aloud for Activity 3 and are asked to describe how the BFG captures dreams, supporting purposeful reading and understanding. Students correct the BFG's grammar and interpret his meaning in the "Interpreting the BFG" activity, demonstrating comprehension of language and meaning in context.
Lesson 7
A Nightmare for Fleshlumpeater
Students are asked to read two chapters of The BFG and then answer three or four selected comprehension questions in their journals, providing a clear purpose for reading. Students read an additional on-page narrative of "Jack and the Beanstalk," answer comparison and comprehension questions, and discuss similarities and differences between the stories. Activities ask students to identify quotable dialogue, list tangible vs. intangible items with evidence, and explain characters' motives, all requiring comprehension and purposeful engagement with the texts.
Lesson 8
A Dreamy Plan
Students are assigned to read two chapters, "The Great Plan" and "Mixing the Dream," and to answer three journal questions while discussing three others, giving them a clear purpose for reading. Students answer direct comprehension and inference questions about character motives, plot details, and moral judgments (e.g., describing Sophie's plan, why Sophie thought the queen was good, what kind of dream the BFG mixed). Students practice using text evidence by identifying quotable quotes and use vocabulary matching and writing activities to deepen understanding of words encountered in the reading.
Lesson 9
The Palace
Students are instructed to read two chapters, "Journey to London" and "The Palace," and to answer three chapter questions in a journal and three in discussion, which requires comprehension of the text. Students identify quotes from Sophie and the BFG, summarize events, and predict what will happen next, demonstrating purposeful reading and understanding. Cause-and-effect activities ask students to identify causes and effects from story events and to list actions with positive and negative outcomes, requiring students to extract meaning and infer relationships from the text.
Lesson 10
A Breakfast Fit for a Queen
The lesson tells the child the purpose for reading: to learn how the queen responds to Sophie and her story, which sets a clear reading purpose. It directs the child to read two chapters and to answer three chapter questions in a journal and discuss three more, which requires comprehension of the text. Activities ask students to draw conclusions from information gathered and to select adjectives with textual support, which requires understanding and using evidence from the text.
Lesson 11
Fighting Giants
Students are asked to read two chapters, "The Plan" and "Capture!", and to answer three or four selected questions in a journal, which gives them a clear purpose for reading. The lesson provides specific comprehension questions (with expected answers) and suggests class discussion, journaling, and a "Quotable Quotes" activity that requires students to identify and record character dialogue. Additional activities ask students to take notes from sources and to interpret story events, reinforcing understanding of what they read.
Lesson 12
Snozzcumbers
Students are instructed to read the sections "Feeding Time" and "About the Author" and to answer three comprehension questions in a journal and discuss three others, which requires purposeful reading for understanding. Students are asked to record quotable lines from characters and to read about Roald Dahl for an author study, then write five interview questions, demonstrating reading with a clear purpose. Students complete a theme graphic organizer that asks them to record events, quotes, and characters' actions that support each theme, requiring them to reference and interpret text evidence.
Final Project
Recipe for a Dream or Newspaper Report
Students are asked to "wrap up the novel, The BFG" by completing a final project that requires them to recount events (e.g., write what happened to the disappeared children and how the Queen responded) and to include at least three of the giant's quotes in the newspaper option. The dream option asks students to write a three-paragraph description with beginning, middle, and end and to use vocabulary words, which requires understanding and sequencing of content. The materials also suggest reading model newspaper articles so students can sense tone.
3: Similarities and Differences
Unit 1: Stories from Africa and Asia
Lesson 1
Meerkats in Botswana
Students are asked to read about Botswana in the back of the book and to use linked websites about Botswana and meerkats. Students make predictions from the cover and illustrations, locate information for specific purposes, and record notes in a graphic organizer about land, language, animals, and people. Students write a descriptive paragraph or short story that must include at least five facts and then discuss what they learned about Botswana and meerkats.
Lesson 2
Meeting Precious
Students are asked to read the first two chapters of the story and then answer a few questions in a journal and discuss remaining questions, which requires reading for comprehension. The provided question set (6 comprehension questions with answers) requires students to identify setting, plot events, character reactions, and make predictions. Activity 3 asks students to record, for each chapter they read, ways Precious is similar to and different from themselves, which requires purposeful reading and text-to-self connections. The Wrapping Up prompts ask students to describe Precious's family and home and compare them to their own, reinforcing reading with a clear purpose and checking understanding.
Lesson 3
The Surprise
Students are assigned to read Chapters 3 and 4 of The Mystery of Meerkat Hill and are told the purpose of the reading (to discover Pontsho's promised surprise). Students answer journal questions and participate in discussions that require comprehension (e.g., questions about character responses, factual information about meerkats, and reasons for including stories). Students summarize the chapters, predict what will happen next, identify point of view, and locate examples of authorial intrusion, demonstrating analytic reading for understanding. Students also compare the book's content with a documentary to evaluate similarities and differences between text and real-world information.
Lesson 4
A Missing Cow
Students are instructed to read Chapters 5 and 6 of The Mystery of Meerkat Hill and to answer comprehension questions in a journal and in discussion, providing direct practice reading for a purpose. The lesson includes specific comprehension questions about events, character actions, and motivations (e.g., what Pontsho brought to school, what happened when Kosi got out, what the family lost). Students identify story conflict (man vs. nature) and generate man-vs-nature examples for different settings, and they write a scene script and make predictions, all requiring reading with understanding.
Lesson 5
A Good Idea
Students are asked to read the last two chapters (Chapters 7 and 8) and to describe what happened and predict outcomes, providing an explicit reading purpose. Students answer three or four comprehension questions in their journal and discuss remaining questions, with specific question prompts and expected answers that require understanding of events and characters. Activities require students to recount the story, compare themselves to the protagonist, write a paragraph about a personal experience, and state what they learned about Botswana—tasks that demand comprehension and purposeful reading.
Lesson 6
African Bush Diorama
Students are asked to read The Mystery of Meerkat Hill and to write a four-paragraph book report that requires them to summarize main events, describe characters, and describe the setting. The activities ask students to find descriptions of the book's setting to design a diorama and include a specific prompt asking how Precious's life is similar to and different from life in the United States. The organizer pages and rubric require students to demonstrate understanding (plot summary, setting, characters) and to give an opinion that would encourage or discourage reading the book.
Lesson 7
Japan
Students are asked to read the book A Kids Guide to Japan and to read independently to build background knowledge. Students answer targeted comprehension questions about climate, food, traditions, and similarities/differences after reading. Students complete text-based tasks (a Venn diagram comparing Japan and America, a labeled map of Japan, and choice projects such as an acrostic poem or travel poster) and the skills list explicitly includes reading orally with fluency and reading independently.
Lesson 9
The Secret is Out
Students are asked to read the chapters "Sadako's Secret" and "A Secret No Longer" both silently and orally (Skills: "Read silently and orally from text"). Students make predictions before reading and are asked to explain how they made the prediction, establishing a reading purpose. After reading, students answer three or four journal questions, discuss remaining questions, and explain Sadako's secret and how her family learned it, which requires demonstrating understanding.
Lesson 10
Kenji
The lesson tells students the reading purpose up front by saying that in today's chapters Sadako meets another child, and it instructs them to read the chapters "The Golden Crane" and "Kenji." After reading, students are asked to answer three comprehension questions in a journal, discuss remaining questions, and develop two of their own questions for discussion. Students are also asked to summarize the events and reflect on Sadako's situation and family responses, and provided comprehension questions that require factual recall and comparison (e.g., similarities and differences between Kenji and Sadako).
Lesson 11
O Bon
Students are asked to read the chapter "Last Days" aloud and are encouraged to use intonation and expression, which targets oral reading fluency. Students answer three questions in their journal and discuss the remaining questions, requiring them to read for comprehension and purpose. Skills listed include responding to stories in discussion and writing, and activities ask students to record cultural information and write journal entries that reflect understanding of the text.
Lesson 12
Racing the Wind
Students are directed to read the story "Racing the Wind," its epilogue, and the "About the Author" section and then answer one or two journal questions and participate in a discussion, which requires comprehension. The skills list instructs students to respond to stories and poems in discussion and writing and to write reflections, and activities ask students to reflect on Sadako's story and record cultural information. Students are also asked to read haiku aloud and attend to syllables, and to create related products (haiku, monument designs) that show understanding of themes and content.
Lesson 13
Precious and Sadako
Students are asked to cite descriptions, quotations, actions, and words/phrases from each book (Activity 1), which requires reading the texts to locate and record textual evidence. Students must explain three or four important events from each story and then create a scrapbook image or write an eight-sentence first-person letter about an event (Activity 3), requiring comprehension of plot and character perspective. Students are asked to design five test questions per book and an answer key (Activity 4), which asks them to think deliberately about important ideas and comprehension-level questions.
Unit 2: Holes
Lesson 1
Texas and Desert Biomes
Students are instructed to read the book Holes, examine the cover, and make predictions about the story, providing a clear reading purpose. Students read informational texts and maps about Texas and deserts, record facts, and write paragraphs describing geographic location, rainfall, and adaptations, which requires understanding the texts. Students read and speak vocabulary aloud and use each word in a sentence, and they are asked to describe what they learned about Texas and the desert at the end of the activities.
Lesson 2
Camp Green Lake
Students are instructed to read Chapters 1–4 of Holes and to answer specific comprehension questions about characters, setting, and plot. They complete activities that require recording facts about characters (The Happy Campers), answering targeted questions, and summarizing what they learned at the end of the reading. The lesson gives daily reading goals (four or five chapters) and prompts students to describe their understanding and opinions of the main character.
Lesson 3
Digging
Students are instructed to read Chapters 5–7 and are told the purpose: to learn more about Camp Green Lake and the boys who live there. Students answer specific comprehension questions (Questions #1–#9), record answers in a journal, and discuss selected questions aloud. Students complete activities that require relating plot, setting, and characters to personal experiences and making inferences about characters.
Lesson 4
Caveman
Students are instructed to read Chapters 8–12 of Holes and to answer four assigned questions in their journal while discussing the remaining questions, providing direct comprehension practice. The Skills section and activities require students to use oral and written language to answer open-ended questions and to analyze characters, which asks students to read for meaning. Activities ask students to record the author's description of the yellow-spotted lizard and to illustrate or model it, which asks students to extract and demonstrate understanding of textual imagery. The Wrapping Up prompt asks students to state what they learned about the boys and staff, reinforcing reading for understanding.
Lesson 5
KB
Students are instructed to read Chapters 13–16 and to record a prediction before reading and check it after reading, which gives the reading a clear purpose. Students are asked to answer journal questions and discuss specific comprehension questions (e.g., what Stanley found, the Warden's actions), and to record information on the "Happy Campers" pages while reading. Students also complete activities (identifying irony, elaborated subjects, and possessives) that require them to demonstrate understanding of the text and its elements.
Lesson 6
Sunflower Seeds
Students are instructed to read Chapters 17-20 and to summarize what happened in previously read chapters, giving them a clear reading purpose. Students answer half of the comprehension questions in writing and share the remaining answers verbally, practicing reading for meaning. The question set includes literal and inferential items (e.g., explaining why the Warden poked Armpit, interpreting the phrase about Stanley's heart hardening, and describing how Camp Green Lake is changing Stanley), which require students to demonstrate understanding of the text.
Lesson 7
Zero
After reading Chapters 21-24, students are instructed to answer journal questions and discuss remaining questions, which requires them to read the assigned text and demonstrate understanding. Activity 3 asks students to locate the author's description of Green Lake and then draw the setting as it appeared 100 years ago and today, requiring students to use textual details to support comprehension. Activities 1 and 2 require students to record character information and write a paragraph or letter based on the book's historical context, linking reading to purposeful written responses.
Lesson 8
Sam the Onion Man
Students are instructed to read Chapters 25–28 and then answer four or five journal questions and participate in discussion, which gives them a clear purpose for reading. Students are asked to summarize the story, consider a character's point of view, draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text, all of which target comprehension. Students complete targeted comprehension questions (who was Sam, how the town treated Sam and Kate, how the experience changed Kate, etc.) that require understanding and use of textual details.
Lesson 9
Driving a Truck
Students are instructed to read Chapters 29–32 and to select four questions to answer in their journal while answering the rest orally, which requires purposeful reading. The lesson provides specific comprehension questions (Questions #1–#7) about plot and character and asks students to summarize what happened in the chapters. Students complete character-comparison activities and a wrap-up that asks them to summarize and give examples, reinforcing understanding of the text.
Lesson 10
The Mary Lou
Students are asked to read Chapters 33–36 and to answer three chapter questions in their journal, which requires them to read with a purpose and demonstrate comprehension. Students are asked to read one chapter aloud and are reminded to use intonation and expression in their voice, which practices oral fluency. Students complete comprehension questions and activities (identifying similes/metaphors and explaining meanings) that require understanding of the text.
Lesson 11
The Thumb of God
Students are instructed to read Chapters 37–41 and to predict what will happen to characters before reading, demonstrating reading with purpose. Students select three or four questions to answer in a journal and orally share answers to remaining comprehension questions, showing they must read for understanding. Students create a Venn diagram or another comparative product that requires them to identify similarities and differences between two storylines, reinforcing comprehension and purposeful reading.
Lesson 12
Treasure and Lizards
Students are assigned to read Chapters 42-45 and to summarize the previous chapter, showing they read connected text with a purpose. They answer three or four written journal questions and share remaining answers orally, which requires comprehension of the assigned chapters. Students also complete a 'Conflict in Holes' activity where they identify, describe, and illustrate three types of conflict from the novel, demonstrating understanding of story elements.
Lesson 13
Innocent
Students are asked to finish reading Chapters 46–50 and to answer comprehension questions orally or in a journal, which requires reading with a clear purpose. Students are prompted to predict the ending and identify irony, showing purposeful interpretation of text. Activities ask students to sequence story events and identify problem, climax, and solution, and to compare the book and movie, all of which require demonstrating understanding of the text.
Final Project
Welcome to Camp
Students read and follow multiple Student Activity Pages (Camp Checklist, Camp Uniform, Camp Song/Chant, New Camp vs. Camp Green Lake) to write two descriptive paragraphs, design a uniform, create a welcome pack, and produce songs/chants. Students discuss brainstormed ideas and present their camp descriptions and comparisons to family, indicating they read with a purpose to complete tasks and demonstrate understanding of the prompts.
Unit 3: Stories from Europe
Lesson 1
Tradition Stories
Students are instructed to "read each story in the unit" and to shade the country from which it originated, indicating they will read multiple texts with a clear purpose. Students brainstorm and sort stories they remember into categories (Activity 2) using given definitions and examples, requiring them to comprehend and classify text features. Students answer reflection prompts (which type did you hear/read most; which is your favorite and why) and discuss similarities/differences among oral stories, tasks that require understanding of what they read or heard.
Lesson 2
Fiona's Luck
Students are instructed to read Fiona's Luck and answer targeted comprehension questions that ask for evidence (e.g., describe Fiona with supporting evidence, explain what happened when the leprechauns swept up the luck). Students complete a Story Elements activity filling in setting, characters, conflict, resolution, plot, and theme and produce a verbal summary of the story. Students sort fact versus fantasy from the story and locate Ireland on a map, connecting the reading purpose to learning about cultural and geographic details.
Lesson 3
The Sea King's Daughter
Students are asked to read The Sea King's Daughter and related factual passages and then answer explicit comprehension questions (e.g., questions about Sadko's job, feelings about his city, motivations of the Sea King). Students complete activities that require them to identify story elements (characters, setting, conflict, theme, resolution), sort fact vs. fantasy, and verbally summarize the story. Students are invited to perform a Reader's Theater version of the story, listen to opera excerpts, and connect the text to maps and artwork to deepen understanding and purpose for reading.
Lesson 4
The Snow Queen
Students are asked to read informational text about Denmark and multiple labeled sections of The Snow Queen (First through Seventh Story) and then answer specific comprehension questions after each reading. Students create a concise informational booklet about Denmark, complete a vocabulary matching and synonym/antonym activity, and fill a story-elements graphic organizer that requires identifying characters, setting, theme, conflict, and resolution. The Skills section explicitly lists "Read and comprehend informational texts... in the grades 4–5 text complexity band" and directions prompt students to read with particular purposes (e.g., to answer questions, to create a script, to compare the book with the movie).
Lesson 5
Comparing and Contrasting Stories
Students read three different stories and summarize each one, referring back to activity pages and the texts to jog memory. Students identify and label the point of view of each story, watch an instructional video on point of view, and retell events from a different narrator perspective to show comprehension. Students complete a "Comparing Story Elements" sheet listing similarities and differences and answer reflective questions about which story is best and how analyzing elements informed their decision.
4: Exploration and Survival
Unit 1: Abel's Island
Lesson 1
Survival
Students are directed to interact with text before, during, and after reading by making connections (previewing the cover and predicting the story). Students are asked to read Abel's Island and online river-habitat texts with explicit purposes: to look for names of river plants and animals, to identify adaptations, and to note how the main character uses river resources, adding findings to the "Natural River Resources" chart. Students are asked to respond in writing and discussion (journal entries about things they would miss, comparing to Abel; discussing how river life differs now versus 100 years ago), which requires comprehension of the texts.
Lesson 2
The Storm
Students are directed to read Chapters 1 and 2 of Abel's Island and answer eight specific comprehension questions about events, character, and setting. Students record how Abel uses natural resources as they read, which gives them a clear purpose for reading each chapter. Students make predictions and inferences in writing and discussion and create a vocabulary picture book to deepen understanding of key words from the text.
Lesson 3
Where Am I?
Students are instructed to read Chapters 3 and 4 and to answer assigned questions in a journal, which directs reading for specific information and comprehension. Students are asked to summarize what happened to Abel and to support interpretations with examples drawn from the text, requiring understanding and use of text evidence. The Skills list tells students to "Read independently daily from materials consistent with reading level" and to "Interact with the text by locating information for specific purposes," which frames purposeful, on-level reading practice.
Lesson 4
Who Is Abel?
Students are instructed to read Chapters 5 and 6 and to answer three to four journal questions and discuss the rest, giving a clear purposeful reading task. Students must cite textual evidence on the "Who Is Abel?" activity page to describe Abel's physical appearance and personality. Students make inferences, draw conclusions about characters and events, and represent text information in different ways (story maps, charts, maps), all requiring comprehension of the assigned chapters.
Lesson 5
Perseverance
Students are instructed to read Chapters 7 and 8 and answer specific comprehension questions (Questions #1–#7) about plot, character knowledge, and events. Students are asked to describe the story's problem (conflict) and to use the guiding question "How do people survive hardships in their lives?" which gives a clear purpose for reading. Students must extract information to complete the "Using Natural Resources" chart and to support reflective writing, requiring them to read for understanding and to find textual details.
Lesson 6
Surprises
Students are instructed to read Chapters 9 and 10 and respond to guided comprehension prompts (Questions #1-#7) that ask about plot details, character feelings, and cause/effect. Students must use the text to complete activities such as filling in a "Using Natural Resources" chart and ordering Abel's routines, which require referencing specific passages for accuracy. Students write schedules, compare their schedules to Abel's, and answer journal/discussion questions that give a clear purpose for reading and check their understanding of the chapters.
Lesson 7
Threats
Students are directed to read Chapters 11 and 12 and respond to five specific comprehension questions that ask about feelings, actions, and changes in the environment. Students are asked to fill a chart "Using Natural Resources" using information taken from those chapters and to record sentences from the book on vocabulary cards. Students are asked to describe threats Abel faces and to list and explain three adaptations for Abel, requiring them to use text details to support answers.
Lesson 8
The Dead of Winter
Students read Chapters 13 and 14 and answer specific comprehension and journal questions (e.g., Why did Abel go out to read the book?; How was Abel adapting to the cold?) that require text-based answers. The Skills list instructs students to identify and discuss similarities and differences and to support them by referencing the text, and the wrap-up asks students to find information in the chapters that explains Abel's hibernation/torpor. Activity pages require students to write complete-sentence responses about hibernation and to record and reflect on data from a hibernation experiment, connecting observations back to reading.
Lesson 9
The Newcomer
Students are asked to read Chapters 15 and 16 and to reread pages 93–96, which requires engagement with the text. Students answer comprehension and discussion questions (e.g., why Gower left, how Abel felt, predictions about a rescue), and complete activities that require extracting information (fill a chart), comparing characters (Venn diagram), and re-creating dialogue (write a script). Students are prompted to discuss action and dialogue and to observe lines exchanged in a live play, all of which focus on understanding what they read.
Lesson 10
Escape
Students are asked to read Chapters 17–18 and to write three 'big' and three 'little' questions about the chapters as they read, which gives them a clear purpose for reading. Students make a prediction about what will happen to Abel and later describe Abel before and after the island and explain what caused his change, demonstrating comprehension of character and plot. The Wrapping Up prompts ask students to describe events and personal situations that caused change, reinforcing understanding of text meaning and connections to experience.
Lesson 11
Home at Last
Students are asked to read Chapters 19 and 20 ("Today, your child will read Chapters 19 and 20"), which gives a clear reading task. Students answer specific comprehension questions (Question #1–#6) and participate in journal or discussion responses that require recalling and explaining events. Students complete activities that require purpose-driven reading and evidence-based understanding, such as filling in a "Using Natural Resources" chart, writing an alternate ending, and completing a Theme Bubble Map that asks for text evidence supporting a theme.
Unit 2: Pedro's Journal
Lesson 1
Exploring with Columbus
Students are instructed to read Pedro's Journal and record prior knowledge and questions, then read to see if their questions are answered. Students read a biography and the Author's Note aloud, decide whether Columbus was a hero, distinguish fact from opinion, and complete graphic organizers (positive/negative traits, reasons for exploration, elements of historical fiction) that require referencing the text. Students trace Columbus' route on a map and record dates and important events from the reading to demonstrate comprehension of sequence and content.
Lesson 2
August
Students are asked to read Pedro's journal entries for August and to answer three or four comprehension questions in a journal, providing explicit tasks tied to the text. Students complete a graphic organizer ('The Journey') that requires them to record geographic location, important events, and the attitudes of Columbus, Pedro, and the crew from the reading. Students participate in discussions about crew feelings and complete writing prompts that require drawing factual information from the text and personal experience.
Lesson 3
September
Students read Pedro's journal entries for September and answer specific comprehension questions (Questions #1-#5) in their journals, demonstrating reading for understanding. Students are asked to summarize what happened to Columbus and the crew for the month of September and to discuss characters and important events, which requires purposeful comprehension. The Skills list explicitly includes "Respond to fiction by reflecting on reading" and "Read from a variety of genres and sources for pleasure and to acquire information," supporting purposeful reading and understanding.
Lesson 4
October
Students are instructed to read the journal entries for October and then answer nine specific comprehension questions (Q1–Q9) about characters, events, and observations. Students record responses on a "The Journey" sheet and complete a bubble-map activity to describe the native people and the white men, requiring them to extract and organize meaning from the text. Students practice reading lines with quotation marks using voice inflections and complete exercises that ask them to insert punctuation and write quoted sentences, linking oral reading fluency to comprehension. The wrapping-up prompts ask students to explain rules of quotation marks and to describe how the book portrays the native people and why a character feels uncomfortable, reinforcing purpose-driven reading and understanding.
Lesson 5
Journal Writing
The lesson asks students to identify three events Pedro writes about and three places where Pedro records his feelings, which requires reading Pedro's journal entries for specific information. It directs students to read their own journal entry and determine whether they communicated the importance of the event and their feelings, which engages comprehension and reading-for-purpose. The introductory discussion about how the author tells the story through Pedro's journal entries frames a purpose for reading (identify events and feelings).
Lesson 6
November
Students read Pedro's journal entries for November and answer seven specific comprehension questions that ask about characters' motives, feelings, and events (e.g., why Columbus wanted to take natives, how Pedro felt, what happened to the Pinta). Students explain interactions between crew and natives and complete a "The Journey" organizer after answering the questions. Students read the description about the natives on p.49 and respond by discussing cultural practices and creating a mask that reflects their understanding of the text's content.
Lesson 7
December
Students read the journal entries for December and are assigned three or four comprehension questions to answer in a journal, and additional questions are used in group discussion. Students make a prediction about what will happen to Pedro, read specific pages (52-53) about treasures, and illustrate and compare expected versus actual treasures to show understanding. The skills list and activities require students to answer relevant questions and contribute in small or large group discussions, linking reading to purpose and comprehension.
Lesson 8
The Island of the Skog
Students are asked to read The Island of the Skog aloud and discuss guided comprehension questions (e.g., reasons for the journey, threats to survival, characters' responses). The Skills section directs students to "use text and personal experiences to verify facts, concepts, and ideas" and to "identify and discuss similarities and differences... and support them by referencing the text." Activities require students to complete a Comparing Stories graphic organizer and to write about instances of prejudice and an anthem, using the text as evidence.
Lesson 9
January
Students are instructed to read Pedro's journal entry for January and answer five specific comprehension questions about it. Students complete activities that require demonstrating understanding, including filling in a "The Journey" page, writing a five-line dialogue using correct punctuation, and discussing manatee ecology. The Skills section explicitly lists "Demonstrate understanding of informational text in a variety of ways through writing and illustrating."
Lesson 10
February
Students finish reading Pedro's Journey and answer assigned journal questions and participate in discussion, demonstrating comprehension of plot, character feelings, and events. Students identify and interpret figurative language by recording simile comparisons and explaining idioms, showing they extract meaning from the text. Students prepare and deliver a firsthand report as Pedro that explains crew survival, discoveries, and what it was like to sail, which requires synthesizing information with a clear purpose.
Final Project
Story Blocks
Students are asked to respond to Pedro's Journal by creating story cubes that require locating and recording information from the text (e.g., setting, characters, survival threats, historical facts). Multiple cubes explicitly require students to extract language from the book (record three similes from the text; write three sentences containing quotes from the text) and to use vocabulary words from Lesson 3 in sentences. The wrapping-up activity asks students to explain the information on each block as they build a story tower, which requires purposeful reading and comprehension to recount details and meanings.
Unit 3: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Lesson 1
Sickness
Students are asked to read the first two chapters of the novel and to answer selected questions in a journal or discuss the remaining questions, which requires them to read with purpose and demonstrate comprehension. Students complete a Plot Flowchart for each chapter, recording major events and tracking plot progression to show understanding and sequence of events. Students analyze vocabulary words (roots, prefixes/suffixes, parts of speech, definitions, and example sentences) to support comprehension of the text.
Lesson 2
Spring is Coming
Students read specified chapters (The Crow and the Cat, Mr. Fitzgibbon's Plow and Five Days) and are asked to answer two or three journal questions and discuss the rest, giving a clear purpose for reading. Students record events on a Plot Flowchart and illustrate and describe the setting and threats to characters, which requires them to demonstrate understanding of text details. Students compare characters (rats and mice) and explain survival threats, showing comprehension through written illustrations, explanations, and discussion.
Lesson 3
A Visit to an Owl
Students are instructed to read two chapters, "A Favor from Jeremy" and "The Owl," and to consider the guiding question How does Mrs. Frisby fight for the survival of her son?, providing a clear purpose for reading. Students answer specific comprehension questions about plot and character (e.g., what Jeremy told Mrs. Frisby, why she was afraid), and they complete a Plot Flowchart to record events, which requires demonstrating understanding. Students also summarize the reading during the Wrap Up by describing what happened and use the As the Crow Flies drawing activity to translate text details into visual understanding.
Lesson 4
Rats in the Rosebush
Students are instructed to read the chapters "Go to the Rats" and "In the Rosebush," and to answer three or four assigned questions in a journal, which provides a clear reading task with purpose. Students make predictions at the start and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., owl's advice, why Mrs. Frisby explores the rosebush), showing they must understand text details. Students complete a plot flowchart and produce a character bubble map listing five ways Mrs. Frisby showed bravery, which require summarizing and interpreting the text.
Lesson 5
Meeting the Rats
Students are instructed to read the chapters "Brutus" and "In the Library" and to make predictions before reading, then check those predictions afterward. Students answer directed comprehension questions in a journal and discuss answers about characters, events, and responses. Students complete a Plot Flowchart and a wrap-up activity asking them to describe what Mrs. Frisby discovered, all of which require reading for a clear purpose and demonstrating understanding.
Lesson 6
A Plan for Mrs. Frisby
Students read the chapters "Isabella" and "A Powder for Dragon" and are told the day's focus (the rats decide how to keep Mrs. Frisby safe), giving a clear purpose for reading. Students answer specific comprehension questions in a journal (e.g., identifying Isabella, explaining the rats' plan, describing Timothy's situation) and use some questions for discussion. Students sequence events by completing a Plot Flowchart and explain the rats' plan in a wrap-up, demonstrating comprehension of key events and ideas.
Lesson 7
The Capture
Students read the chapters "The Marketplace" and "In the Cage" as directed and answer specific comprehension questions about those chapters (e.g., tools the rats needed, where they lived, how they were caught). Students create a Plot Flowchart to describe important events and write a summary in their journal of Nicodemus' story, listing important events first. The Skills section explicitly lists summarizing main ideas and gathering support by referencing the text, which students practice when responding to questions and justifying answers.
Lesson 8
Life at NIMH
Students are assigned to read the chapters "The Maze" and "A Lesson in Reading" and to answer specific comprehension questions in a journal (Questions #1-#7). Students summarize events by creating a Plot Flowchart and complete a wrap-up activity that asks them to describe life at NIMH and evaluate the scientists' actions. Vocabulary and discussion prompts give students a clear purpose for reading (e.g., exploring how scientific exploration affects people's lives) and require written and oral responses that demonstrate understanding.
Lesson 9
The Escape
Students are instructed to read the chapters "The Air Ducts" and "The Boniface Estate" and then answer specific comprehension questions in a journal, providing a clear reading purpose. The lesson includes targeted comprehension tasks: locating information (questions about vents, tools, and the mice's actions), making inferences (why the rats delayed escape, whether they were better or worse off), and summarizing events (Plot Flowchart and wrap-up prompts asking students to describe how the mice escaped and what they did at Boniface Estates). The activities also ask students to compare Nicodemus before and after NIMH and to explain motivations, which requires understanding the text rather than merely decoding words.
Lesson 10
Amazing Rats
Students read the chapters The Main Hall and The Toy Tinker and answer comprehension questions in a journal, including specific Q&A items about plot, characters, and inventions. Students record an important event from each chapter on a Plot Flowchart and complete a 'Tools and Machines' worksheet that requires them to explain how items were used by the rats, supporting interpretation with text-based examples. Students write a paragraph describing how their opinion about rats changed and are prompted to support that opinion with reasons and linking words, showing purpose and understanding in their reading.
Lesson 11
The Plan
Students are assigned to read the chapters Thorn Valley and Captured and then answer comprehension questions in a journal, directly linking reading to specific purposes (e.g., explain how the rats found power, why they left, what happens to Mrs. Frisby). Students record key events on a Plot Flowchart and describe the new home the rats hope to make, requiring them to understand and summarize text details. Follow-up tasks (pop-up illustration, poem/song, and discussion) ask students to explain and extend their understanding of setting and ideas from the chapters.
Lesson 12
Working in the Night
Students are asked to read the chapters "Seven Dead Rats" and "Escape" and to summarize what they learned from those chapters. Students answer specific comprehension and discussion questions (e.g., what happened to Jenner, who rescued Mrs. Frisby, how the rats moved the house). Students complete a Plot Flowchart, draw the rats' invention from the author's description, and discuss examples from the text during the wrap-up.
Lesson 13
A New Home
Students are directed to read the chapters "At the Meeting," "The Doctor," and the Epilogue, and are told the purpose: to learn the fate of the rats and whether moving the house saved Timothy and his family. Students answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., why Nicodemus wanted Mrs. Frisby at the meeting, how the rats escaped) and complete comprehension tasks such as a Plot Flowchart, Elements of Fantasy responses, and a Plot Diagram to organize events and identify the climax and solution.
Final Project
The Next Chapter or Book Float
Students are instructed to look back at the chapter "Thorn Valley" to find the author's description and to use those textual details when planning setting and character actions. Students must write an outline and summary of a new chapter that stays true to the book's themes and characters and use a rubric that asks whether the setting reflected Thorn Valley and whether characters acted appropriately. Students are asked to read their finished chapter aloud and discuss organization and character consistency during the wrap-up.