Third Grade - ELA
1: Environment
Unit 1: Tornado
Lesson 2
The Storm
Students are asked to read and respond specifically to "Chapter 1," including summarizing Chapter 1 and answering chapter-focused comprehension questions. Students are directed to keep a daily journal and to write three or four-sentence summaries at the end of each chapter, explicitly using the term "chapter." Students practice sequencing within a chapter by using time transition words when they write summaries.
Lesson 3
The Tornado
Students are asked to listen as Chapter 2 is read aloud and then verbally summarize that chapter. Question #2 explicitly asks students to compare the tornado at Pete's house with the tornado in the first chapter, requiring reference to specific chapters. Activity 1 directs students to write and illustrate a chapter summary, reinforcing reference to a named part of the story (Chapter 2).
Lesson 4
A Card Trick
Students read Chapter 3 independently and answer a comprehension prompt asking them to "Describe what happens in this chapter." Students are asked to write and illustrate a chapter summary in their journal and the skills list explicitly includes "Produce a summary of a text." Students are directed to look through Chapter 3 to record sentences, which requires referring to a specific part of the text (the chapter).
Lesson 5
Turtles
Students are asked to read Chapter 4 and to write and illustrate a chapter summary in their journal, which requires referring to a specific part of the book (a chapter). Students retell myths and answer guided comprehension questions about events in that chapter. Students complete a Story Map Graphic Organizer with labeled sections for setting, characters, problem, three events, and solution, which requires sequencing parts of a story.
Lesson 6
The Best Pet Award
Students are asked to read Chapter 5 aloud and to write and illustrate a chapter summary in their journal, directly referring to the part of the book labeled as a chapter. Guided questions prompt students to cite events and details from that chapter (e.g., how Five-Thirty got his name, why Tornado dug a hole), and Option 2 of the award activity asks students to give specific examples from the story to justify claims about Tornado.
Lesson 7
Conflict
Students are asked to read Chapter 6 and to "record his chapter summary" in a journal, which requires referring to a chapter as a part of the text. The teacher prompts ask students to identify the two different stories within the book and to describe conflicts in each (Conflict #1 and Conflict #2) on the Student Activity Page, where students write a sentence describing each conflict and label the part. The questions prompt students to describe events from a specific chapter (e.g., "Describe the saddest day of Pete's life") which directs students to refer to a specific part of the story when speaking or writing.
Lesson 8
The End of the Storm
Students are asked to read Chapter 7 aloud and to answer questions about how Pete felt at the beginning of that chapter, explicitly referring to a chapter-level part of the text. Students write and illustrate a chapter summary in their journal (Activity 1) and are prompted in Activity 4 to reread Chapter 1 and Chapter 7 and complete a "Mood and the Environment" sheet with prompts labeled "In Chapter 1..." and "In Chapter 7...."
Lesson 9
Plot
Students identify and label the problem, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution on a Story Plot Diagram and place major events in sequence. In Option 2, students pull chapter summaries, write one-sentence summaries for each chapter, and order them on the Tornado Plot Diagram. Students are prompted to use time-transition words, act out important events, and define rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
Unit 2: Sarah, Plain and Tall
Lesson 2
Story Elements
Students are asked to identify and describe plot elements (problem/conflict, important events, solution) in Activity 1 and on the student activity page that asks them to describe the plot of a favorite story, including problem, events, and solution. In Activity 2 (Story Pyramid) students sequence story information by listing words that describe the main character, setting, problems, and two separate events, culminating with the solution. In Activity 3 students write a short story using time-transition words (first, next, after, then, finally) and are prompted to include different events that lead to a resolution and a theme.
Lesson 3
The News
Students are directed to read Chapter 1 and answer chapter-specific questions, and the manual states it includes questions for each chapter to be used as journal or discussion questions. Students are asked to write a journal entry at the end of each chapter pretending to be Anna, and to answer discussion questions in complete sentences. The materials use the term "Chapter 1" explicitly and structure activities around individual chapters.
Lesson 4
The Letters
Students read Chapter 2 aloud and are asked to summarize that chapter verbally, directly referring to a specific chapter as a part of the text. Students write a journal entry from Anna's point of view based on what occurred in Chapter 2, using that chapter as the basis for written work. Students examine the beginnings and ends of letters in the book and include greetings, closings, and signatures in their own letter, thereby referring to identifiable parts of written texts.
Lesson 5
The Arrival
Students are instructed to read Chapter 3 and then answer chapter-specific comprehension questions in a journal or discussion, which requires referring to that part of the text. Students are asked to write a journal entry from Anna's point of view focused on Sarah's arrival, linking writing directly to a specific chapter. The lesson's skills include retelling/summarizing and locating specific information within text, which supports students citing parts of the story.
Lesson 6
Life on the Prairie
Students are asked to read Chapter 4 and respond to chapter-specific comprehension questions (e.g., why Sarah brought shells; clues that she might stay in Kansas). Students are prompted to write a journal entry describing Anna's thoughts about the day spent with Sarah, which requires referring to events in that chapter. The introduction explicitly frames activities around "today's chapter," signaling focus on a specific part of the text.
Lesson 7
The Dune
The lesson asks the student to read Chapter 5 and to answer specific comprehension questions about that chapter (for example, "What do we learn about Sarah's personality in Chapter 5?"). The student is instructed to write a journal entry reflecting on the fun day described in Chapter 5, which requires writing about a particular part of the story. The materials repeatedly reference the chapter as the unit of work (e.g., "in the chapter she will read today," "read Chapter 5").
Lesson 8
Work and Play
Students are asked to read Chapter 6 and then answer specific comprehension questions about that chapter, directly referring to a named part of the text. Students write Anna's journal entry to reflect on conversations and activities she shared in this chapter, producing written commentary tied to a chapter. Students read aloud the description at the beginning of Chapter 6 and discuss similarities and differences between that chapter's events and their own environment, speaking about a specific section of the book.
Lesson 10
Neighbors
Students are asked to read Chapter 7 aloud and answer eight comprehension questions about events in that chapter, directly referring to the chapter as a part of the text. Students are prompted to write Anna's journal entry about the visit from Matthew and Maggie, which requires them to write about events in that specific chapter. Students are also asked to draw the setting using details from the text and to discuss characters' feelings (e.g., Sarah missing Maine), which involves speaking and writing about parts of the story.
Lesson 12
The End of the Storm
Students are asked to read Chapter 9 and answer questions specifically about that chapter, which requires referring to a part of the text. Students write a journal entry about how Anna feels when Sarah announces she is staying and are prompted to explain whether their predictions about the ending were correct, which involves speaking/writing about a specific chapter/ending. Students create a Story Plot Diagram that labels problem, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution and are encouraged to reread journal entries for each chapter to recall events, supporting work that shows how successive parts lead to the climax and resolution.
Unit 3: Who Was Helen Keller?
Lesson 1
Helen's Early Years
Students are asked to read Chapter 1 and answer chapter-specific questions in complete sentences, and chapter questions are provided for every chapter for discussion or journal recording. The text instructs students to generate their own questions as they read each chapter and to answer or discuss those chapter questions. Activity 2 directs students to add two or three important events from each chapter to a timeline, recording dates when provided.
Lesson 2
Helen's Childhood
Students are asked to read Chapter 2 and to predict and then check whether that chapter addresses their predictions, which requires referring to a specific part of the text. Activity 1 directs students to record one or two important events from Chapter 2 on a timeline, requiring them to identify and use the chapter as a text part. The vocabulary activity asks students to locate words by page number and to read and write the sentence that contains each word, which has students refer to specific pages/parts of the text.
Lesson 3
Helen's Challenges
Students are directed to read Chapter 3 and answer specific comprehension questions about events and actions in that chapter. Activity 1 asks students to add an event from the chapter to a timeline, requiring them to identify and place a chapter-level part of the story in sequence. The materials explicitly reference "Chapter 3," prompting students to refer to a named part of the text when writing or speaking.
Lesson 4
Inventors
The lesson directs students to read Chapter 4 and answer specific comprehension questions about that chapter, explicitly referring to the part of the book as a "chapter." Students are asked to add events from the chapter to a timeline, which requires locating and using information from that chapter. The lesson asks students to compare what they learned in Chapter 4 with information in a separate biography and to note similarities and differences between the chapter and the biography.
Lesson 5
Annie
Students are asked to read Chapter 5 and answer comprehension questions that refer explicitly to that chapter. Students add events from the chapter to a timeline, and complete a before-and-after drawing/writing activity that asks for adjectives and sentences describing Helen at Annie's arrival and at the end of Chapter 5. Students discuss why Helen changed and are asked to describe the relationship between Annie and Helen and to predict what will happen next.
Lesson 6
Helen Leaves Home
The Introduction asks the child to recall what happened in Chapter 5 and to predict and then check how Helen responds in Chapter 6, prompting students to refer to specific chapters. The Reading and Questions require students to read Chapter 6 aloud and answer content questions about events in that chapter. Activity 1 has students add events from the chapter to a timeline, and Activity 3 directs students to read through timeline events and discuss how Helen's life and environment changed over time (e.g., house -> cottage with Annie -> Perkins School).
Lesson 7
More Learning
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 and answer specific comprehension questions about those chapters. In Activity 1 students are told to add one event from each chapter to a timeline, explicitly referring to chapters as parts of the text. In Activity 2 students are asked to locate information in the chapters to place events on a map, requiring them to refer to chapter content and chapter-based events.
2: Change
Unit 1: Morning Girl
Lesson 2
Point of View
Students read Chapters 1 and 2 and answer questions that explicitly ask who is telling the story in each chapter, using the term "chapter." Students record chapter-specific journal entries that list three thoughts/phrases used by the narrator and two important events from each chapter. Students compare multiple narrators' accounts (Voices in the Park) using a four-part Venn diagram, matching each character's section and noting similarities and differences among those parts.
Lesson 3
The News
The lesson explicitly asks the child to read Chapter 3 and to answer questions aloud and in a journal, and it refers to specific page numbers (p. 14-15) when asking about Morning Girl's descriptions of Star Boy. Activity 1 has students record three feelings and two events from the chapter, and Activity 2 reminds students that stories have a beginning, middle, and end. The wrapping-up prompt asks the child to describe similarities and differences between Morning Girl and Star Boy and the child's own life, prompting spoken or written comparison across parts of the text.
Lesson 4
The Rock
Students are asked to read Chapters 4 and 5 and to answer questions aloud or in a journal, explicitly referring to those chapters. Activity 1 directs students to record three feelings, three phrases, and two events from Chapter 4 in Star Boy's voice and to do the same for Chapter 5 in Morning Girl's voice, which requires writing about specific parts. Activity 4 asks students to explain how Star Boy changed from the beginning of Chapter 4 to the end and to identify what caused that change, prompting analysis of progression within a chapter.
Lesson 6
The Storm
Students are directed to read Chapters 6 and 7 and answer chapter-specific questions (for example, "What happens to Star Boy in Chapter 6?" and "How does Star Boy describe the weather in Chapter 6?"). Activity 1 asks students to record Morning Girl and Star Boy's feelings, thoughts, words, and events that occurred in each of their chapters in a journal. Activity 2 asks students to compare the setting before and after the storm by looking through the book and recording words or phrases that describe the setting in different parts, then draw and discuss the changes.
Lesson 7
Visitors
Students are asked to read Chapters 8 and 9 and answer chapter-specific questions, which requires them to refer to those chapters when speaking or writing. Students record Star Boy's feelings, actions, and words from his chapter and then do the same for Morning Girl from her chapter, explicitly working with material tied to named chapters. Students read the epilogue and write journal entries from Morning Girl's and an explorer's points of view, citing descriptions and feelings tied to that part of the text.
Unit 2: Communities and Culture
Lesson 4
Back Home
Students complete a Plot Pyramid where they record five important events leading up to the climax (Emma and Libby finding Josh), three events that occur after the climax, and the story's problem and solution. Students are asked to predict the ending before reading and then compare their prediction to the actual rescue (How do Emma and Libby rescue Josh? Was your prediction of the rescue correct?), requiring them to refer to specific story events and sections. The reading questions and plot activity require students to sequence parts of the story and point to beginning/turning point/ending elements.
Lesson 6
Middle Ages
Students are asked to read specific pages (pages 1-15 and particular pages like p.11 and pp.12-15) and to answer comprehension questions about events and characters (e.g., why the Binkertons return, why Josh is surprised). Students are asked to reread and use information from specified sections to compare lives across texts and to create diagrams of social class based on those pages. At the end, students are prompted to describe the adventures of the Binkertons and what the characters miss most, which requires referring to parts of the story.
Lesson 9
Writing About History
The lesson asks students to "discuss an author's structural decisions and word choice," and directs them to read several pages and compare factual and fictional sections (including the "Fact or Fantasy?" section) to discuss differences in voice and content. Students are prompted to write separate factual and fantasy paragraphs, and an editing rubric includes "overall structure" as a category for evaluating their writing. The activities require students to organize ideas (Getting Started organizer, Rough Draft pages) and to revise for content and voice.
Unit 3: American Heroes
Lesson 1
Heroes
Activity 3 directs students to record a list of American heroes in their journal and crosscheck that list with the table of contents of 60 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet. The lesson explains that the table of contents is at the front of the book and outlines chapters/topics with page numbers, and it tells students to read specific parts ('A Tribute' p.7 and the Introduction pp.8–9). Students are therefore locating and using named parts (table of contents, chapters, page numbers) to find information in a text.
Lesson 2
Early American Heroes
The lesson directs students to read specific parts of the text (e.g., Ben Franklin pp. 46–47, Thomas Jefferson pp. 64–65, George Washington pp. 120–121) and then answer questions orally or in a journal about those sections. It refers to "the chapter on Jefferson" and asks students to discuss "the chapters your child read today," which locates student responses to particular parts of the book. Students complete Hero Cards and a Heroes Timeline that require summarizing and recording information from individual sections about each historical figure.
Lesson 4
Hard Times
The lesson directs students to read specific chapters (e.g., "the chapter on Eleanor Roosevelt (pp. 102-103)" and "the chapter on Franklin D. Roosevelt (pp. 104-105)") and then answer targeted comprehension questions about those chapters. Students are asked to complete activities after reading (fill out hero cards, record names and dates on a timeline) that tie their work to those particular parts of the text. Several comprehension questions ask students to describe changes across the character's life, which requires referring to content across parts of the chapter.
Lesson 6
African-American Heroes
Students are asked to read specified chapters (pp. 16-17, 24-25, 34-35) and answer comprehension questions after each chapter. The skills list explicitly includes 'Read and comprehend text by locating information for specific purposes.' Activities ask students to create hero cards and record birthdates on a timeline, which requires referencing specific parts of the biographical chapters.
Lesson 8
Heroes of Science and Invention
Students are directed to read specific chapters (e.g., the chapter on Albert Einstein, pp. 40-41; Edison, pp. 38-39; Wright brothers, pp. 126-127) and then answer comprehension questions about those chapters. The lesson explicitly names and uses the term "chapter" and provides page references, and students are asked to describe aspects of the content (feelings about weapons, effects of inventions, ways heroes persevered).
Lesson 9
Book of Heroes
The Skills list explicitly includes "Identify parts of a book." In Activity 1 students cut apart hero cards, put them in chronological order, number the cards, and create a table of contents with page numbers, which requires them to refer to specific pages/parts. In Activity 2 students reread the pages about chosen heroes and place each person's name and dates above the Venn diagram rings, showing they refer back to particular sections of the book for details.
3: Cycles
Unit 1: Poppy
Lesson 1
Preparing for Poppy
Students are asked to locate vocabulary words by chapter and write the sentence that contains each word in context, which requires referring to specific chapters. Students copy the book's map and label major events as they occur, and they are asked to trace Poppy's journey "as he reads the chapters," linking events to chapter divisions. Students record and revise lists of character traits while reading, circling or crossing off items as they appear in different parts of the text.
Lesson 2
Mr. Ocax
The lesson directs students to read Chapters 1 and 2 of Poppy and to use the questions that accompany each chapter as discussion or journal prompts, which requires chapter-based responses. Option 2 explicitly asks students to write two sentences about the chapter and then combine them into one, tying writing directly to a named part of the text. The lesson also tells students to answer chapter-specific questions and to speak about the author's descriptions for particular pages, which orients student work around specific sections.
Lesson 3
The Emergency Meeting
Students are asked to read Chapters 3 and 4 and to write a short summary of what occurred in these chapters, explicitly referring to those chapter parts. The discussion/journal questions require students to answer in complete sentences about events across the chapters (for example, how Poppy escaped and what the emergency meeting was about). Activity 1 has students draw and label a setting map showing Poppy's escape route and the path from Gray House to New House, connecting events across parts of the text. Activity 2 has students locate paragraph divisions and identify central ideas, giving practice in referring to parts within a passage.
Lesson 4
Standing Before Mr. Ocax
Students are asked to read Chapters 5 and 6 and to generate three or four discussion questions about that reading, then ask and discuss those questions aloud. Students are directed to reread and discuss specific page sections (pages 50–51 for dialogue and pages 52–53 for Lungwort's speech), identifying who speaks and practicing speaking parts. Students map Poppy and Lungwort's journey on a Setting Map and present a written speech aloud to an audience, referencing specific parts or pages of the text during those activities.
Lesson 5
Poppy and Poppa
Students are instructed to read Chapters 7 and 8 and to answer discussion and journal questions about events from those chapters. Students complete a cause-and-effect activity that requires reading specific causes from the novel and writing the resulting effects, linking events across the story. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to track predictions as they read, which requires comparing later parts of the text to earlier expectations.
Lesson 6
Dimwood Forest
Students are directed to read Chapters 9 and 10 and to write in their journal describing a decision Poppy made in one of those chapters, explicitly referring to a chapter. Students chart Poppy's journey across Old Orchard and over Glitter Creek on a Setting Map, connecting events to locations across the text. Students are asked to reread the author's descriptions on specific pages (83 and 85) and point out the words and phrases that make the forest feel bad, citing parts of the text.
Lesson 7
Ereth
Students read and respond to questions specifically about Chapters 11 and 12, answering verbal and written questions tied to those chapters. Students are asked to select three important Poppy quotes from Chapters 11 and 12 and record why each quote is important, which requires citing specific parts of the text. Students complete a graphic organizer (Ereth's Circle Map) and are asked to represent text information in different ways, such as story maps, which supports work tied to particular sections of the story.
Lesson 8
On the Way to New House
Students are asked to read Chapters 13 and 14 and write a summary of the two chapters in their journal, explicitly referring to those chapters. Students compare descriptions across chapters by answering how the author describes Dimwood Forest in these chapters versus Chapter 10 and whether Poppy's point of view changed. Students copy and perform dialogue from pages 112–113, label lines with character names (script format), and act out the scene, which requires referring to a specific scene when speaking. The Setting Map activity has students trace Poppy's journey across parts of the story.
Lesson 9
The Truth at Last
Students read specified parts of the text (Chapters 15 and 16) and answer questions that refer explicitly to those chapters (e.g., "How does Mr. Ocax feel at the end of Chapter 16?" and "How does Poppy feel at the end of Chapter 16?"). The journal prompt asks students to record information using the phrasing "In Chapters 15-16, Poppy wanted..." and similar for Mr. Ocax, requiring students to refer to those chapter parts. Activity 3 asks students to record evidence from the text that shows changes across the chapters (examples that Mr. Ocax is losing power and Poppy is gaining hers), prompting students to describe how later sections build on earlier events.
Lesson 10
The Battle
The lesson frames reading and discussion specifically around Chapters 17 and 18 and asks students to answer questions tied to those chapters (e.g., why Poppy confronted Mr. Ocax, how she escaped). The introduction asks students to predict how Poppy will get the salt for Ereth, and the Wrapping Up directs students to describe how Poppy defeated Mr. Ocax and broke the cycle of power. Several discussion and journal prompts require students to speak or write about events in these particular chapters.
Lesson 11
Writing Project
Students are asked to divide their writing into three paragraphs that each focus on a distinct part of the story: the cycle of power, how Poppy broke the cycle, and how life will be different for the mice. Students use a Paragraph Organizer to record introductory sentences, supporting ideas, and concluding sentences for each of these parts. Students are guided to turn organizer ideas into a three-paragraph first draft and to use a rubric that emphasizes paragraph organization and following a central idea.
Lesson 12
A New Beginning
The reading questions explicitly reference Chapters 19 and 20 and ask students to answer chapter-specific questions (for example, "Where was Poppy's family gathered in Chapter 20?"). Activity 1 asks students to trace Poppy's journey across locations and refers to a specific page (page 156) that describes the path, prompting students to connect events across parts. Activity 3 asks students to explain why the author jumps forward in time and to discuss changes in characters' relationships, which requires discussing how later sections relate to earlier ones.
Final Project
Poppy
Students are asked to create a plot diagram by labeling the problem, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. The lesson text defines these terms and explicitly explains that rising action leads to the climax and falling action shows what happens after the climax. Students also must write a paragraph explaining how a character/theme is supported by story elements and plot, which requires citing parts of the narrative.
Unit 2: Charlotte's Web
Lesson 1
Getting Started
Students are directed to complete a Plot Flow Chart with a labeled box for each chapter and to write a major event as they finish each chapter, so they refer to specific chapter parts when recording events. Students complete Character Descriptions with sections corresponding to chapters and are told to find words or phrases that describe how characters acted or felt in each chapter. Students are asked to preview and track vocabulary for Chapters 1-11 and to read specified chapters, which requires locating and referring to chapter-based parts of the text.
Lesson 2
Charlotte
The lesson directs students to read Chapters 4, 5, and 6 and includes specific questions that refer to Chapter 4 (e.g., "How would you describe Wilbur's day in Chapter 4?"). Activity 1 asks students to fill in a Plot Flow Chart by highlighting a major event that occurred in each chapter and to write character descriptions for how each character acted or felt during the chapter. Activity 2 asks students to make a list of Wilbur's schedule for the day found in Chapter 4, and Activity 4 asks students to draw the farm based on the author's description in Chapter 6.
Lesson 3
Bad News
Students read Chapters 7–9 and answer questions that explicitly refer to Chapter 7 and other chapter events. Students complete a Plot Flow Chart by highlighting a major event that occurred in each chapter and fill Character Descriptions with how characters acted or felt during each chapter. Students locate and record sensory descriptions on specified pages (13, 25, 33, 43, 62), thereby referring to specific parts of the text by page.
Lesson 4
Some Pig
Students are asked to read Chapters 10–12 and to fill in a Plot Flow Chart by highlighting a major event that occurred in each chapter, which requires them to refer to specific chapters. The Character Descriptions activity asks students to write how each character acted or felt during the chapter, prompting them to reference chapter parts when writing or speaking. Several comprehension questions (for example, about Charlotte's message changing how people view Wilbur) ask students to connect events across sections of the text.
Lesson 5
Progress
Students are asked to read Chapters 13-15 and answer questions in discussion or a journal, which requires writing or speaking about specific parts of the text. Activity 1 directs students to fill in a Plot Flow Chart by highlighting a major event that occurred in each chapter and to write character descriptions describing how each character acted or felt during the chapter. The Getting Started questions prompt students to consider how characters grow and change as they progress through life cycles, which connects events across sections.
Lesson 6
The Fair
Students are asked to read Chapters 16–18 and to use the provided questions in discussion or in a journal, which directs them to refer to specific chapters. In Activity 1 students fill in a Plot Flow Chart by highlighting a major event that occurred in each chapter and complete Character Descriptions by writing how each character acted or felt during the chapter. The materials repeatedly use the term "chapter" and require students to write about events tied to those chapter parts.
Lesson 7
The End
Students are asked to read Chapters 19-22 and answer chapter-specific comprehension questions about events (for example, Charlotte's death and the fair events). Students complete a Plot Flow Chart to sequence events and a "Characters Change" chart asking them to describe characters at the beginning and at the end of the story. Students also complete activities that map life-cycle stages and seasons, which require sequencing events across the story.
Unit 3: The Family Under the Bridge
Lesson 2
The French Man
Students are directed to read Chapter 1 and to repeat the process after every chapter. After each chapter students will write new things they have learned about characters using the "Meeting Characters" sheets and are instructed to save those sheets for use in future lessons. The lesson includes chapter-specific comprehension questions and asks students to answer them in complete sentences.
Lesson 3
A Discovery
Students are asked to recall and discuss that at the end of Chapter 1 Armand made a startling discovery and to predict what will happen in today's chapter, directly referencing chapters. Students are instructed to read Chapter 2 and to answer discussion or journal questions in complete sentences, which requires speaking or writing about a specified part of the text. The directions repeatedly use the term "Chapter" (Chapter 1, Chapter 2) when directing student reading and discussion.
Lesson 4
A Day in the City
Students are directed to read Chapter 3 and answer targeted comprehension questions about that chapter (e.g., questions about Armand, the Christmas log, and interactions in the shop). The skills list explicitly includes ‘Recall the main idea, facts, and details from a text' and ‘Discuss similarities and differences in events, characters, and concepts within texts.' Activity 1 asks students to fill in new information about characters, prompting them to refer to character details from the text.
Lesson 5
Singing
Students are asked to read Chapter 4 and to reread page 27, answering discussion and journal questions that refer explicitly to that chapter and page. Students plan and write a speech or letter from a character's perspective that refers to events and actions in the chapter (for example, persuading Armand to stay based on chapter events). Activity 3 asks students to locate and copy sentences containing quoted speech from the book, which requires them to refer to specific parts of the text.
Lesson 6
The Shoe
Students read and respond to Chapter 5 and are asked to answer questions in complete sentences that refer to other chapters (for example, QUESTION #3 asks how Armand's feelings differ from Chapter 2 to Chapter 5). Students complete a "Meeting Characters" sheet with information found in Chapter 5 and read specific pages (60–61) to compare the Gypsies and the Calcets on a double-bubble map. The activities also ask students to locate punctuation examples on specific pages, which requires referring to particular parts/pages of the text.
Lesson 7
Among Friends
Students are asked to read and discuss Chapter 6 aloud and to journal/discuss responses after finishing Chapter 6, which directly refers to a specific part of the story. Students make predictions before reading Chapter 6 and check whether their predictions were correct, and they answer chapter-specific comprehension questions about characters and events. Students complete a "Meeting Characters" sheet to record new information learned about characters from the chapter and use page-numbered vocabulary items tied to specific pages.
Lesson 8
Christmas Eve
Students are directed to read Chapter 7 and answer specific comprehension questions about events in that chapter (e.g., where the children went, what Armand did in the church). The introduction asks students which part they have enjoyed most up to this point, prompting them to refer to parts of the text. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to describe how Armand and the Calcets celebrate Christmas Eve and to compare that celebration to their own, which involves talking about events in the chapter.
Lesson 9
Saying Goodbye
Students are asked to read and respond to Chapter 8 using written and verbal questions that refer explicitly to that chapter. Students are directed to look back at Chapters 1-5 and record examples of French culture on the "Culture Commentary" page, with Option 1 even providing page references to locate information. Students are invited to update the "Meeting Characters" chart after finishing the chapter, indicating work with specific parts of the story.
Lesson 10
A Home at Last
Students are assigned to read Chapter 9 and to answer chapter questions in their journal, explicitly referring to "Chapter 9." Students fill in a "Meeting Characters" chart with new information about Armand from Chapter 9 and write responses to comprehension questions. In Activity 2 students compare the beginning and the end of the story by discussing what Armand discovered and how his willingness to get a job will help the children, and in Activity 3 students create a flip book labeling parts such as "Best Part" and "Most Exciting Part."
Final Project
Reader's Theater
The activities ask students to select a specific scene from The Family Under the Bridge (examples listed with page ranges and scene names) and to reread that event aloud before turning it into a Reader's Theater script. Instructions require students to write dialogue and stage directions (including use of a narrator) and to act out or record the scene, and the Skills list explicitly includes "Retell or act out the order of important events" and comparing a dramatic performance with the print version. The Final Project Rubric and script pages require students to identify characters, props, and at least fifteen lines and stage directions, which anchors student work to a named part of the text (a scene).
4: Relationships
Unit 1: One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest
Lesson 2
Morning in the Rain Forest
Students are asked to read each chapter and answer discussion or journal questions tied to specific chapters, with questions referencing page numbers and chapter content. Students complete a Rain Forest Animals Chart with columns labeled Chapter 1 through Chapter 9 and fill in animals and relationships for each chapter. Students use a Daily Activities chart to record the most important event for each time frame and link those events to specific chapters as they read.
Lesson 3
The Tree
The lesson repeatedly refers to Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 and asks students to recall what happened in Chapter 1 and to read Chapter 2. Students are directed to record major events from Chapter 2 on a "Daily Activities" sheet and to add animals mentioned in the chapter to a Rain Forest Animals Chart. Activities ask students to place animals in the scene according to the author's description from the chapter, requiring them to refer to specific parts of the text.
Lesson 4
Butterfly Search
Students are asked to read Chapter 3 and to answer chapter-specific journal questions and discussion prompts that refer explicitly to that part of the story. Students are directed to record major events from Chapter 3 on a "Daily Activities" sheet, which requires recalling and sequencing events from that chapter. Students write journal responses and a paragraph (Activity 2 and Activity 3) that refer to characters, events, and relationships introduced in the chapter.
Lesson 5
Rain Forest Relationships
Students read Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 and answer chapter-specific comprehension questions that cite page numbers and events (e.g., describing the butterfly, the sloth and moth relationship). Students record major events from Chapters 4 and 5 on a "Daily Activities" sheet and place events on Plot Timelines, cutting and pasting event cards into timeframes linked to the chapters. Students discuss and answer questions about why the author switches action between the living things and the men in trucks and are prompted to identify how earlier events affect later events across the chapters.
Lesson 6
Law of the Jungle
Students read and refer to Chapter 6 (explicitly named) and specific page numbers (for example, rereading page 40). Students record major events from Chapter 6 on a "Daily Activities" sheet and add animals and relationships described in the chapter to a "Rain Forest Animals Chart." Vocabulary items are tied to page numbers (p. 39–60), prompting students to locate words in particular parts of the text.
Lesson 7
Helping a Friend
Students read Chapter 7 and are asked to record the major events from that chapter on a "Daily Activities" page, which requires referring to a chapter by name. Students are directed to reread pages 49–52 and dramatize that specific scene, deciding props, writing dialogue, and including stage directions, and script formatting is reviewed (character name: line). Option 1 asks students to place given lines in the correct order and include stage directions, and Option 2 asks students to write their own script for the tree-climbing scene.
Lesson 9
A Close Call
Students are assigned to read Chapters 8, 9, and 10 and answer specific comprehension questions about events in those chapters, which requires referring to those parts of the story. Activity 1 directs students to add any new animals introduced in these chapters to a Rain Forest Animals Chart and to record the major events that occurred during the last chapters on a "Daily Activities" sheet. Activity 4 asks students to select events from their Daily Activities, place them on a Plot Diagram (labeling introduction/events, problem, climax, falling action, and resolution), and discuss the climax and how the problem was solved.
Unit 2: The Whipping Boy
Lesson 1
Medieval Times
The lesson instructs students to read The Whipping Boy chapter by chapter and, in Activity 6, to illustrate a major event from each chapter as they read. Activities prompt students to refer back to information on activity pages while reading and to decide how the relationship between characters is similar to or different from relationships in their own lives. The lesson repeatedly uses the term "chapter" when organizing reading and student work.
Lesson 2
Jemmy and Prince Brat
Students are asked to read specific chapters and answer chapter-level questions (e.g., "What are the main ideas of Chapters 1 and 2?" and "How would you summarize Chapter 3?"). Students create a comic strip by adding a scene for each chapter, illustrating important events and writing captions or dialogue for those scenes. Vocabulary and activity directions reference chapter and page numbers, requiring students to locate and copy sentences from particular chapters as they read.
Lesson 3
The Plot Thickens
Students read Chapters 4–6 and answer journal questions and discussion prompts about specific events and character actions, which requires referring to those chapters. Activity 1 asks students to draw scenes from each chapter to reflect the action in each chapter read today, explicitly using the term "chapter." Several comprehension questions ask students to recount events from particular parts (e.g., what happened in the foggy woods; where Jemmy planned to hide), prompting students to refer to parts of the story when speaking or writing.
Lesson 4
A Note to the King
Students are instructed to read Chapters 7–9 aloud and to answer questions in their journal and in discussion about those chapters, which requires referring to specific chapters. After each chapter students are directed to fill in a box on a comic strip page, a repeated activity tied to each chapter. The reading-and-question set includes items that refer to events in the chapters (for example, why characters acted as they did), prompting students to speak or write about particular parts of the story.
Lesson 5
Disagreements
Students read specified parts of the text (Chapters 10-12) and are instructed to answer questions in a journal and discuss some answers aloud, which requires writing and speaking about those chapters. Students complete Activity 1 by filling in a comic-strip box for each chapter, which has them work with and refer to individual chapters as parts of the story. Wrapping-up prompts ask students to state what they learned about the two characters after the day's reading, encouraging synthesis across the chapters read.
Lesson 6
In the Woods
Students read specified parts of the book (Chapters 13–15) and answer chapter-specific journal questions and discussion prompts that refer to those chapters. Students are instructed to add a scene to a comic strip for each chapter they read, which requires identifying and representing events by chapter. Students retell what happened in the reading and discuss character changes and relationship developments tied to the chapters they read.
Lesson 7
The Rescue
Students read Chapters 16–18 and answer chapter-specific comprehension questions that refer to events, character actions, and changes within those chapters. Students are asked to draw scenes for a comic strip reflecting the action in each of the chapters, which requires identifying and representing individual scenes/parts. Students discuss and write journal responses about how Jemmy and the prince change across the readings and predict what will happen in subsequent chapters. Students read a ballad and identify rhyming lines, showing engagement with parts of a poem (lines) and performing it aloud.
Lesson 8
Friends
Students are asked to read and refer to specific chapters (Chapters 19-20 and Chapters 1-2) when answering guided questions and completing activities. The "Changes" activity directs students to list four behaviors from Prince Brat (chapters 1-2) and four behaviors from Prince Horace (chapters 19-20) and to write a poem describing how the prince has changed. Questions explicitly ask students to explain how Jemmy and Prince Horace's relationship has changed and to predict how it will be in the future.
Final Project
A Monologue
Students are instructed to reread specific pages (pages 68–70 for Prince Brat and pages 65–66 and 79 for Jemmy) and to write monologues that explain how the prince's and Jemmy's feelings and relationships have changed. The monologue prompts require students to discuss how the relationship with Jemmy has changed the prince and how Jemmy's relationship to the prince is beginning to change. Students practice presenting these monologues aloud, which requires speaking about parts of the text and character development.
Unit 3: Iggie's House
Lesson 1
The Move
Students are asked to read Chapter 1 and to summarize the important events that happened in Chapter 1. The Reactions Chart and multiple student activity pages list events explicitly by chapter (e.g., "Chapter 3," "Chapter 5") and instruct students to write characters' reactions and personal reactions for those chapter events. The lesson's skill goals include connecting and comparing information within and across selections, which supports referring to parts of the text when responding.
Lesson 2
Meeting the Neighbors
Students are asked to read Chapter 2 and to answer selected questions in their journal and in discussion, which requires writing or speaking about a specific part of the story. Students complete a "Reactions Chart" for Chapter 2, explicitly referencing a chapter as the unit of text. The skills list includes recalling main ideas, facts, and details and analyzing characters, which students practice using material from Chapter 2.
Lesson 3
The Softball Game
Students read and respond to Chapter 3 using discussion and journal questions that reference that chapter by name. Students complete a "Reactions Chart" for this chapter and are asked to describe the softball game that occurred in the book. Several comprehension questions require students to refer to events and characters from this specific chapter when answering.
Lesson 4
A New Dog
Students are asked to read Chapter 4 and to summarize the events that occurred in Chapter 4. Students complete a "Reactions Chart" for this chapter and answer specific comprehension questions about events in Chapter 4. The introduction and prompts repeatedly refer to "today's chapter" and instruct students to write answers in their journal or discuss the chapter aloud.
Lesson 5
A Visit from Germs
The lesson directs students to read Chapter 5 and to fill in information for Chapter 4 on a "Reactions Chart," requiring them to refer to specific chapters by name. Journal and discussion questions ask students to answer question items about events that occur in Chapter 5 (for example, why the Garbers were glum and what Winnie did), which requires students to refer to parts of the story when speaking or writing. Activity 3 explicitly prompts students to review events "in this chapter" and to point out chapter-specific points of interest.
Lesson 6
A New Petition
Students are asked to summarize "yesterday's chapter" and to note that "in this chapter Winnie is still very upset about what happened in yesterday's chapter," prompting them to refer to specific chapters. After reading Chapter 6, students answer questions in a journal and discuss events, explicitly working with the chapter as a unit. The wrapping up prompts ask students to "summarize what happened in the chapter he read today" and to support character descriptions with evidence from events and actions in the text.
Lesson 7
The Swim Club
Students are asked to read Chapter 7 aloud and answer specific questions about events and characters in that chapter (e.g., questions about Mr. Berger, Winnie, and the petition). The wrapping-up prompt asks students to "describe what happened to Winnie at her aunt's Swim Club" and to "go through the chapter," which requires referring to that chapter as a part of the text. The Skills section includes objectives to "Discuss similarities and differences in events, characters, and concepts within and across texts" and to "Connect and compare information within and across selections," supporting reference to parts of texts.
Lesson 8
Moving
Students are directed to read and respond to questions specifically about Chapter 8 (e.g., journal and discussion questions tied to Chapter 8). Students are asked to fill in a "Reactions Chart" for Chapter 8, which requires them to refer to that chapter when recording responses. Students complete character comparison activities (double bubble maps) that draw on events and character traits from the chapter.
Lesson 9
A Letter
Students are instructed to 'use events that occurred in the story' when planning and writing a three-paragraph letter from Winnie's perspective, and the Planning My Letter pages require students to identify topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding sentences for each paragraph. The activity asks students to organize content into successive parts (Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3) with specified main ideas, which requires students to refer to specific events and characters from the original story (for example, Iggie, the Garbers, the petition). Students also read their letter aloud and discuss which parts they enjoyed, which encourages referring to parts of their writing tied to the source events.
Lesson 10
I Have a Dream
Students are asked to read Chapter 9 and then answer specific comprehension questions in their journal and in discussion (e.g., questions about Winnie, the Garbers, and the move). Activity 1 directs students to complete a "Reactions Chart" for Chapter 9, which requires them to refer to that chapter as a distinct part of the story. The lesson repeatedly references the chapter ("After reading Chapter 9") as the basis for writing and discussion.
Lesson 11
The End
Students are asked to finish reading the story and to name and describe the main characters and the problem, prompting them to refer to parts of the text when speaking. The Reactions Chart activity asks students to read through major events and how characters responded, supporting recall of sequential parts of the story. The Book in a Bag activity has students select items to represent story elements (protagonist, antagonist, problem, theme, setting, a relationship) and then describe their choices aloud or in writing.
Final Project
Character Interviews
Students are instructed to write interview questions and to include events from the story in their answers, and they are told to refer to a "Reactions Chart" to remember how characters responded to different events. The rubric explicitly asks whether students used events in the story when developing questions and answers and whether answers reflected characters' personalities. Students are asked to craft questions about relationships and to act out characters while answering, which requires citing specific story incidents and character behaviors.