Third Grade - ELA
1: Environment
Unit 1: Tornado
Lesson 1
Weather on the Farm
Students are asked to look at the cover of Tornado, make predictions, then read the real title and read about a real tornado and a dog named Tornado. In Activity 1 students are asked to describe a tornado, draw it, and write three factual sentences about tornadoes after reading about them in a weather book or on the Internet, and to discuss factual versus nonfactual information. The Skills list explicitly includes "Read expository materials for answers to specific questions," and Day 2 asks students to read about farm life and respond to questions about setting and farm activities.
Lesson 2
The Storm
Students are asked to read Chapter 1 and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., summarize Chapter 1, identify the problem, name who is in the cellar), which require using details from the text. Activity 4 asks students to write 3–4 sentence chapter summaries of main events and compare their summaries to a provided example. Activity 2 has students identify or write main ideas for short passages, reinforcing answering questions about text meaning.
Lesson 3
The Tornado
Students are asked to listen to a read-aloud of Chapter 2 and to verbally summarize the chapter. Students answer specific comprehension questions (Q1–Q4) that require details from the text, such as describing the yard after the tornado and explaining how this tornado differed from the previous one. Students underline descriptive words in the author's description and write their own descriptions, using the text examples as a basis for their writing.
Lesson 4
A Card Trick
Students are directed to read Chapter 3 independently and then answer a set of explicit comprehension questions (Question #1–#7) about events, motivations, and observations in the chapter. Question #1 asks students to describe what happens in the chapter and provides an answer that references specific events (Pete finding Tornado could pick the three of hearts). Activity 1 asks students to produce a chapter summary in their journal, reinforcing comprehension of the text.
Lesson 5
Turtles
Students are asked to read Chapter 4 and then answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., Where does Tornado get the turtle? How does Pete get the turtle out of Tornado's mouth?), which require answers drawn from the text. One question explicitly asks "How do you know?", prompting students to justify answers with textual information. Students also retell myths, summarize a chapter in a journal entry, and complete a Story Map graphic organizer that requires locating setting, characters, problems, events, and solutions from the text.
Lesson 6
The Best Pet Award
Students read Chapter 5 aloud and answer a set of specific comprehension questions (QUESTION #1–#7) with answers that refer to story events (e.g., Five-Thirty showed up every day at 5:30; Tornado dug to keep cool). Students discuss how animals change their environment and respond to prompts that connect answers to details in the text. In Activity 3 Option 2, students are explicitly encouraged to give specific examples from the story when writing reasons why Tornado is a good pet.
Lesson 8
The End of the Storm
Students read Chapter 7 aloud and answer guided discussion questions that require text-based support (for example, Question 1 asks, "How did Pete feel... How do you know?" and the suggested answers cite tears, inability to eat, and feelings of emptiness). Students are asked to reread the section describing Pete's sadness (pp. 42–43) and to record the exact words and phrases the author uses to describe his feelings. Students compare Chapters 1 and 7 and produce a chapter summary, describing differences in environment and character mood based on the text.
Lesson 9
Plot
The activities require students to read a picture book or the book Tornado and identify the problem, major events, the climax, and the resolution, writing those elements on a Story Plot Diagram. Activity 2 asks students to reread chapter summaries, reorder events across a diagram, and identify which events represent the problem, climax, and resolution. The wrapping-up prompts instruct students to describe a story plot and define rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution in response to adult questions.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students are prompted to answer wrap-up questions such as whether they enjoyed Tornado, whether they would recommend it, and to explain what they learned from the story. Several Think-Tac-Toe activities require students to refer to events from the book (e.g., placing five objects that represent major events and writing a sentence describing how each relates to the book; choosing a favorite event and writing how it might have gone differently). One activity asks students to write a paragraph that includes a sentence that clearly explains how the weather or environment affected characters' actions or feelings, and a Hamburger Paragraph Organizer is provided to structure that writing.
Unit 2: Sarah, Plain and Tall
Lesson 1
Getting Started
The lesson asks students to "Read with your child about the states of Kansas and Maine in an encyclopedia or on the Internet" and to "list 6 facts about each state," which requires locating information in expository text. The Skills section explicitly includes "Read expository materials to answer questions and locate information" and "Demonstrate understanding of informational text." Activities prompt students to answer teacher questions (e.g., which state is most similar, which they would prefer) and to discuss differences between climates and geography based on what they read.
Lesson 2
Story Elements
Students read a picture book and then complete tasks that require pulling story elements from that text (Activity 2: create a story pyramid based on the book). Students answer explicit questions about books on the Review of Story Elements sheet (write a sentence describing a favorite character and setting, write the most important lesson learned, and describe the plot with problem, events, and solution). Students are asked to explain and describe setting, characters, theme, and plot aloud and to give examples from books they have read.
Lesson 3
The News
Students are asked to read Chapter 1 and answer specific comprehension questions in discussion or in a journal, with correct answers noted. Students are prompted to answer in complete sentences and to base journal entries on what is written in the chapter, deciding Anna's feelings from the text. One comprehension question explicitly asks for clues from the story (Where do Caleb and Anna live? What clues do you have?), prompting students to point to text-based evidence.
Lesson 4
The Letters
Students are asked to listen as Chapter 2 is read aloud and then verbally summarize the chapter, which practices answering questions about the text. Students read and answer a set of comprehension questions (Questions #1–#4) in their journals or in discussion, including text-based items such as why Anna was worried and what Sarah describes about Maine. The wrap-up asks students to predict whether Sarah will enjoy Kansas and to support their opinion, prompting use of text details to justify their response.
Lesson 5
The Arrival
Students are directed to read Chapter 3 and then answer four specific comprehension questions (e.g., "What does Papa do to get ready for Sarah's arrival?") in a journal or discussion, which requires retrieving details from the text. Activity 2 instructs students to create a Venn diagram and explicitly tells them to "look for examples in the book" of geography, plants, animals, and transportation, guiding them to refer to the text. The Skills list includes "Locate specific information within text," indicating students will practice finding textual details.
Lesson 6
Life on the Prairie
Students are asked to read Chapter 4 and answer a set of comprehension questions in their journal or discuss them aloud, which requires them to use the chapter to form responses. Question #2 explicitly directs students to look for clues in the text (the repeated use of "we") to support an inference about Sarah's plans. Activities ask students to retell and summarize events (journal entry about Anna's thoughts) and to compare activities described in the book with their own lives, which requires referring to specific text details.
Lesson 7
The Dune
Students are instructed to read Chapter 5 and then read and answer five specific comprehension questions (e.g., why Sarah names the sheep after her aunts, what we learn about Sarah's personality, what Sarah enjoys on the farm). The text directs students to answer the questions in their journal or discuss them aloud, and suggested answers tie responses to events and dialogue in the chapter (for example, explaining Caleb's reaction to Sarah saying "our dune"). The activities also ask students to retell and reflect (journal entry, prediction about Sarah enjoying Kansas), which require referring to chapter events.
Lesson 8
Work and Play
Students read Chapter 6 and then answer three specific comprehension questions in their journal or through discussion (Question #1–#3), using details about Sarah, winter, and Papa's actions. Students write Anna's journal entry to reflect on conversations and activities she shared with Sarah, requiring them to retell and reference events from the chapter. In Activity 2, students list three things from the book they believe are facts and three that are not factual, directly drawing on textual details to support their choices.
Lesson 9
Writing
Students are asked to identify the problem of the story and to answer teacher prompts about what Caleb and Anna have been worried about since Sarah's arrival, which requires them to refer to story events. During planning for the persuasive letter, students are reminded to support each reason by providing examples from the book (for example, noting that the family started singing again when Sarah came). The teacher reads persuasive examples and asks students which is most convincing and why, prompting students to answer questions about text-based arguments. The self-editing checklist asks students to confirm they have three reasons and that they support each reason, reinforcing use of text evidence.
Lesson 10
Neighbors
Students are asked to read Chapter 7 aloud and answer a set of specific comprehension questions (e.g., why Maggie and Matthew visit; what chores are done), which requires referring to chapter events. The Setting activity directs students to draw the setting using details from the text. The Introduction and Questions to Explore prompt students to discuss who their neighbors are and to answer prompts about Sarah's feelings and what she misses, providing oral question-and-answer practice.
Lesson 11
Squall
Students are asked to read Chapter 8 and answer specific comprehension questions (Question #1–#4) about characters and events. Question #4 explicitly asks for clues that show Anna misses her mother, prompting students to locate evidence in the chapter. The Getting Started prompts ask students to discuss what they have learned about the weather from reading the story and how the environment affects people, requiring text-based responses.
Lesson 12
The End of the Storm
Students are asked to read Chapter 9 and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., identify storm damage and explain Sarah's purchases), which require referring to events and details from the text. Activity 3 directs students to write the theme in the center of a web and record examples showing how the author supports the theme through characters' actions, words, thoughts, and events. The instructions also prompt students to reread journal entries and chapters to recall important events and Anna's feelings as evidence for answers.
Final Project
Welcome To Kansas
The lesson asks students to plan a "Welcome to Kansas" party while "keeping in mind the setting of the story," and directs them to "locate sources to read about activities and foods that pioneers enjoyed"—activities that require using text information. The Skills list explicitly includes "Recall main ideas, facts, and details from a text" and "Make inferences and draw conclusions," and the Self-Editing Checklist asks students to support reasons, which encourages grounding responses in evidence.
Unit 3: Who Was Helen Keller?
Lesson 1
Helen's Early Years
Students are asked to read Chapter 1 and answer specific chapter questions (e.g., Describe Helen in her first two years of life; What caused Helen to lose her sight and hearing?), and they are instructed to answer in complete sentences and record answers in a journal. The lesson instructs students to generate their own questions about the book and to use chapter questions as discussion or written responses. Students are directed to add important events to a timeline "as you read the story," which requires locating information in the text.
Lesson 2
Helen's Childhood
Students are asked to read Chapter 2 and answer a set of comprehension questions and are encouraged to think of their own questions. Students are prompted to predict before reading and to record their ideas to see if the chapter addresses them. Students fill in timeline events from Chapter 2, which requires locating information in the text. The vocabulary activity requires students to locate each target word in the book, read aloud and write the sentence that contains the word.
Lesson 3
Helen's Challenges
Students are asked to read Chapter 3 and then answer a set of specific comprehension questions (QUESTION #1–#4) that ask for details from the text, with sample answers provided. The introduction prompts students to describe verbally why Helen's environment could be frustrating and dangerous, requiring them to use information from the chapter. Activity 1 asks students to add an event from the chapter to a timeline, and Activity 3 asks students to write a song or paragraph about Helen's experience, tasks that require understanding of the text.
Lesson 4
Inventors
Students are asked to read Chapter 4 and answer five explicit comprehension questions (e.g., Why did Helen love Alexander Graham Bell right away?; How did Alexander Graham Bell feel about Helen?). Activity 2 directs students to read a separate biography of Alexander Graham Bell, write ten facts about his life, and compare what they learned in the biography to what they read in Chapter 4. The Skills section states students will "Read expository materials for answers to specific questions," and Activity 1 has students add events from the chapter to a timeline, which requires recalling facts from the text.
Lesson 5
Annie
Students are told to read Chapter 5 and then answer five comprehension questions (Question #1–#5), including factual questions (e.g., how Helen felt about Annie) and open-response items. Students are asked to add events from the chapter to a timeline and to describe the relationship between Annie and Helen in the wrapping up section. The Before and After activity requires students to draw and write adjectives about Helen "when Annie first arrived" and "at the end of Chapter 5," drawing directly on details from the text.
Lesson 6
Helen Leaves Home
Students are asked to read Chapter 6 aloud and then answer six comprehension questions (Questions #1–#6) about Helen's experiences, including factual recall (e.g., What did Helen enjoy at Cape Cod?; What was Helen accused of at Perkins School?). One question explicitly asks for an answer "based on what we know about Helen," and the introduction asks students to make predictions and then check whether those predictions were correct. Activities ask students to add chapter events to a timeline and discuss how Helen's life changed, requiring reference to events in the text.
Lesson 7
More Learning
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 and answer five specific comprehension questions (e.g., why the interviewer was surprised, how Helen noticed immigrants' differences, how Helen performed at Cambridge), requiring them to locate and use details from the text. Students create a timeline by adding one event from each chapter and label/map places Helen visited, which requires finding chapter-based events and locations. The activities also ask students to explain why events were important and to mark places they have visited, prompting use of textual information about Helen's life.
Lesson 8
All Grown Up
Students read Chapters 9 and 10 and answer five specific comprehension questions (e.g., "What was college like for Helen?", "What was the name of Helen's first book?"). Students read and underline parts of Helen Keller's quotations on the "Helen's Voice" page and discuss which words or phrases create images. Students read model passages in "Writing with Voice" and answer targeted questions about which words or phrases they liked and whether they want to keep reading.
Final Project
Scrapbook or Interview
Students are asked to develop five interview questions about Helen Keller and to write answers for each, drafting and revising their responses. Students are instructed to use the book they just finished reading, an encyclopedia, or the Internet to find information for the scrapbook and to record ideas for each scrapbook page. Students are evaluated with rubrics that rate the quality of questions and the thoughtfulness/informativeness of answers.
2: Change
Unit 1: Morning Girl
Lesson 1
Background Information
Students are asked to read about the Bahamas and "summarize the information by creating a short report" (Activity 2), which requires using texts and pictures as sources. Students locate information about the Taino, "record facts that he learns in his journal," and then produce an acrostic poem (Activity 4), showing they extract information from texts. Students examine pictured artifacts and are asked to write the materials and a sentence describing possible uses, with directions to look for information in "Internet or other reference material" if unsure (Activity 5). The introduction and "Questions to Explore" prompt adults to ask questions and elicit students' answers about Columbus and the Bahamas.
Lesson 2
Point of View
Students are asked to read chapters and then answer specific comprehension questions in discussion or in writing (e.g., Who is telling the story? How are the stories different?). Students record three thoughts/feelings/phrases the narrator uses and two important events in a journal, which requires them to identify and cite language from the text. Activities ask students to identify words, phrases, and sentences that reveal character personality and to use a four-part Venn diagram to compare and contrast the four narrators' accounts, requiring explicit reference to story details.
Lesson 3
The News
Students read Chapter 3 and answer specific comprehension questions aloud and in their journals (Questions #1–#6 ask about resources, feelings, news, and events from the chapter). Students are asked to record three phrases or sentences that Morning Girl uses to describe Star Boy and to record feelings and events in a journal, requiring them to refer to the text for answers. Students are also prompted to describe similarities and differences between Morning Girl, Star Boy, and their own lives, which asks them to use information from the text to support those descriptions.
Lesson 4
The Rock
Students are asked to read Chapters 4 and 5 and then answer a list of specific comprehension questions aloud or in their journal (e.g., Why do you think Star Boy pretends to be a rock?; How does the environment change as the sun sets?). Students record text-based details in Activity 1 by writing three feelings, three phrases, and two events from each chapter in Star Boy's and Morning Girl's voices. Students are also directed to identify pronouns the author uses in the text and to read pronouns in context to decide which noun was replaced.
Lesson 6
The Storm
Students are asked to read Chapters 6 and 7 and answer seven specific comprehension questions in their journal or in discussion, practicing answering text-based questions in complete sentences. The lesson provides explicit Q&A items about events, character actions, and descriptions (e.g., what happens to Star Boy, how he describes the weather). Activity 2 directs students to "look through the book and record words or phrases that describe the setting," which requires students to refer to specific text passages as the basis for their answers.
Lesson 7
Visitors
The Reading and Questions section instructs students to read Chapters 8 and 9 and then answer a list of specific comprehension questions in their journal or in discussion, with answers expected in complete sentences. Activity 1 directs students to record Star Boy's feelings, actions, and words from his chapter, which requires using details from the text. Activity 3 asks students to read the epilogue and write journal entries for Morning Girl and an explorer that include each individual's description of the event, thoughts, and feelings, prompting students to use text-based descriptions.
Final Project
Poetry Night
Students are prompted to read Encounter aloud and then answer a set of specific comprehension questions provided in the Reading and Questions section (e.g., Why is the boy worried; What do the strangers give to the boy's people). Students are directed to read the "European Explorers and Native Americans" activity page and to "look through Encounter to find examples" to place under Positive, Negative, and Mixed flaps, requiring them to locate and use details from the text. Students write two before-and-after poems that must describe ways natives' environment, communities, health, and lives changed, which asks them to draw on information from the texts.
Unit 2: Communities and Culture
Lesson 1
Getting Started
Students are prompted to generate and record questions in the "What I Want to Learn" boxes and later return to the chart to see if their questions were answered, which requires asking and answering about the texts. Activity 3 directs students to look through the unit books to list proper nouns and to find examples in the texts, explicitly using the books as sources. Activities 5 and 6 ask students to look for pictures of homes and to describe and draw settings based on illustrations in the books, requiring them to use text-based evidence when discussing differences between time periods. The Wrap Up asks students to name the two historical time periods and three proper nouns related to each, again drawing answers from the texts.
Lesson 2
Where Are We?
Students read pages 4–15 and answer ten explicit comprehension questions (Q1–Q10) in discussion or in writing, including text-dependent prompts such as "How did the Nile River affect the way people lived?" The instructions require students to answer in complete sentences and to record new information on a "Historical Time Periods: Ancient Egypt" sheet. Activity 2 asks students to list three factual details and three fictional details from the story, and Activity 3 directs students to describe homes, foods, and natural resources drawn from the reading.
Lesson 3
The King
Students read pages 16–27 and then answer five specific comprehension questions (Where does Emma go to find Josh? How does the author describe an Egyptian town? Why do Emma and Libby have to work? How were Egyptian schools different? Why did the Egyptians build pyramids?), each requiring answers drawn directly from the text. Students are instructed to look at a diagram of the monarchy in ancient Egypt and complete a Venn diagram comparing a king and a president, using the text/diagram as the source for comparisons. The Wrapping Up prompts ask students to tell what they learned from the reading and to predict future events, which requires referring to details in the text to support answers.
Lesson 4
Back Home
Students are prompted to finish reading the text and then answer specific comprehension questions (QUESTION #1–#5) that require details from the story (e.g., how Emma and Libby rescue Josh, why guards chase the Binkertons). One question directs students to "Look at the diagram of a pyramid on page 33," which requires using the text and its diagram as the basis for answers. The Plot Pyramid activity has students record five events leading to the climax and three events after, and record the story's problem and solution, which asks students to refer to events in the text.
Lesson 5
A Day in Egypt
Students are prompted to ask questions about ancient Egyptian life (what people did for work, food, entertainment, housing, clothing) and to refer to their "What I have learned" page and the book as needed. The directions explicitly encourage students to check whether the questions they posed at the beginning were answered in the story. Students also produce a schedule and a paragraph comparing ancient Egyptian life to their own, which draws on information from the reading.
Lesson 6
Middle Ages
Students are asked to read pages 1-15 of Adventures in the Middle Ages and to answer a set of explicit comprehension questions (Question #1–#5) in complete sentences, both verbally and in writing. Students are instructed to record new information on the "Historical Time Periods: Middle Ages" page and to reread specific pages (e.g., p.11 and pp.12-15) to complete comparative activities (Being Poor) and a journal entry from a peasant's point of view. Students are prompted to describe the Binkertons' adventures and to answer exploratory questions about how and why communities change.
Lesson 7
Off to the Castle
Students are instructed to read pages 16–31 and then answer six specific comprehension questions whose answers are based on events and ideas from those pages (for example, identifying the village fair, beliefs of the Middle Ages, and who the Binkertons find). The lesson begins with "Questions to Explore" and includes prompts such as "Ask your child why the life of a person living in a castle might be better..." and later asks students to compare how life in the book is similar to and different from fairy tales and movies, directing students to use the book. The skills list also explicitly states "Use text for a variety of functions," supporting text-based responses.
Lesson 8
Return Home
Students are prompted to finish reading and then answer specific text-based comprehension questions (e.g., Q1 asks for characteristics of chivalry; Q3 asks for castle features; Q5 asks who has the book and how it is recovered), with answers that rely on plot details. The Skills section explicitly states that students will "Read text to locate information and answer specific questions." Activity 3 directs students to go through the books, read thought/word bubbles and illustrations, record adjectives for characters, and explain how the text and illustrations support those adjectives.
Lesson 9
Writing About History
Students are asked to read a number of pages in the unit books and discuss the difference between factual and fictional text. Students are instructed to collect information from books or online about a chosen cultural element and to record interesting facts on the "Getting Started" organizer. The "Rough Draft: Fact and Fantasy" page prompts students to write a factual paragraph using sentence stems such as "In the year _____, you would find _____" and "One thing you should know about _____ is _____," which direct students to include details and examples drawn from their research.
Unit 3: American Heroes
Lesson 1
Heroes
Students are asked to record a list of American heroes and crosscheck that list with the table of contents of the book 60 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet, and they are encouraged to read specific sections ("A Tribute" and the Introduction). Students are asked to tell about a time they have seen or read about a hero and to describe what the hero did. Activities ask students to write sentences about how a chosen hero changed the world and to list adjectives tied to people they have read about or seen.
Lesson 2
Early American Heroes
After students read the sections on Franklin (pp. 46-47), Jefferson (pp. 64-65), and Washington (pp. 120-121), they are asked explicit comprehension questions to answer in discussion or in their journal (e.g., What were some of Franklin's talents? Name some of Franklin's inventions; Why did Washington refuse to be king?). The lesson's skills list explicitly includes 'Read expository materials for answers to specific questions' and 'Read and comprehend text by locating information for specific purposes.' Activities require students to record text-based facts on Hero Cards, place birth dates on a Heroes Timeline, and 'describe how Jefferson, Washington, and Franklin changed America,' all of which ask students to use the reading as the basis for their answers.
Lesson 3
Heroes of Freedom
Students are instructed to read chapters on Abraham Lincoln and Harriet Tubman and then answer a set of comprehension questions about each text. Several questions require students to state factual information found in the readings (for example, that Tubman led about 300 slaves to freedom and never lost a "passenger," and that Lincoln freed the slaves and preserved the Union). The lesson includes opening "Questions to Explore" and a wrap-up prompt that asks students to describe the role each hero played, which directs students to discuss ideas drawn from the readings. An activity asks students to read the Underground Railroad signs page and use that information to plan and draw a route.
Lesson 4
Hard Times
Students are asked to answer specific comprehension questions after reading the chapters on Eleanor Roosevelt (pp. 102–103) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (pp. 104–105). Several questions require factual, text-based answers (for example, describing Eleanor's change from a shy child to a confident woman and identifying that FDR led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II). The lesson directs students to read particular pages before responding and provides expected answers for some questions, linking student responses to the text.
Lesson 5
Recent Heroes
Students are asked to answer specific comprehension questions after reading the Walt Disney and Jesse Owens chapters (e.g., identify characteristics Disney demonstrated; list Owens's achievements and what he said was needed to achieve goals). The provided answers for some questions refer to chapter facts (for example, Owens's 1935 records and four 1936 Olympic gold medals; Disney's influence on moviemaking and theme parks). The opening "Questions to Explore" and the Life Application prompt ask students to generate questions to talk with a local hero, connecting reading topics to question generation and discussion.
Lesson 6
African-American Heroes
Students are asked to answer specific comprehension questions after reading each biography (Mary McLeod Bethune, Frederick Douglass, George Washington Carver), with questions and model answers provided for each chapter. The lesson's Skills section explicitly lists "Read and comprehend text by locating information for specific purposes" and "Read expository materials for answers to specific questions," which directs students to find answers in the text. The wrap-up and introductory questions also prompt discussion about the readings and reasons for change, which guide students to use text content in responses.
Lesson 7
Female Heroes
Students read short chapters on Susan B. Anthony and Sandra Day O'Connor and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., why Anthony was arrested; what changed after her death; what O'Connor was first to do), requiring use of text facts. Students create hero cards and record dates on a timeline, which requires locating factual information in the text. Students write interrogative sentences in Activity 2 about what they have learned and questions they still have, practicing asking questions tied to the readings.
Lesson 8
Heroes of Science and Invention
Students are instructed to answer specific questions after reading expository chapters on Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and the Wright brothers (e.g., "Although Einstein helped develop the atomic bomb, how did he feel about weapons and war?" with a text-based answer). The Skills section explicitly lists "Read expository materials for answers to specific questions (LA)." The Perseverance activity asks students to back up observations with supporting details, prompting students to provide reasons and details for their responses.
Lesson 9
Book of Heroes
Students are prompted to describe heroes and what they did (Getting Started and Wrapping Up), answering questions about each person's actions and character traits. In Activity 2 students are asked to reread the pages about three chosen heroes and complete a three-ring Venn diagram, listing each person's name, dates, and important national events—tasks that require retrieving specific text details. In Activity 3 students select a favorite hero, answer why that person is their favorite, and write three sentences about the hero, encouraging them to look for additional information in books or online.
3: Cycles
Unit 1: Poppy
Lesson 1
Preparing for Poppy
Students are prompted to identify and confirm character traits while they read: Activity 2 has them list possible human characteristics for the mouse and owl and then circle the ones that apply or add new ones as they read. Activity 3 requires students to find each vocabulary word in a chapter and write the sentence that contains the word in context. Activity 4 asks students to label major events on a map and trace Poppy's journey as they read the chapters.
Lesson 2
Mr. Ocax
Students read Chapters 1 and 2 and are given a set of guided questions (QUESTION #1–#9) to answer as discussion or journal prompts, requiring them to refer to events and character behavior. Students are asked to write a paragraph describing similarities with a character and are explicitly told to "support her opinion with evidence from the story." Several provided answers and possible responses reference specific plot points (e.g., why Mr. Ocax wants the mice to fear him, Ragweed's behavior).
Lesson 3
The Emergency Meeting
After reading Chapters 3 and 4, students are asked to answer eight explicit comprehension questions in complete sentences and to write a short summary of the chapters in their journal. The lesson directs students to look at pages 20–22 to identify paragraph divisions and to "identify the central idea of each paragraph," which requires referring back to the text. Questions include factual prompts (e.g., how Poppy escaped, what the emergency meeting was about) that ask students to base answers on events in the text.
Lesson 4
Standing Before Mr. Ocax
Students are prompted to generate three or four discussion questions as they read Chapters 5 and 6 and to ask and discuss those questions after reading. The lesson provides explicit text-based comprehension questions (for example, asking what Poppy saw at the bottom of Mr. Ocax's tree with the answer 'Mr. Ocax's pellets and, among them, Ragweed's earring') and refers to specific pages (pages 50–51 and 52–53) for locating dialogue and the beginning of Lungwort's speech. Students are reminded to answer verbal and written questions in complete sentences and to reread specified pages to find evidence for answers.
Lesson 5
Poppy and Poppa
Students are prompted to read Chapters 7 and 8 and answer a set of comprehension questions (e.g., Why do you think Poppy wanted Ragweed's earring?). One question asks for justification: "Did Lungwort give Poppy permission to go to New House? How do you know?", which directs students to base their answer on story details. The cause-and-effect activity presents specific causes from the novel and asks students to write the effects that occurred in the story, requiring reference to events in the text.
Lesson 6
Dimwood Forest
Students are directed to read Chapters 9 and 10 and then answer specific comprehension questions (Q1–Q4) about Poppy and Mr. Ocax, which requires use of details from the text. Students are asked to write in a journal describing a decision Poppy made, its effects, and why it was good or bad, which asks for text-based explanation. Students are asked to reread the author's description on pages 83 and 85 and point out the words and phrases that make the forest feel bad, which explicitly requires referring to the text as the basis for answers.
Lesson 7
Ereth
The lesson includes a Skills objective to "Ask and answer relevant questions" and provides a set of specific reading comprehension questions (Question #1–#7) tied to Chapters 11–12 that students must answer in complete sentences. Activity 1 asks students to select three important quotes from the chapters and record why each quote is important, and Activity 2 requires students to locate examples of alliteration in the text—both tasks require referring directly to text passages. The circle map and discussion prompts ask students to describe Ereth using words/phrases drawn from the chapters and to explain how Poppy's new knowledge might change events, prompting text-based answers.
Lesson 8
On the Way to New House
Students are instructed to read Chapters 13 and 14 and write a summary of the two chapters in their journal, which asks them to recall main ideas and details. A set of discussion/journal questions (with model answers for some) ask students to explain changes in point of view and descriptions in the text. Students are directed to copy the dialogue quotes from pages 112–113 when making puppets and to use those lines when acting out the scene, which requires referring explicitly to the text. Vocabulary activities include page references for locating words in the text.
Lesson 9
The Truth at Last
Students are asked to read Chapters 15–16 and answer a set of comprehension questions (e.g., "What was the first thing Poppy noticed at New House?"), with a reminder to answer verbal and written questions in complete sentences. Students are instructed to "record two examples from the text" that show Mr. Ocax losing power and two pieces of evidence that Poppy is gaining hers, and to locate words and page numbers in the chapters for the prefixes/suffixes activity. Activities also ask students to recap the cycle of power using events from the story and to find words in print, which requires referring to the text.
Lesson 10
The Battle
Students are given a set of specific comprehension questions about Chapters 17 and 18 and are instructed to answer verbal and written questions in complete sentences. Sample answers provided refer to events and motives in the story (for example, explaining that Poppy delights in having control because the owl had controlled her family, and that she escaped by fighting with Ereth's quill). The wrapping up prompt asks students to describe how Poppy defeated Mr. Ocax and broke the cycle of power, which directs students to explain events from the text.
Lesson 11
Writing Project
The lesson directs an adult to ask the child three specific comprehension prompts (explain the cycle of power, how Poppy broke the cycle, and how life will be different), and students are instructed to write three paragraphs answering those prompts. The Paragraph Organizer requires students to produce topic sentences, supporting ideas, and concluding sentences for each prompted topic, and the Paragraph Rubric asks "Do you provide supporting evidence for each idea?" which prompts students to include evidence when answering. The activities require students to turn organizer ideas into full-paragraph answers and to revise using the rubric, which practices producing answers based on the text.
Lesson 12
A New Beginning
Students are asked specific text-based comprehension questions (Questions #1–#5) about Chapters 19–20 and are reminded to answer verbal and written questions in complete sentences. Students trace Poppy's journey on a setting map using a page reference (page 156), which requires them to locate and use text details. Students complete a 'Story Tree' worksheet where they record theme, setting, protagonist, antagonist, conflict, solution, and resolution, drawing directly from the book.
Final Project
Poppy
Students complete a plot diagram that asks them to identify the problem, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, using specific plot points (e.g., Poppy fights Mr. Ocax, Ereth gets the salt). Students write a paragraph explaining how a character illustrates a theme and are asked to "explain the story elements and plot supporting that theme," which requires referring to events in the text. Other tasks (a Poppy journal entry, creating a maze with obstacles from the story) require students to refer to specific events and details from the text when composing responses or designing artifacts.
Unit 2: Charlotte's Web
Lesson 1
Getting Started
Students are prompted to answer verbal and written questions in complete sentences and to answer questions that "come directly from the book." Students locate vocabulary words in the text, highlight them, and read the sentence in which each word appears. Students complete a Plot Flow Chart by writing a major event after each chapter and fill Character Descriptions by finding words or phrases that describe how characters acted or felt. The unit provides specific comprehension questions (with answers) that students are asked to respond to in their journals.
Lesson 2
Charlotte
The lesson directs students to read Chapters 4–6 and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., describing Wilbur's day, Charlotte's behavior, what the goose said) that are tied to events and dialogue in the text. Activities ask students to fill a Plot Flow Chart with a major event from each chapter and to write character descriptions based on how characters acted or felt in the chapters. Activity 2 asks students to make a list of Wilbur's schedule 'found in Chapter 4,' and Activity 3 tells students to reread Charlotte's descriptions and use information learned in the story when writing a poem.
Lesson 3
Bad News
Students are asked to read Chapters 7–9 and then answer a set of explicit comprehension questions (e.g., "What was the bad news Wilbur learned from the sheep in Chapter 7?"). Activity 1 directs students to fill a Plot Flow Chart and record character descriptions, which asks them to recall main ideas, facts, and details from the text. Activity 3 directs students to "identify places in the text" on specific pages (13, 25, 33, 43, and 62) where the author appeals to the senses and to record those descriptions, requiring students to locate and use textual information.
Lesson 4
Some Pig
Students are directed to read Chapters 10-12 and use seven specific discussion/journal questions (with answers provided) about events such as why Charlotte weaves words and how Charlotte avoided capture, which requires referencing plot details. Students are asked to fill a Plot Flow Chart and write Character Descriptions, tasks that require identifying major events and character actions from the text. Students are asked to locate three adverbs in Charlotte's Web and read the sentence where each one is found aloud, which involves finding and citing specific sentences from the book.
Lesson 5
Progress
Students are instructed to read Chapters 13–15 and answer specific comprehension questions in discussion or in a journal, which requires them to respond to text-based questions. Students complete a Plot Flow Chart and Character Descriptions by highlighting major events and describing how characters acted or felt during the chapters, drawing directly from the chapters. Students match vocabulary words to definitions and are asked to find each word in context on specified pages and write the sentence from the book, requiring them to refer explicitly to the text.
Lesson 6
The Fair
Students read Chapters 16-18 and are asked to answer specific comprehension questions in discussion or in a journal (e.g., why Mrs. Zuckerman wanted to give Wilbur a bath; why Wilbur fainted). Students complete a Plot Flow Chart by highlighting a major event in each chapter and fill Character Descriptions by writing how characters acted or felt, which requires referring to events in the text. Several provided questions have model answers that tie responses to specific story details (for example, evidence that Fern is growing up is tied to actions at the fair).
Lesson 7
The End
Students read Chapters 19–22 and respond to nine specific comprehension questions (Q1–Q9) with provided answers, practicing answering questions based on the text. Learning goals and skills list includes "Recall the main idea, facts, and details from a text" and "Discuss similarities and differences in events, characters, and concepts within and across texts," which direct students to use story information. Activities ask students to complete character timelines and use "information from the story" to describe how characters changed, requiring students to draw answers from the text.
Final Project
Charlotte's Web
The lesson provides explicit "Questions to Explore" (e.g., How do cycles on the farm affect the characters?) that students are expected to consider and answer. Students are prompted to describe setting, major events, problems, and characters in a multi-paragraph book review and to plan an advertisement that highlights setting, events, and problems, which requires using details from the story. The instructions repeatedly direct students to refer back to their Plot Flow Chart, Character Descriptions, and Character Timelines when composing responses, and rubrics/checklists ask students to confirm that their writing includes those text-based elements.
Unit 3: The Family Under the Bridge
Lesson 2
The French Man
Students read Chapter 1 and answer a set of explicit comprehension questions (e.g., "Was Armand hungry? How do you know?") and are reminded to answer verbal and written questions in complete sentences. Students complete a "Meeting Characters" organizer by recording what they learn about characters from dialogue, actions, thoughts, and descriptions. Students complete Vocabulary Webs by reading words in context, finding definitions, and recording a "sentence from the book," which requires using the text as evidence. Wrapping-up prompts ask students to describe Armand and his community, encouraging answers grounded in the story.
Lesson 3
A Discovery
Students are prompted to read Chapter 2 and answer eight specific comprehension questions (Q1–Q8) in discussion or journal writing, with model answers provided for several items (e.g., ‘They had taken his old home.'). The Skills section explicitly lists recalling main idea, facts, and details from a text, and activities ask students to fill in information learned about characters on a "Meeting Characters" page. Students also write diary entries from characters' perspectives and compose questions and exclamations that characters might say, which requires using events and details from the text.
Lesson 4
A Day in the City
Students are given a set of text-based comprehension questions under "Reading And Questions" (e.g., What does Armand say about pigeons? Why did Armand tell the children that the Christmas log tasted like medicine?), with model answers that reference story details. The Skills list explicitly includes "Recall the main idea, facts, and details from a text," and students complete character pages and answer journal/discussion questions that require referring to story events. The student activity pages ask for written answers in complete sentences and include tasks (Meeting Characters, Venn diagram comparison) that require using information from the reading.
Lesson 5
Singing
Students are asked to read Chapter 4 and answer a set of written and verbal comprehension questions (e.g., Why did Armand want the children to sing?), with instructions to answer in complete sentences. Students are directed to reread page 27 and list goods from the page, distinguishing needs and wants, which requires returning to the text. Students are also asked to locate and copy sentences containing character quotations and to review the "Meeting Characters" page to gather what the author tells about each character, using those details when writing a letter or speech to Armand.
Lesson 6
The Shoe
Students read Chapter 5 and are given a set of text-based comprehension questions to answer in complete sentences, including why Armand reacted to finding the shoe and how his feelings changed. Students are asked to locate and discuss punctuation (dash, hyphen, ellipsis) by finding specific sentences and paragraphs in the book. Students complete a double-bubble map comparing the Calcet children and the Gypsies "based on the chapter you read," and they fill in character information from Chapter 5.
Lesson 7
Among Friends
The lesson directs students to read Chapter 6 aloud and then use a provided set of seven comprehension questions for discussion and journaling (Questions #1–#7), with sample answers for several items (for example, Q2 and Q6). Activity 1 asks students to record new information they learned about characters, and Activity 2 asks students to select items for a sack and explain the reason for each item and which character will benefit. The Reading and Questions section and the Pack a Bag activity require students to answer questions about events, character traits, and themes from the chapter.
Lesson 8
Christmas Eve
Students read Chapter 7 and are prompted to answer a set of targeted comprehension questions (e.g., Where did the children go to celebrate Christmas Eve? What did Armand do in the church?). Students are instructed to answer verbal and written questions in complete sentences and to record responses in a journal or discussion. Students add character information to a "Meeting Characters" chart and use that chart to recall details when completing the Gifts activity.
Lesson 9
Saying Goodbye
Students are directed to read Chapter 8 and answer eight specific comprehension questions (Questions #1–#8) that require drawing information from the chapter (e.g., Why was Suzy upset at Paul? Where was Paul when he went missing?). The Culture Commentary activity asks students to locate and record examples of French culture and even provides page-number references (Option 1) for where to find textual evidence. The teacher note reminds students to answer verbal and written questions in complete sentences and to use discussion/journal responses, which positions answers as based on the text.
Lesson 10
A Home at Last
Students are given specific comprehension questions (Question #1–#5) and instructed to answer them in their journal and in discussion, practicing answering verbal and written questions in complete sentences. Students are asked to reread the book description and draw the new house "according to how it is described in the book," and to use information the author shares when writing a singing telegram, which requires referring to text details. Students complete a "Meeting Characters" chart by filling in anything new learned about Armand and write journal responses about his choices, demonstrating use of text-based understanding.
Final Project
Reader's Theater
Students reread selected pages of the novel and read a printed script aloud, with instructions that some character lines may come directly from the book. Students review a "Meeting Characters" page to recall what they know about characters and use that information when writing dialogue. The final project rubric requires the script to include content elements (for example, reference to an economic cycle and care for someone in need), which prompts students to include specific text-based content in their scripts.
4: Relationships
Unit 1: One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest
Lesson 1
The Rain Forests
Students are prompted to read expository materials about Venezuela and rain forests (Activity 1 and Skills: "Read expository materials for answers to specific questions") and to discuss content they encounter. Students are asked to describe relationships found in nature and in the book, illustrate those relationships, and explain them aloud (Activity 2). Students are asked oral comprehension questions about the role of rainfall and to explain what they learned and the difference between temperate and tropical rain forests during the Wrapping Up section.
Lesson 2
Morning in the Rain Forest
The lesson provides specific comprehension questions (Question #1–#5) that ask students to describe characters and interpret a quoted passage with a page reference (e.g., Q2 cites p.2). Directions ask students to answer selected questions in a journal or discuss them, encouraging answers based on chapter content. Activities require students to locate animals and vocabulary in the chapters, classify animals on a chart, and record chapter events—all actions that make students refer to the text and its pages for answers.
Lesson 3
The Tree
The lesson provides specific comprehension questions (Q1–Q4) with answers that require students to identify details from Chapter 2 (e.g., how plants depend on water; description of army ants). Activity 2 asks students to place animals in and around Tepui's favorite tree based on the author's description, requiring students to use the text to determine locations. Option 2 of the Nouns and Adjectives activity directs students to locate each noun in the text and record the adjective the author used, explicitly tying responses to text evidence.
Lesson 4
Butterfly Search
Students are asked to read Chapter 3 and to select three of the provided comprehension questions as journal questions and use others in discussion, with specific question/answer pairs tied to chapter events. The Skills section explicitly lists "Ask and answer questions about organisms, objects, and events" and "Recall the main idea, facts, and details from a text." Activity 2 directs students to refer to the book for assistance when matching scientist names to the animals they study, and the Life Application asks students to prepare interview questions to learn about a scientist's job.
Lesson 5
Rain Forest Relationships
Students answer explicit reading comprehension questions (Questions #1-#6) that refer to specific pages and details from Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 (for example, Q1 asks for the author's description on pages 25–26). Students sketch the butterfly 'according to the author's description' and explain relationships (sloth and moth, fig and host, jaguar and ants) using details from the text. In Activity 3 students place events cut from the chapters onto time-line slots and answer guided questions about why the author switches scenes, requiring them to locate and use text-based events.
Lesson 6
Law of the Jungle
Students are asked specific comprehension questions about Chapter 6 (e.g., Why are the army ants so dangerous? How did Tepui know the ants were nearby?) that require answers based on story events. Students are prompted to predict before reading and to reread page 40, then illustrate or describe three examples of The Law of the Jungle from the story. Students are directed to add animals and relationships described in the chapter to a Rain Forest Animals Chart and to use the book for context when determining vocabulary meanings.
Lesson 7
Helping a Friend
Students read Chapter 7 and answer a set of guided comprehension questions (used for discussion or journal responses), directly engaging with text-based questions about events, characters, and details. Students are asked to dramatize pages 49–52, write or arrange script lines that reflect the events in the story, and may use quotes from the book when creating the script. Students are directed to read the description of leaf-cutter ants on page 48 and can extend learning by reading additional texts linked in the web resources.
Lesson 8
Persuasive Writing
The Introduction directs students to identify the problem in the story and explain how the characters tried to solve it, which asks students to answer questions about a text. The Getting Started section lists Questions to Explore (e.g., types of relationships among organisms) that students could answer after reading. Option 2 requires students to write supporting sentences for each idea in their paragraphs, and the Editing and Revising Rubric asks students to check that paragraphs have opening, supporting, and concluding sentences.
Lesson 9
A Close Call
Students read Chapters 8–10 and answer six specific comprehension questions (with provided answers) about why Dr. Rivero climbed the tree, how he and Tepui climbed, what the butterfly was named, how Tepui stopped the bulldozers, reactions to Dr. Rivero's announcement, and the name of the rain forest. Students add animals introduced in the chapters to a Rain Forest Animals Chart and describe relationships, and they total animals discussed in the book to create a bar graph showing which groups appeared most and least often in the text. Students select major events from their Daily Activities notes and place them on a Plot Diagram, identify the problem, describe how it was solved, and discuss the climax where Tepui and Dr. Rivero try to stop the trucks and save the butterfly.
Unit 2: The Whipping Boy
Lesson 1
Medieval Times
Students are asked to discuss places in the story that reflect factual information learned about the Middle Ages and to identify information in the story that is based on historical facts. Students create a comic strip by reading each chapter and illustrating major events, which requires them to select and represent events from the text. Students are prompted to compare the relationship between characters in the book to relationships in their own lives as they read, and to answer teacher questions about those relationships.
Lesson 2
Jemmy and Prince Brat
Students are given a set of comprehension questions to answer after reading Chapters 1–3 and are instructed to answer some in a journal and discuss others, which engages them in answering questions about the text. The Vocabulary activity requires students to copy the sentence from the book where each vocabulary word appears, which has students refer explicitly to text passages. The diary/journal prompts and comic-strip activity require students to use events from the story when writing or illustrating, reinforcing answers grounded in the text.
Lesson 3
The Plot Thickens
Students read Chapters 4–6 and are asked to answer a set of numbered comprehension questions (Q1–Q7) in a journal and discuss them; these questions ask about specific events (what happened in the foggy woods), character descriptions (how the men who kidnapped the boys are described), and motivations (why Jemmy changed his mind about running away). The materials also prompt students to recall facts (where Jemmy planned to hide, the king's crest on the saddle) and to describe differences between Jemmy and Prince Brat during wrap-up discussion. The idioms activity asks students to match idiom phrases drawn from the book with their meanings, tying answers back to language from the text.
Lesson 4
A Note to the King
Students read Chapters 7-9 aloud and answer specific comprehension questions in their journals or discussions (e.g., why Cutwater assumed Prince Brat could write; how Jemmy convinced the men he had written the note). Several provided questions and answers refer to concrete events in the text (reading the letter backwards, who knew how to read and write). The similes activity directs students to read similes in context with page references and record the two things being compared, requiring attention to the text.
Lesson 5
Disagreements
Students are directed to read Chapters 10-12 and answer specific comprehension questions in a journal and in discussion, including plot-focused prompts such as how Jemmy convinced Cutwater and who was sent back to the castle. The lesson provides explicit question-and-answer pairs that require students to refer to events and dialogue (for example, the answer about the boiling oil threat and the horse returning to the castle). The wrapping-up prompts ask students to explain what they learned about the two characters and why their relationship is poor, encouraging textual explanation.
Lesson 6
In the Woods
Students are asked to answer a series of specific comprehension questions (Questions #1–#10) in their journals after reading Chapters 13–15, including factual items (e.g., how Jemmy escaped, what beast he found) and interpretive items. Several prompts require students to point to text-based evidence, for example Q6 asks, "How did Prince Brat feel about life in the castle? How do you know?" and the wrap-up asks, "What clues in the book suggest that this might be true?" Students are also asked to identify and record two similes from the chapters, which requires locating and citing language from the text.
Lesson 7
The Rescue
Students are instructed to read Chapters 16–18 and to answer selected comprehension questions in their journals (Reading And Questions). The question set includes prompts that require text-based responses (for example Q7 asks how Jemmy felt about the city and the provided answer cites the author's phrasing: "the moment he felt the cobbled streets, he felt an immense sense of relief"). The introduction and wrapping-up sections prompt students to predict and to discuss what they learned from the text, and the teacher directions tell readers to stop and discuss sections as they read.
Lesson 8
Friends
Students are directed to read Chapters 19–20 and to answer selected comprehension questions in a journal or discussion, with specific prompts (e.g., why was the prince afraid; who did Jemmy run into). Activity 2 asks students to reread Chapters 1–2 and list four behaviors from the early chapters and four from the final chapters, requiring students to identify specific events and actions from the text as evidence of change. Activity 3 asks students to write diary entries that reflect on promises and realizations from the story, drawing on events and character development from the chapters.
Final Project
A Monologue
Students are asked to reread specific pages (pages 68-70 for Prince Brat, pages 65-66 and 79 for Jemmy) and to reflect on how relationships change and affect characters. Students respond to provided "Questions to Explore" about how relationships affect those involved, how they change over time, and interdependence. Students use sentence starters and rubrics to write monologues that require them to explain character background, difficulties, and how relationships with other characters (Jemmy/prince) have changed.
Unit 3: Iggie's House
Lesson 1
The Move
Students are asked to read Chapter 1 and answer selected comprehension questions in a journal (e.g., Why was Winnie upset?; Why did Winnie like going to Iggie's house?), which requires using details from the chapter. Students complete a Reactions Chart where they write events from specific chapters and record characters' reactions to those events and their own personal reactions. Students are prompted to summarize the important events that happened in Chapter 1, reinforcing comprehension of text details.
Lesson 2
Meeting the Neighbors
Students read Chapter 2 and are asked to answer a set of specific comprehension questions in a journal and in discussion (e.g., Why did Winnie's mom ask her not to say anything..., Why did the Garbers move...). The lesson lists skills that students practice, including recalling the main idea, facts, and details from a text. Students complete activities that require text-based recall and interpretation (Reactions Chart, answering why Winnie upset Herbie, and Fact or Opinion items tied to story details).
Lesson 3
The Softball Game
Students read Chapter 3 and are given seven specific discussion and journal questions (e.g., Why do you think Winnie lied? Why was Winnie disappointed after playing softball?) that require answering based on events and character actions in the text. The Skills list directs students to "Respond to events and characters in stories" and to "Recall the main idea, facts, and details from a text," and activities like the Reactions Chart and the Softball Logic questions ask students to use story events in their responses. The Wrapping Up prompt asks students to describe the softball game that occurred in the book, prompting text-based recall and explanation.
Lesson 4
A New Dog
The Reading And Questions section directs students to read Chapter 4 and to answer two or three listed comprehension questions in a journal and discuss the others, providing specific questions (e.g., Why do you think Winnie tears up her letters? What surprise did the Garbers have?). The Wrapping Up prompts ask students to summarize the events of Chapter 4, which requires recalling and explaining text details. The Activities include a "Reactions Chart" that students fill in after answering questions, reinforcing answering questions about the text.
Lesson 5
A Visit from Germs
Students read Chapter 5 and are directed to use seven numbered questions as journal and discussion prompts (e.g., "Why were the Garbers so glum?", "Did Winnie's parents sign the petition? Why do you think they decided not to sign it?"). Students complete written activities such as a "Reactions Chart" and a "Problems in Relationships" page where they record problems between characters and think of ways to solve them. The wrapping-up prompts ask students to explain how Winnie acted and how they feel about Mrs. Landon visiting the Garbers, encouraging responses based on the chapter.
Lesson 6
A New Petition
Students are asked to answer a set of comprehension questions in a journal and discuss remaining questions aloud (Reading And Questions section), which requires asking and answering about the text. The lesson asks the child to summarize important events from prior reading and to summarize the chapter read today, demonstrating comprehension. In the Character Circle Maps activity students are explicitly encouraged to support their ideas "with evidence from the text (events, character's actions, and words)," directing them to refer to the text as the basis for answers.
Lesson 7
The Swim Club
Students are prompted to read Chapter 7 aloud and then answer a set of specific comprehension questions (e.g., How did Big Red feel about the Garbers? What did Mr. Berger write on Winnie's petition?). Students complete a Reactions Chart to record how characters responded to events and write sentences describing friendships between characters on the Friendship House activity. The wrapping up directions ask students to describe what happened to Winnie and to go through the chapter to identify contractions, linking responses to the chapter text.
Lesson 8
Moving
The lesson provides a set of specific comprehension questions (QUESTION #1–#7) that require students to answer who did what, how characters felt, and why events happened (e.g., why Winnie felt nervous, what Winnie's father did). Students are prompted to describe events (ask your child to describe what happened at the pool) and to complete a "Reactions Chart" and double bubble maps that ask for similarities, differences, and character traits drawn from the chapter. The activities require students to recall main ideas, facts, and details and to discuss character relationships using examples from the text.
Lesson 9
A Letter
The lesson includes a list of "Questions to Explore" (e.g., How do you become friends with someone? How do relationships affect those involved?) that prompt students to think about and respond to the text. The Introduction directs an adult to "ask your child why she thinks Winnie keeps doing this," which requires students to answer a question about character behavior from the story. The planning pages and writing prompts explicitly tell students to "use events that occurred in the story" when composing Winnie's letter and to record topic sentences and supporting details drawn from the text.
Lesson 10
I Have a Dream
Students are directed to read Chapter 9 and then answer numbered comprehension questions in a journal or discuss them, which requires them to use information from the chapter (Questions #1–#6). Students are also given an excerpt of Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech to read aloud and then answer explicit comprehension questions such as "What was Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream?" and "What does 'all men are created equal' mean?" which tie answers to the supplied text.
Lesson 11
The End
Students are asked to name and describe the main characters and the problem after finishing the story, prompting them to answer questions based on the text. The Reading and Questions section provides specific comprehension questions (Q1–Q11) with model answers that tie answers to story events (for example, explaining why Glenn bought drinks and why Winnie wanted to be remembered). Activities require students to record reactions to major events, choose items to represent story elements and explain their choices, and write journal entries explaining relationships and character choices, all of which require referring to text details.
Final Project
Character Interviews
Students are instructed to write interview questions for specific story characters, with guidance to avoid yes/no questions and to include at least one question about relationships. Students create answers in the voice of each character and are told to think about what they have learned about the characters and to include events from the story in their answers, using a Reactions Chart and journal as references. The rubric explicitly asks whether students used events in the story when developing questions and answers, and whether answers reflected character personalities and were easy to understand.