Fourth Grade - ELA
1: Interdependence
Unit 1: Little House in the Big Woods
Lesson 1
Introducing the Story
Students are asked to write an account of an early memory (Activity 2) using a pre-writing organizer or free writing (Option 1 and Option 2). Students conduct guided research about Wisconsin and record findings about plants and animals on a chart (Activity 3) and the Skills section notes conducting research (with assistance) for assigned projects. The activities require students to produce written products (a memory narrative and recorded research notes).
Lesson 2
Little House in the Big Woods
Students are asked to answer two to four chapter questions in a journal as they read each chapter and to have a copy of the questions in front of them, which requires repeated written responses across chapters. Students record one way life in the woods differs from life today on a chart for each chapter, completing the chart daily as they read through the unit. Students complete a variety of written tasks such as cutting/sorting vocabulary cards, writing dictionary definitions on the back of vocabulary cards, filling in a cloze vocabulary story, and listing natural resources and how they aided survival on a graphic organizer.
Lesson 3
Winter Days and Winter Nights
Students are asked to read the chapter and then answer two of the provided questions in a journal, which requires short written responses. Students complete chart activities (Option 1 and Option 2) by writing chores next to character names and recording chores for their own family. Students write two similarities and two differences between homes on the 'Homes Today and Yesterday' page, and they record information on multiple student activity pages.
Lesson 4
The Long Rifle
Students are asked to rewrite sentences to apply capitalization rules (Option 1), which requires composing and editing text in a single sitting. Students are asked to write five sentences using a provided word list with specified capitalization requirements (Option 2), which involves composing original sentences for an audience. Students record one thing they learned comparing life in the woods to life today and practice a story before sharing it with the family, which involves short-term reflection and rehearsal.
Lesson 5
Christmas
Students are asked to write three questions before reading and to research unanswered questions online or in reference books, which requires gathering information. Students plan and compose three short paragraphs in a journal using a graphic organizer (Christmas at My House) and write two examples of each sentence type on the Types of Sentences page. Students also create a homemade gift and compose a card that explains why they made the gift, demonstrating writing for a specific audience and purpose.
Lesson 6
Sundays and Two Big Bears
Students are asked to write a five-senses poem about their least favorite day of the week (a short, single-sitting writing task) and an acrostic poem using the word BEARS. Students are directed to conduct bear research and record factual information in a paw-print organizer, and to compose and share written and oral products (skills list). The materials include activity pages for recording comparisons (Life in the Big Woods vs. Life Today) and for taking notes during research, showing multiple discipline-specific writing tasks (poetry, nonfiction notes).
Lesson 7
The Sugar Snow
Students write sentences from the book, record dictionary definitions, and create original sentences and illustrations in the Vocabulary Mini-Book. Students record and sequence the steps Grandpa took to make maple syrup (Option 2 asks students to list ten steps while referring to the text). Students create a recipe card with step-by-step directions for a maple sugar recipe and are asked to summarize the chapter.
Lesson 9
Going to Town
Students answer chapter comprehension questions in writing (questions #1–#5) and record one thing learned on the "Life in the Big Woods vs. Life Today" page, showing short-time writing practice. Students make lists and write adjectives for Mary and Laura and complete spelling/word-formation exercises that require writing verb forms with -ed and -ing. Students are invited to research Pepin, Wisconsin and to write about their experience after visiting a historic place, which provides an opportunity for a longer, research-linked writing task.
Lesson 10
Summertime and Harvest
Students are asked to write descriptive pieces for each season on the 'Seasons on the Farm' pages and to illustrate them, producing discipline-specific descriptive writing. Students can choose Option 2 to write a paragraph explaining the interdependence of bees and flowers and a second paragraph imagining a world without bees, and are directed to read about bees from provided web links (research). Students are prompted to create an original narrative in the 'The Boy (or Girl) Who Cried...' activity and write it in their journal, answering guided story-planning questions and illustrating the story.
Lesson 11
Finishing the Book
Students are asked to write a letter to children in the future using an organizer that specifies four paragraph topics and a rubric for grammar, content, and creativity. Students are instructed to produce a rough draft, edit using the rubric, look up unknown words in a dictionary, reread with separate focuses (content, then grammar/spelling, then creativity), and write or type a final copy. Students are taught letter conventions explicitly (date format, commas after greeting and closing) and asked to read the final letter aloud to family, which establishes a clear audience and purpose.
Final Project
Pioneer Family Night
Students are asked to plan and write while preparing for Pioneer Family Night: they list foods to prepare, gather craft materials and "explain how pioneers used natural resources," and use lines provided to take notes and prepare reading, music, and storytelling pieces. The lesson schedules work across two days (Preparing for Pioneer Family Night and Hosting Pioneer Family Night), and students are prompted to use a checklist and write responses or reminders for each task. A final reflection prompt asks students to write or orally reflect on what they enjoyed and what they would change, indicating opportunities for post-event written responses.
Unit 2: The Sign of the Beaver
Lesson 1
Background Information
Students are asked to write a paragraph in Activity 2 describing whether they would have wanted to be a settler or a Native American, and to write a free-verse poem in Activity 3 Option 2 about using resources on a homestead. The Skills section explicitly lists composing a variety of literary genres and conducting research for assigned and self-selected projects, and Student Activity Pages require students to gather and organize information about Maine (location, climate, landforms, native tribes) which involves research and recorded writing. Students also record the year 1768 on a timeline and write ten clue-style facts about Maine, which are short written tasks tied to social studies content.
Lesson 2
Alone
Students are asked to answer three or four chapter questions in a journal, which requires written responses to comprehension and reflective prompts. Students record words or phrases on Character Timelines "as he reads through the book," indicating ongoing written tracking of character changes across chapters. Students complete Vocabulary Webs by writing definitions, parts of speech, sentences, synonyms/antonyms, and root/prefix/suffix information—short, discipline-specific writing tasks.
Lesson 3
A Stranger
Students are asked to respond to reading with journal and discussion questions for Chapters 3–5, which requires short written responses about character, plot, and events. In Activity 2 students write five sentences including prepositions, mark subjects and predicates, and illustrate sentences—an explicit short-format writing and grammar practice. In Activity 3 students are prompted to research natural remedies online or in resource books and describe remedies for listed conditions, which asks students to gather information and write descriptive entries based on research.
Lesson 5
A Story
Students are asked to write answers in a journal after reading Chapters 7-9, responding to guided comprehension and reflection questions. The lesson directs students to complete a 'Character Timelines' activity and to fill the 'A Desert Island' student activity page with descriptions and illustrations. Activity 3 explicitly asks students to write journal responses about how Matt and Attean view the story differently and to reflect on personal connections to characters.
Lesson 6
The Beaver
Students are asked to answer reading questions in a journal and orally in discussion, indicating short writing tasks tied to reading. Students complete Character Timelines and a Venn diagram comparing stories, which require students to write and organize ideas on a single assignment. Students are given a "Beaver Research" page and instructed to use the internet or books to locate information and record it, which asks students to gather and record research-based writing.
Lesson 7
Real Life Learning
Students are directed to answer reading questions in a journal or orally, which has them write short responses about Chapters 12 and 13. Students record descriptions on a "Character Timelines" page, producing written summaries of what they learned about characters. Students write definitions and create illustrated vocabulary cards and must use words in sentences when playing the Vocabulary Memory Game. Students create a multi-page "Rules of the Forest" book, listing and illustrating rules and are invited to add pages as they continue the story.
Lesson 8
The Bear
The lesson asks students to record information on Character Timelines and to fill in effects for given causes on the Cause and Effect activity, which require written responses. The Skills section instructs students to share written and oral products and to identify (with assistance) the purpose, audience, and appropriate form for an oral or written task. The Flood Stories double-bubble map and the comparison activity require students to write or record similarities and differences between two culturally specific retellings.
Lesson 9
Attean's Past
Students answer selected comprehension and reflection questions in a journal after reading Chapters 17 and 18, providing short written responses to text-based prompts. Students fill in Character Timelines for Matt and Attean, producing organized written summaries of events. Students complete the Stereotypes activity page and describe a stereotype they have observed or held, writing reflective personal responses.
Lesson 11
A Choice
Students respond to specific journal questions about Chapters 21 and 22, writing answers that support interpretations and analyze characters. Students write reflective journal entries about favorite, scariest, saddest, and happiest parts of the story and add information to character timelines. Students compose five interview questions for each main character and role-play answering them as if for a local newspaper, which establishes a purpose and audience for writing.
Lesson 12
Persuasive Writing
Students plan ideas by recording advantages of each choice in a two-column list (Activity 1). Students write a draft letter or speech that must include three reasons with support and are directed to use a provided rubric to guide content and grammar (Activity 2 and Student Activity Page). Students are asked to read their draft, make corrections, and produce a final copy using the rubric as a guide (Activity 3).
Lesson 13
The Return
Students are asked to finish the novel and use three or four of the provided questions in their journal, which requires short written reflections. Students record a final entry on a "Character Timelines" page and fill in a "Story Elements" page by writing setting, theme, characters, problem, and resolution. Students complete a "Solving Problems" worksheet by describing how Matt solved four problems (book's solution) and writing their own alternative solutions (your solution).
Final Project
The Sign of the Beaver Movie
Students are asked to produce multiple written products across two days: a one-sentence movie poster (a short-timeframe task) and a multi-sentence movie synopsis that requires a rough draft, self-evaluation with a rubric, teacher conference, revision, and a final copy (extended-timeframe work). Students also write a scene script (discipline-specific task) and are prompted to identify purpose and audience (noted in the skills list and in the introduction asking them to prepare audiences for the movie). The lesson explicitly directs students to plan, draft, revise, and share written work.
Unit 3: Native American Animal Stories
Lesson 2
People and Animal Stories
Students write answers to guided comprehension questions in their journals and complete short written tasks such as the Story Map, Elements of Culture chart, and Animal Characters page. Students are asked to research tribe locations and record them on the Map of Native American Tribes before reading stories, and to write journal entries summarizing each story's animal, importance, and lesson (Activity 7). Students also create comparative writing products (Venn diagram or self-designed chart) and a creative 'An Animal Tale' page that requires written facts and character descriptions.
Lesson 3
The Natural World
Students are asked to write journal entries identifying the problem and solution for each myth (Activity 7). Students are instructed to write a short script for a puppet show and practice it before presenting (Activity 8). Students complete written tasks such as filling the Elements of Culture chart and the Relative Pronouns worksheet, which includes composing two original sentences using different relative pronouns.
Lesson 4
Survival Stories
Students are asked to write in a journal after each story, answering two of the questions and using the rest for discussion, which produces short written responses. Activity 2 explicitly directs students to write a sentence about each story explaining why the Indians hunted and another sentence describing where most people get their food, and Option 2 asks students to write a poem from the perspective of an animal. The lesson also tells students to help research the history of the buffalo and includes skills wording such as "Reflect on learning" and "Use written language to report information on a topic," which supports research-based writing and reflection.
Lesson 5
Legends from Other Cultures
Students are asked to answer two journal questions and to summarize the Brazilian story, which requires short written responses. Students complete a double-bubble comparison map of Pan Gu and the Native American creation story and fill out an 'Elements of Culture' chart across Day 1 and Day 2, indicating writing tasks spread over multiple days. Students also record sentence examples, proper nouns, and synonyms on the Grammar Practice pages, demonstrating a range of discipline-specific writing tasks (summarizing, comparing, analyzing culture, and grammar work).
Final Project
My Own Myth
Students are asked to research a chosen natural occurrence online or in an encyclopedia and to brainstorm ideas in a journal, providing time for research and reflection. Students complete an "Organizing the Myth" worksheet and then write a rough draft, showing planning and drafting stages. Students perform multiple focused editing passes (organization, content, grammar/spelling) on Day 2 using a rubric and then produce a typed final copy and design a cover, which supports revision and preparing for an audience.
2: Force and Power
Unit 1: Ben and Me
Lesson 1
Ben Franklin and the Colonies
Students locate and record biographical information about Benjamin Franklin on a timeline and on a kite-shaped activity page (Activity 1), which requires written answers for birth/death dates, places lived, contributions, and personality. Students complete written analysis of a historical fiction text by filling in elements such as characters, setting, plot, and descriptions (Activity 2). Students write journal entries listing alternatives for 1700s conveniences and compose a poem comparing Philadelphia "yesterday and today" (Activities 4 and 6), and students label and write the names of the thirteen colonies on a map (Activity 3).
Lesson 2
Setting the Record Straight
Students are asked to answer three or four journal questions for Chapters 1 and 2, which requires short-term written responses in a single sitting or over a day or two. Students complete the "Finding Vocabulary Words" activity across the first eight chapters, recording sentences, definitions, and original sentences for ten words, which requires writing over an extended timeframe. Students use the "Fact and Fiction" chart to record a factual and a fictional event after each chapter and are told they may need to do more research on Franklin's life, which explicitly involves extended research-based writing. Students also describe and illustrate inventions on the "Something New" page, producing written explanations of function for created items.
Lesson 3
Swimming
Students are asked to write answers to assigned journal questions about the chapters and to copy descriptive sentences into their journals and identify adjectives (Activity 2). Students brainstorm inventions, plan a design or model, and then write either a descriptive advertisement paragraph or a commercial script for their new swimming apparatus (Activity 3, Options 1 and 2). These tasks require writing for specific purposes and audiences (journal, advertisement, script) and include both short writing tasks and a design project that could involve multiple steps.
Lesson 4
Electricity
Students are assigned four or five chapter questions as journal questions, which requires them to write answers reflecting on the reading. Activity 3 directs students to write a paragraph about a personal vision with specific grammatical and stylistic requirements (first person, capitalization, punctuation, sentence variety, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions). Activity 2 asks students to design a badge and prepare to read or teach a younger child, which involves creating a written reward and planning a brief instructional interaction for a specific audience.
Lesson 5
Electrifying
Students are asked to "write to record ideas and reflections" and to use four or five chapter questions as journal questions, indicating short-form writing practice. Students record a factual and fictional event from each chapter on a "Fact and Fiction" page, providing another written task. Students complete the "Experiment with Lightning" activity page by describing what happened and explaining why, and they write a first-person account of flying the kite in their journal after the experience.
Lesson 6
War
Students are asked to answer two or three chapter questions in their journal, which requires written responses. Students record a factual and fictional event from each chapter on a page and fill in vocabulary words in a paragraph, either writing or cutting/pasting words into blanks. Students mark statements as fact or opinion and write two facts and two opinions that Amos shares, producing short written entries.
Lesson 7
France
Students are asked to read Chapters 11 and 12 and answer three selected questions in a journal, providing short written responses. In Activity 2 students are instructed to write a step-by-step rescue plan with illustrations and to explain when force and power should be used, which requires composing a procedural piece for a specific audience (mice who do not read English). Activity 3 has students rewrite sentences to vary sentence beginnings, practicing revision and stylistic choices. The Skills section explicitly lists writing to record ideas and reflections, to discover/develop/refine ideas, and to write in different forms for different purposes and audiences.
Lesson 8
Amos's Account
Students generate ideas using a prewriting page where they list an event, ten facts, five thoughts, and a sequence of events. Students develop a rough draft using a three-paragraph outline, use a rubric to guide content and mechanics, conduct a Day 2 editing conference to revise and edit, and produce a final copy (typed encouraged). Students are encouraged to consult a short biography or prior research and to read Amos's account aloud to family, providing an identified audience.
Lesson 9
The Rescue
Students are prompted to write answers to three selected questions in a journal, providing practice in short written responses. Students are asked to write a new verse for "Yankee Doodle," composing from Amos's perspective, which requires creative writing for a specific audience and purpose. Students complete the "Ben and Amos Bags" activity by listing characteristics and recording words and phrases, producing written character analyses and labeled writing on the activity page.
Lesson 10
Back Home
Students write answers to comprehension questions and list factual and fictional details on the Fact and Fiction page. Students interpret Ben's maxims, locate each maxim in context, record adult interpretations from interviews, and write their own maxim (including an extension suggestion to research and record other maxims in a journal). Students fill in examples for elements of historical fiction by writing characters, settings, plot events, themes, and descriptions from the book.
Final Project
An Interview or Party for Ben
Students write ten interview questions and answer them in character as Ben Franklin, and they write two maxims with explanations. Students create a birthday card and explain a gift choice, write directions for a party game, and compose a song to perform. Students practice and present their interview or party items to an audience across Day 1 and Day 2 activities.
Unit 2: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Lesson 1
The Professor's House
Students are asked to write short pieces such as a one-page description and illustration of a battle (Activity 1) and to answer three or four comprehension questions in a journal (Activity 4). Students are given a research task about C.S. Lewis using provided web links and then asked to either complete a "Meet the Author" worksheet or write a short newspaper article about his life (Activity 3). The Skills list explicitly includes "Compose a draft that conveys major ideas and focuses on a topic," and vocabulary note cards require students to record definitions in writing.
Lesson 2
Edmund Discovers Narnia
Students are directed to answer chapter questions in a journal, which requires short written responses after reading Chapters 3 and 4. Activity 2 asks students to write a single paragraph either describing how a food tastes or composing persuasive language the witch would use, a clear shorter-timeframe writing task. Activity 3 requires students to record an example of the struggle between good and evil for each chapter and to illustrate it, which prompts repeated writing across the series of chapters (routine writing over time). The provided Good vs. Evil worksheet lists every chapter and spaces for student entries, supporting ongoing written work tied to the reading schedule.
Lesson 3
Always Winter and Never Christmas
Students are asked to answer journal questions for Chapters 5 and 6, which requires written responses to reading prompts. The skills list explicitly includes "Write in different forms for different purposes," and Activity 1 asks students to list and illustrate examples, requiring short written work. Activity 3 asks students to write an example beside each plural rule and to list examples from the book, and the Narnia Logic worksheet asks students to "Write your own logical statement."
Lesson 4
The Lion
Students are asked to answer discussion questions in their journal for Chapters 7 and 8, generating short written responses and reflections. Activity 2 requires students to locate a short fictional story about a lion (research), record descriptive words and phrases, and complete a Venn diagram comparing that lion to Aslan (analysis and written recording). Activity 3 asks students to compose a paragraph or a song describing an animal character and to record guiding questions in their journal, which is direct writing practice for a specific purpose.
Lesson 5
A Disappointment
Students are assigned to answer three or four comprehension questions in a journal after reading Chapters 9 and 10, requiring written responses. Students record examples of good vs. evil and complete the "Villains" page by writing descriptive words/phrases and sentences about how villains use power. Vocabulary activities require students to write definitions and use vocabulary words in written sentences (picture dictionary and vocabulary cube options).
Lesson 6
A Gift from Father Christmas
Students plan and record ideas for three paragraphs using a guided rubric and idea boxes (Activity 1). Students write a rough draft of three paragraphs and are given the option to write by hand then type or to type directly (Activity 2). Students revise and edit their work for punctuation, spelling, stronger verbs, and descriptive adjectives, then produce a final typed copy and run spell check (Activities 3–4).
Lesson 7
Spring
Students are asked to answer three or four reading comprehension questions in their journal after reading Chapters 11 and 12, providing short writing practice. Students are prompted to write a reflective paragraph in their journal about a time they were tempted to do something wrong but chose to do the right thing. Students may choose to write a letter to a real-life hero and record possessive nouns from a newspaper, offering writing for an external audience and application tasks.
Lesson 8
Deep Magic
Students are asked to answer three or four comprehension questions in a journal, which requires written responses in a single sitting. Students complete multiple activity pages that require writing: listing five words/phrases describing each sibling, recording imagery words/phrases tied to senses and illustrating them, and writing an example of good vs. evil. Activity 4 asks students to read about a historical ruler online, fill in 10 facts, and decide whether the ruler was more similar to Aslan or the White Witch, which involves researching and recording information.
Lesson 9
Back to Life
Students are asked to answer three or four questions in a journal, which requires short written responses. Students are also prompted to record an example of good vs. evil on a "Good vs. Evil" page, which is an additional written task. The lesson asks students to find information about lion habitats for a diorama, which involves research activity that could extend over multiple sessions.
Lesson 10
Back Through the Wardrobe
Students are asked to answer three selected questions in a journal, producing short written responses about plot and character. Students can write a movie review of The Chronicles of Narnia, a purposeful evaluative piece aimed at an audience of peers or readers. Students can also produce a casting list with brief explanations and are prompted to identify purpose, audience, and form (with assistance) and to share written and oral products.
Final Project
Narnia Think-Tac-Toe
Students choose three projects from a Narnia Think-Tac-Toe grid that includes multiple written tasks (short story, national anthem, journal entries, paragraph analysis, text-message exchanges, etc.), showing a range of discipline-specific writing purposes and genres. Students gather materials, begin working on selected projects, and are instructed to finish all three projects on Day 2, indicating work across at least two days. Students present or summarize their work to family or other audiences and receive feedback after the presentations.
Unit 3: The BFG
Lesson 1
In the Middle of the Night
Students are asked to answer three or four questions in a journal each day, indicating repeated short writing across days. Students are asked to write a paragraph comparing daytime and nighttime street scenes (a short, focused writing task). Students are given the option to write a song or poem about the "witching hour," which asks students to produce creative writing for an audience that is meant to satisfy curiosity.
Lesson 2
Snatched
Students are asked to write the author's description or to write their own description of a giant home (copying and composing text on the activity pages). Students are directed to locate information about London in books and online and to record information under labeled categories (Location, Language, People, Homes, Buildings, Similarities, Differences, Other). Students produce written responses to reading comprehension questions and write brief descriptive text on the back of the activity pages.
Lesson 3
The BFG
Students are asked to answer three or four comprehension questions in a journal, providing a place for written responses. Students record a meaningful quote for Sophie and the BFG for each chapter, which requires writing across multiple chapters. Students rewrite and correct sentences on the "Giant Talk" worksheet, practicing editing and revision of their own text. Students locate countries on a map and write what the giant would say about people from their state, combining writing with a discipline-specific geography task.
Lesson 4
Ears and Snozzcumbers
Students are asked to answer three or four reading questions in a journal, providing short written responses to the text. In Activity 2 students write about a vivid dream and produce an accompanying illustration and color scheme, combining writing with visual work. In Activity 3 students record sounds during a nature walk and then write a paragraph or song describing how they would use a newfound power of hearing to help others, and the skills list includes sharing written products.
Lesson 6
Catching People and Dreams
Students are asked to write responses to selected reading questions in their journal, record "Quotable Quotes," and write dream titles and descriptions on the "Sweet Dream or Nightmare" page. They write a short description of how a newly created giant "catches human beans" on the "A New Giant" page and correct and rewrite sentences on the "Interpreting the BFG" page. The Life Application asks students to keep a list of inventive words in a journal and use them in context.
Lesson 7
A Nightmare for Fleshlumpeater
Students are asked to answer three or four comprehension questions in their journal after reading two chapters, providing opportunities for short written responses. Students record quotable lines from characters on a "Quotable Quotes" page, practicing selective transcription and short-text writing. Students complete a "Tangible or Intangible" sorting activity and are asked to list examples and evidence of intangibles in writing (Option 1 or Option 2), and one option explicitly asks students to list five tangible and five intangible things in their journal.
Lesson 8
A Dreamy Plan
Students are asked to answer three journal questions about the chapters, providing written responses and reflections. Students record quotes on a 'Quotable Quotes' page and complete vocabulary activities that require cutting, pasting, and writing words in context. Students locate information about the Queen of England and write comparative responses about the queen and the president. Students may choose an advanced option to write a paragraph using specified vocabulary words.
Lesson 9
The Palace
Students are asked to answer three chapter questions in a journal and discuss three others, which requires short-form written responses. The Skills list explicitly includes "Generate and record ideas for writing," "Write to discover, develop, and refine ideas," and "Write in different forms for different purposes and audiences." Activity 2 asks students to plan how the BFG and Sophie could save children in a chosen U.S. city and to find information about that city, which requires research and extended planning. The Life Application and Cause-and-Effect activities ask students to list decisions and outcomes and to summarize and predict events, supporting reflection.
Lesson 10
A Breakfast Fit for a Queen
Students are asked to write answers to three chapter questions in a journal, providing short written responses about plot and character. Students brainstorm adjectives to describe the queen and record five adjectives with textual support on a Characterizing the Queen page, requiring written analysis and text-based evidence. Students complete the Hosting a Giant activity by calculating sizes and describing or illustrating solutions, producing written explanations that connect math reasoning to a real-world (fictional) task. The lesson also references reviewing "information your child learned about the queen during her research" and lists "written reports" as a possible demonstration of learning.
Lesson 11
Fighting Giants
Students are asked to answer three or four questions in a journal, producing writing in a single sitting or short timeframe. Students take notes on four labeled sheets (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines) and use multiple sources including books, technology, and experts, which supports longer research-oriented writing. Students record quotes on a "Quotable Quotes" page and are prompted to write ideas and reflections according to the listed skills.
Lesson 12
Snozzcumbers
Students are asked to write answers to three reading questions in a journal, providing short written responses to text-dependent prompts. Students conduct a brief research task by reading about Roald Dahl online and then write five interview questions for the author. Students complete written activities including recording quotable lines, filling a theme graphic organizer with events/quotes that support themes, and explaining casting choices in a directing worksheet.
Final Project
Recipe for a Dream or Newspaper Report
Students are instructed to write a rough draft, edit, and revise, then produce a final typed or written copy for both the "A Dream in a Jar" and "The London Times" options. The "A Dream in a Jar" project explicitly states it will take two days to complete (day 1: draft; day 2: editing and final copy). Skills and rubrics require planning strategies, composing multi-paragraph texts, using discipline-specific conventions (formal newspaper tone, inclusion of quotes), and sharing products with intended audiences.
3: Similarities and Differences
Unit 1: Stories from Africa and Asia
Lesson 1
Meerkats in Botswana
Students are directed to use websites (National Geographic and Smithsonian/National Zoo) and a graphic organizer to locate and record information about Botswana and meerkats, which supports research over time. Students are asked to write a descriptive paragraph that includes five facts or to write a short story that includes at least five facts about a meerkat, providing opportunities for focused written products. Students complete map-labeling and a research organizer that connect writing to discipline-specific content (geography and science).
Lesson 2
Meeting Precious
Students read chapters and then write answers to specific comprehension questions in their journal, providing short-session written responses. Students research ostriches and cobras using provided web links and then list five facts or complete a comparative chart, composing informational notes from research. Students complete a "Precious and Me" page for each chapter, recording one similarity and one difference per chapter, which requires ongoing reflective writing across multiple reading sessions.
Lesson 3
The Surprise
Students are asked to answer selected comprehension questions in a journal, producing short written responses about characters and events. Students complete a "Precious and Me" page that records similarities and differences, and they write a paragraph as a zoologist describing why they would want to study a chosen African animal. Students practice revision by editing three paragraphs for grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and they are directed to watch a documentary and discuss how real meerkats compare with the book, which can inform writing.
Lesson 4
A Missing Cow
Students are asked to answer several reading questions in their journal about Chapters 5 and 6, which requires short written responses. Students complete a "Precious and Me" chart comparing their life and personality to a character, which is reflective writing. Students write man-vs-nature conflict examples for three different natural settings on the "Story Conflict" page, engaging in creative, discipline-related writing. Students write a "Script for a Scene" including dialogue and stage directions and then act it out with a family member, practicing a genre-specific writing task for an audience.
Lesson 5
A Good Idea
Students are asked to write short responses in their journals to comprehension questions after reading Chapters 7 and 8 and to write a paragraph describing a personal challenging situation (Activity 2). Students are directed to visit the African Wildlife Foundation website to read about an animal and then either draw a poster with descriptive sentences or write a short fictional story that includes factual information (Activity 4), which involves research and writing for a specific purpose. Skills listed include identifying purpose, audience, and appropriate form for oral or written assignments, and activities require using adjectives/adverbs and composing sentences, showing a range of discipline-specific writing tasks.
Lesson 6
African Bush Diorama
Students plan and produce a multi-day project: "Over the next two days, your child will create a diorama... and will write a book report" and Day 2 is dedicated to the book report. Students use an "Organizing My Report" graphic organizer to draft four paragraphs and are instructed to write a rough draft, have an editing conference, and then produce a final copy. Students are guided to revise content, grammar, and organization during the editing step and to prepare a final product that can be displayed (audience: local library).
Lesson 7
Japan
The lesson asks students to write an acrostic poem and to create a travel poster for Japan, which require students to produce written work for a specific audience (a travel agent's office). The Skills section explicitly lists "Use written language to report information on a topic" and "Share written, oral, and constructed projects in a variety of ways," indicating students will produce and present written products. The Venn diagram and map activities require students to organize and record information in writing and labels, demonstrating short-form, task-specific writing.
Lesson 8
Peace Day
Students are asked to answer three or four comprehension questions in a journal and to use remaining questions for discussion, which requires written responses. Students create a picture dictionary (cutting, arranging alphabetically, and stapling into a small book) that involves drafting and assembling written definitions and sentences. Students complete a multi-chapter "Japanese Cultural Elements" graphic organizer, recording cultural information chapter by chapter, which requires ongoing written notes across the book. Students also write descriptions and comparisons on the "Peace Day" activity page about why the Japanese celebrate Peace Day and how it compares to American holidays.
Lesson 9
The Secret is Out
Students are asked to answer three or four questions in a journal after reading the chapters, which requires short written responses. Activity 1 directs students to record information about Japanese culture on dedicated pages, and Activity 2 asks students to organize comparisons (chart or Venn diagram) between themselves and Sadako. Activity 3 Option 2 explicitly asks students to write a paragraph about a special ability and to plan how to teach that ability to others; Activity 4 asks students to read about cancer prevention online and make a list of healthier lifestyle choices.
Lesson 10
Kenji
Students answer three journal questions and develop two of their own questions, providing short, single-sitting writing and reflective practice. Students plan and write a get-well card, including drafting on notebook paper and editing before producing the final card, and they are asked to consider purpose, audience, and letter form (personal vs. formal). Students summarize events and reflect on Sadako's situation, demonstrating opportunities for reflective writing.
Lesson 11
O Bon
Students are asked to write journal entries reflecting as an American child and as a Japanese child (Option 1) and to answer three reading questions in a journal. Students can record cultural information on a "Japanese Cultural Elements" chart and write a short remembrance song and a separate song about O Bon (Option 2). Students complete a Student Activity Page practicing verb tenses and write appropriate forms in past, present, and future (Activity 3).
Lesson 13
Precious and Sadako
Students are asked to write in a journal to brainstorm ways to help characters and may choose and complete one helpful action (Activity 2). Students are asked to write a letter from one character to another in first person, at least eight sentences long, explaining an important event and feelings (Activity 3, Option 2). Students design a test with five questions per book and create an answer key (Activity 4), and they complete short written activity pages identifying descriptions, quotes, actions, and personality traits for each character (Activity 1).
Unit 2: Holes
Lesson 1
Texas and Desert Biomes
Students are asked to write in a journal to brainstorm ideas about Texas, label a map and make lists of things that make Texas different from other states, and create a Venn diagram comparing states. Vocabulary activities require students to write synonyms or antonyms for words and use each word in a sentence. Desert activities ask students to record names of plants and animals, answer written questions about deserts (Option 1), or write a full paragraph describing a chosen desert's location, rainfall, species, and adaptations (Option 2). The skills list explicitly includes compiling notes into outlines, reports, summaries, and using written language to report information.
Lesson 2
Camp Green Lake
Students are asked to read Chapters 1–4 and answer selected questions in a journal each day, providing short written responses to comprehension and reflection questions. Students complete ongoing character logs ('The Happy Campers') as they read, recording new information over time and illustrating characters. Students write discipline-specific pieces such as an inventor description (naming an invention, listing materials, outlining steps, and explaining how it changes lives) and practice writing and formatting titles.
Lesson 3
Digging
Students are asked to answer selected comprehension questions in a journal after reading Chapters 5-7, providing opportunities to write responses to text-based prompts. Students record information about characters on the "Happy Campers" pages and list and reflect on nicknames in their journal, describing why they have or would choose a nickname. Students complete short written matching and labeling activities (e.g., matching names to nicknames, labeling soil layers) that require written responses.
Lesson 4
Caveman
Students are asked to answer four assigned reading questions in their journal for Chapters 8–12, and to use other questions in discussion, which requires short-session written responses. Students record information about the boys on the "Happy Campers" pages and are instructed to "write to record ideas and reflections." Students also write the author's description of the yellow-spotted lizard on the provided page and write a personal journal response to the prompt in Activity 3 about their future.
Lesson 5
KB
Students are asked to record a prediction in a journal before reading and to check it after finishing Chapters 13–16, providing an instance of writing and later reflection. Students answer comprehension questions in their journal and complete multiple written activities in a single session: creating verbal and situational irony sentences, rewriting sentences with elaborated subjects, and writing possessive statements. The activities require students to compose, rewrite, and produce original sentences on the Student Activity Pages, demonstrating routine short-term writing tasks.
Lesson 6
Sunflower Seeds
Students write a rough draft and then a final copy of a rattlesnake shape poem, which requires composing, revising, and producing a finished piece. Students conduct a Rattlesnake Research activity in which they write three research questions and use books and/or the Internet to find and record answers. Students answer chapter questions in a journal (completing half in writing and sharing the remainder verbally) and record character information on the Happy Campers pages.
Lesson 7
Zero
Students are asked to answer four questions in their journal after reading Chapters 21–24 and to record information about characters on the "Happy Campers" pages, showing routine short writing. Activity 2 asks students to write either a paragraph about living in the Old West or a letter to a relative describing their journey, job, and hardships, providing discipline-related writing tasks and an audience. The Skills section lists "Share written products in a variety of ways," indicating students will produce and share written work.
Lesson 9
Driving a Truck
Students are asked to answer four questions in a journal, which requires written responses after reading Chapters 29–32. Students can create a Wanted Poster or complete a Character Comparisons graphic organizer, both of which require composing text for different purposes and formats. The Skills section explicitly lists "Compose readable text in a variety of forms," indicating students will produce written products.
Lesson 10
The Mary Lou
Students are asked to write answers to three chapter questions in their journal, providing a short written response to literature. Students complete the Simile or Metaphor activity page by writing explanations for each comparison, identifying whether each sentence is a simile or a metaphor and explaining its meaning. Option 2 asks students to write a poem or song containing at least two similes and one metaphor, identify the devices in writing, and read the piece aloud to the family (an intended audience).
Lesson 12
Treasure and Lizards
Students are asked to answer three or four of the reading comprehension questions in their journal after reading Chapters 42–45, which requires written responses. Students complete the "Conflict in Holes" activity page in which they write three types of conflict, describe each conflict from the novel, and illustrate their descriptions. The wrapping-up prompts ask students to give examples of homophones and use each word in a sentence, which can involve writing practice.
Lesson 13
Innocent
Students are asked to write a formal business letter to the state department using a provided organizer or by typing the letter, practicing the five parts of a business letter (sender, recipient, date, greeting, body, closure, signature). Students may answer reading comprehension questions orally or in their journal after finishing chapters 46–50, providing a written reflection option. Students complete a "Multiple Story Plots" activity in which they cut, sequence, and write events and identify the problem, climax, and solution for two storylines on a student activity page.
Final Project
Welcome to Camp
Students write two descriptive paragraphs that name the camp, describe geography, sleeping/eating quarters, staff, activities, and how activities build character. Students create multiple written artifacts (a uniform description, a Welcome Pack list, a camp song or chant, an exercise routine, and a five-item comparison "New Camp vs. Camp Green Lake") and present their ideas to the family. The project is organized with a multi-step checklist and references "Day 2," indicating tasks span more than a single sitting.
Unit 3: Stories from Europe
Lesson 1
Tradition Stories
Students brainstorm a list of stories they remember and write key words or character names, then sort those items on the "Story Traditions" page. Students complete short written reflection prompts (e.g., "Which type of story is your favorite? Why?" and "Is there a type of story you don't really enjoy? Why or why not?"). The skills section instructs students to take notes, categorize information, and provide a list of sources, and students label and annotate a Map of Europe as they read stories over the unit.
Lesson 4
The Snow Queen
Students are asked to create a small informational book about Denmark based on what they read, which requires gathering facts and writing multiple pages. Students are asked to select a scene and create a script, and to watch the movie Frozen and take notes to complete a compare/contrast page, tasks that involve composing different genres and purposes. Students also complete many shorter writing tasks in a single sitting, such as answering comprehension questions, writing sentences that demonstrate comma use, and completing vocabulary synonym/antonym tables.
Lesson 5
Comparing and Contrasting Stories
Students are asked to write an 8–10 sentence retelling of selected story events from a first-person point of view, practicing narrative writing in a single task. Students complete a "Comparing Story Elements" activity page where they list three similarities and three differences between stories and write explanations about which stories are most similar or different. The wrap-up prompts ask students to explain which story is best and how analyzing story elements helped their decision, producing short written reflections.
Final Project
Writing Your Own Story
The Skills list explicitly includes "Write routinely over extended time frames... and shorter time frames..." and the project is organized across multiple days (planning on Day 1, rough draft Day 2, finish draft Day 3, editing and final copy Day 4), requiring students to plan, draft, revise, and produce a final copy. Student activity pages (Story Checklist, Plot Organizer, Rough Draft, and final cover) require students to complete planning, draft writing with sketches, and an edited final product. Directions note that Parts 1-5 can be completed in one day or across two days, indicating options for shorter time-frame work.
4: Exploration and Survival
Unit 1: Abel's Island
Lesson 1
Survival
Students answer guided questions and write responses on the "An Animal for Me" activity page and create a title and cover, providing a short writing task about character and personal traits. Students record information on the "Natural River Resources" chart as they read and use provided web links to read about river habitats, which requires gathering and writing informational points. Students write reflective entries in a journal listing three things they would miss if shipwrecked and describe reasons, demonstrating reflective short-term writing. The skills section also lists that students use oral and written language to report on a topic, indicating written reporting tasks.
Lesson 2
The Storm
Students are asked to answer reading questions in a journal after reading Chapters 1 and 2, and are given directions to record natural resources 'each day she reads the novel' on the Using Natural Resources pages, which requires repeated entries over multiple days. Students create a picture dictionary for vocabulary from Chapters 1–10, assembling a small book and writing definitions and drawing illustrations, which is a multi-page writing project. Students complete Predictions and Inferences pages with short written responses to prediction questions, which are tasks that can be done in a single sitting.
Lesson 3
Where Am I?
Students are asked to answer assigned questions in a journal for Chapters 3 and 4, which requires written responses to comprehension questions. Students fill in a chart "Using Natural Resources" and complete the "Parts of a Boat" activity page, which require written labeling and information extraction from the text. Students may write a creative "Sailing Song" (Option 2) and are asked to summarize what happened to Abel, providing multiple short written tasks for different purposes.
Lesson 4
Who Is Abel?
Students are asked to answer three to four questions in a journal after reading Chapters 5 and 6, requiring short written responses. Students complete the "Who Is Abel?" activity by illustrating Abel and recording physical and personality descriptions with textual evidence. Students complete the "Mouse Measurements" pages by calculating measurements, filling in numeric answers, estimating tail length, and writing a short response to a critical-thinking question about map scales.
Lesson 5
Perseverance
Students are given planning and drafting supports: the Skills section asks them to use planning strategies, identify purpose/audience, and compose a draft using preliminary plans. Activity 2 asks students to produce a three-paragraph reflective piece using a graphic organizer that guides topic sentence, supporting details, and conclusion. Activity 3 requires students to use a rubric to edit, revise, and produce a final copy, and the wrap-up invites students to share writing with family and to keep a personal journal.
Lesson 6
Surprises
Students are asked to respond to guided journal questions after reading Chapters 9 and 10, which requires short written reflections and answers. Students write a daily schedule for themselves and for Abel in their journals and compare and contrast the two, producing organized written responses. Students fill in a chart titled "Using Natural Resources" and describe the five items they would take to a deserted island and explain why, which requires written explanation and reasoning.
Lesson 7
Threats
Students are asked to respond to journal/discussion questions for Chapters 11 and 12, which requires written answers about Abel's feelings and actions. Students fill in a chart ("Using Natural Resources") and complete vocabulary cards by recording sentences, definitions, syllable counts, part of speech, and synonyms/antonyms. Students list three adaptations for Abel and write descriptions of how each adaptation aids his survival, and they are prompted to illustrate and describe threats and adaptations in a wrap-up.
Lesson 8
The Dead of Winter
Students are asked to answer journal and discussion questions for Chapters 13 and 14 and to "Answer the following questions using complete sentences" on the Hibernation activity page, which requires written responses. The Skills section includes "Conduct research for projects (with assistance)" and "Use oral and written language to report on a topic," and the lesson directs students to research hibernation and fill in a chart using information from the chapters. The Hibernation Experiment requires students to record pulse/breath/temperature data and respond to reflective questions comparing rest and exercise.
Lesson 10
Escape
Students are asked to write three "big" and three "little" questions about Chapters 17-18 as they read, producing written responses tied to a short reading session. Students are directed to compose original poems (acrostic poems for Abel) and to describe Abel before and after the island, producing reflective written descriptions. The skills list explicitly includes "Compose original poems," indicating a writing product requirement in the lesson.
Lesson 11
Home at Last
Students are asked to write an alternate ending in their journal (Activity 2), recording a new way Abel could leave the island starting from a provided sentence starter. Students are directed to fill in a chart "Using Natural Resources" taking information from Chapters 19 and 20, which requires writing to organize text-based information. Students complete a Theme Bubble Map (Option 1 or 2) by identifying a story's theme and citing evidence from the text, which involves writing supporting details and examples.
Final Project
Your Own Deserted Island
Students complete a multi-part writing project that spans at least two days (Part 1 on Day 1 and Part 2 on Day 2) and includes shorter tasks that can be done in a single sitting (paragraphs, lists, a letter, and a step-by-step plan). Students write a descriptive paragraph about the island, a paragraph about how they landed and used resources, a personal letter to someone they miss, and a numbered escape plan; they also create an island map and use a rubric to check criteria. The skills list and rubric prompt students to use planning strategies, identify purpose and audience (with assistance), and compose a draft that conveys major ideas.
Unit 2: Pedro's Journal
Lesson 1
Exploring with Columbus
Students are asked to record prior knowledge and four or five questions in a journal and then check those questions as they read Pedro's Journal, indicating ongoing writing tied to reading. Students complete specific written tasks: a "Columbus, The Man" organizer to list positive and negative characteristics from research, a "Reasons for Exploration" table to write possible positives and negatives, and a "Historical Fiction" bubble map to list factual and fictional elements while reading. Students also trace Columbus' route on a map and record dates and important events, which requires writing as they progress through the chapters.
Lesson 2
August
Students are asked to read Pedro's monthly journal entries and answer three or four questions in their journal, which provides a short-term written response activity. Students complete a recurring "The Journey" chart by recording geographic location, attitudes, and important events for each month, which requires writing entries across multiple months. Students choose between two writing prompts: a personal narrative about a trip to the ocean or a factual list plus a descriptive paragraph, providing both narrative and informational writing tasks. Students are also invited to look up images and read more about navigational instruments online, which introduces a small research component.
Lesson 3
September
Students are asked to answer comprehension questions in a journal and to write responses to prompts (e.g., Questions #1–#5 and Activity 3 asking them to write what they would do with $10,000). Students are directed to fill out a monthly "The Journey" sheet and to write their own myth or omen about a meteor. Students also complete vocabulary writing tasks, including an Option 2 task to write a short paragraph using listed vocabulary words.
Lesson 4
October
Students answer guided journal questions about the October journal entries and fill out "The Journey" sheet, which requires written responses. Students record words/phrases on the two bubble maps to describe "Native People" and "White Men." Students complete punctuation exercises in "Using Quotation Marks," inserting quotation marks/commas/periods and writing two quoted sentences; they also draw and write reflections in a journal about San Salvador and its animals. Web links to images and species lists are provided for students to consult if they choose to learn more about the island's flora and fauna.
Lesson 5
Journal Writing
Students are guided to generate ideas using a Pre-Writing organizer (listing ten facts, three feelings, and possible quotes) and then to write a dated journal entry using that organizer. Students are asked to read their entry and determine whether they communicated the event's importance and their feelings, practicing reflection and self-assessment. Students are asked to consider why people keep journals and are encouraged to begin keeping a personal journal, which supports writing for personal purposes.
Lesson 7
December
Students are asked to "answer three or four questions in his journal," which requires writing responses to comprehension questions. Students fill in the "The Journey" page and complete the "Treasures" activity by illustrating and labeling items, which involves composing labels and brief written descriptions. Students are prompted in the Wrapping Up section to explain differences between expected and actual treasures and to explain subject-verb agreement, which requires short written or oral responses.
Lesson 8
The Island of the Skog
Students are asked to write in a journal three ways the mice showed prejudice and three ways Columbus was prejudiced (Activity 2). Students complete a graphic organizer comparing two stories, writing similarities and unique characteristics (Activity 1). Students are invited to compose an anthem for Columbus and the natives, including words and possible gestures, and to use planning strategies (with assistance) to generate topics and organize ideas (Skills).
Lesson 9
January
Students are asked to write two or three sentences of dialogue and to compose a five-line conversation between Pedro and Columbus using alternative tags and correct punctuation (Activity 2 and the Student Activity Page), which is a clear short-term writing task. Students are also asked to fill in information on "The Journey" page and to demonstrate understanding of informational text through writing and illustrating (Skills and Activity 3). The lesson directs students to conduct research about manatees and discuss their ecosystem, which can lead to informational writing products tied to content study.
Lesson 10
February
Students answer three assigned journal questions and fill in "The Journey" journal page, producing short written responses about the voyage. Students complete "Figures of Speech" pages by writing similes, explaining idioms, and creating original similes, which are brief written tasks. Students plan and write a firsthand report from Pedro's perspective that explains crew survival, discoveries, and what it was like to sail with Columbus and then deliver that report to an audience (family).
Final Project
Story Blocks
Students are asked to produce eight different "story cubes" that require writing tasks: composing vocabulary sentences, recording quoted sentences with correct punctuation, writing similes (both from the text and original), listing survival strategies, and distinguishing historical facts from fictional elements. The Skills list explicitly includes using planning strategies (with assistance) to generate topics and organize ideas and using oral or written language to recount or narrate. The project is introduced as a final project that begins on one day and continues to a "Day 2," and students are instructed to share and explain their cubes with other people, indicating a purpose and audience for their writing.
Unit 3: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Lesson 1
Sickness
Students are asked to answer three or four questions in a journal, which requires them to write responses (shorter time frame, single sitting). Students complete a Plot Flowchart by recording a major event for each chapter and by recording titles and brief retells each day, which requires writing across multiple days. Students also fill in genre-analysis and vocabulary activity pages (recording examples, roots/prefixes/suffixes, definitions, and sentences), which are discipline-specific written tasks.
Lesson 2
Spring is Coming
Students are asked to write answers to two or three comprehension questions in their journal and use remaining questions for discussion. Students record events from each chapter on a Plot Flowchart and write a description beneath an illustrated setting. Students conduct research using books and the provided websites and then compare rats and mice in their journal using a Venn diagram (Options 1 and 2). The lesson's Skills section explicitly lists 'Conduct research on assigned topics using books and technology.'
Lesson 3
A Visit to an Owl
Students are asked to respond to journal and discussion questions about the chapters, which can require short written answers. Students complete a Plot Flowchart by filling in events from the reading, an organizational writing task. In the homophones activities (Option 2 and the wrapping up), students write sentences using correct homophones and spellings, producing short written pieces in a single sitting.
Lesson 4
Rats in the Rosebush
Students are asked to answer three or four questions in a journal, providing short written responses to the chapters read. Students complete a Plot Flowchart and fill in a bubble map listing five ways Mrs. Frisby showed bravery, which require written organization and character analysis. Activity 3 tells students to research information about owls to design a new home, implying a research task and product beyond a single sitting. The Life Application asks students to explain a time they were brave, prompting reflective written or oral explanation.
Lesson 5
Meeting the Rats
Students are asked to answer questions in a journal about the chapters, providing written responses to comprehension and interpretation prompts. Students complete a Plot Flowchart describing important events and list examples on the "Beyond Needs" page, recording inventions and machines. Students write plural forms or sentences on the Irregular Plurals activity pages, producing written sentences that apply grammar rules.
Lesson 6
A Plan for Mrs. Frisby
Students are asked to answer comprehension questions in a journal after reading chapters, which requires written responses. Students complete a Plot Flowchart by describing important events, and they answer five written calculation/comparison questions on the student activity page. Students devise and illustrate a plan for moving the house and are asked to describe the rats' plan, prompting explanatory writing tied to a problem-solving task.
Lesson 7
The Capture
Students are asked to answer guided reading questions in a journal and to write a summary of Nicodemus's story (Activity 2), showing they produce written responses and summaries. Students describe events on a Plot Flowchart (Activity 1) and complete the Acronyms student activity page, filling in meanings and inventing words for NIMH, which requires short written responses. The Wrapping Up prompts ask students to explain orally or in writing how the rats were captured and to reflect on ethical questions about animal testing.
Lesson 8
Life at NIMH
Students are asked to "answer some of the following questions in her journal," which requires short-form written responses about the chapters. Students create vocabulary note cards with words and definitions and complete a fill-in-the-blank dialogue or write an original dialogue between two scientists, which are discipline-related writing tasks. Students describe important events on a "Plot Flowchart," producing written summary or sequencing of story events.
Lesson 9
The Escape
Students are asked to answer chapter questions in a journal after reading the chapters, providing short written responses to comprehension and inference prompts. Students record events on a Plot Flowchart and complete a worksheet comparing Nicodemus before and after NIMH, writing explanations in numbered lines. Students also write a personal list of needs beyond food, water, and shelter and reflect on feelings after a guided activity, showing reflective writing tasks.
Lesson 10
Amazing Rats
Students answer comprehension questions in a journal after reading chapters and record events on a Plot Flowchart, showing short-term writing tasks. Students write at least one use for each tool on the "Tools and Machines" worksheet and are directed to find information online or in an encyclopedia if unfamiliar, indicating discipline-linked research and writing. Students write a paragraph describing how their opinion about rats changed, using linking words and a concluding sentence, and Activity 3 asks students to brainstorm and research how mice might get electricity, suggesting research-based writing or documentation.
Lesson 11
The Plan
Students answer journal questions after reading chapters and record events on a plot flowchart, demonstrating short, focused writing tasks. Students create a pop-up and write an accompanying descriptive paragraph or compose a poem/song, showing writing for different purposes and audiences. Students read online arguments, interview community members, record pros and cons on a chart, and write a speech with three reasons and transitional phrases, demonstrating research-based composition.
Lesson 12
Working in the Night
Students answer discussion and journal questions about the chapters, which requires them to write short responses summarizing events and answering comprehension prompts. Students fill in a Plot Flowchart by writing an event from the chapters. Students complete a "Combining Sentences" activity where they place commas, combine sentences with conjunctions, and rewrite sentences, practicing sentence-level composition and editing. In Activity 2 students draw and may label the machines used to move the house and invent something using supplied materials, which can include written labels or descriptions.
Final Project
The Next Chapter or Book Float
Students plan and draft a new chapter across two days: Day 1 activities require students to describe characters and setting, outline four major events, and write sample dialogue; Day 2 requires students to write the chapter that follows their outline and includes dialogue and descriptions of survival and interactions with the environment. Students also create an alternate product (a parade float) that requires planning, selecting materials, assembling the float, and presenting it with a song for an audience, and they read their finished chapter aloud for feedback using a rubric.