Third Grade - ELA
1: Environment
Unit 1: Tornado
Lesson 1
Weather on the Farm
Students are prompted to write three factual sentences about tornadoes beneath an illustration (Activity 1). Students write a short paragraph describing what they enjoy about farm life (Activity 3, Option 1) and complete a Venn diagram comparing home life to farm life with written entries (Activity 3, Option 2). Students produce an organized, hour-by-hour daily schedule in their journal and are asked to write about a farm visit (Activity 4 and Life Application). Adult prompts, discussion, and guided questions are included throughout to support the writing tasks.
Lesson 2
The Storm
Students keep a daily journal and are asked to write a 3–4 sentence summary of Chapter 1 that explains the main events or main idea (Activity 4). Students are reminded to use time-transition words from Activity 3 to show when things happened and to help organize their summary. Students complete a Main Idea activity (Activity 2) that asks them to identify or write the main idea of short paragraphs, which supports selecting appropriate content for their summaries.
Lesson 3
The Tornado
Students are asked to write and illustrate a chapter summary in their journal using transition words to show order (Activity 1). Students are instructed to write a descriptive paragraph about a pet with a topic sentence, at least three supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence, and they are given a Hamburger Paragraph Organizer or a more advanced Paragraph Organizer to structure their ideas (Activity 3). Adults read aloud, prompt students to verbally summarize, and guide students to underline descriptive word choices and revise sentences to make writing more interesting (Reading and Activities).
Lesson 4
A Card Trick
Students are asked to "Describe what happens in this chapter" (Question #1) and the Skills list includes "Produce a summary of a text." Activity 1 directs students to "write and illustrate her chapter summary in her journal," and the Introduction and Reading sections prompt adult-child discussion about the chapter. The activities require students to produce a written summary of the chapter content and to discuss elements of the story with an adult.
Lesson 5
Turtles
Students are asked to write and illustrate a chapter summary in their journal and to produce an original myth using the provided "My Own Myth" graphic organizer (setting, characters, problem, events, solution). The directions emphasize focusing on ideas and keeping writing focused on the main idea, and they allow adults to provide support or to record dictated stories. Students complete a Story Map organizer after reading myths and use an explicit set of criteria (creative ideas, relevant details, focus, connected ideas) to self-assess and revise their writing.
Lesson 6
The Best Pet Award
Students are asked to write and illustrate a chapter summary in their journal, which requires them to produce organized informational writing about the text. Students complete the "World's Best Pet Award" ribbons by writing reasons that Tornado is a good pet, either using sentence starters (Option 1) or composing specific example-based reasons (Option 2). Adults are prompted to read with and ask questions of the child, providing guidance and support during reading and the writing activities.
Lesson 7
Conflict
Students are asked to record a chapter summary in a journal and draw an event illustration, which requires them to produce written work about the text. The Story Conflict activity has students dictate and write a sentence describing each conflict, label the conflict type, and illustrate it. The lesson language and prompts (e.g., "Produce a summary of a text" listed under Skills and the adult-led prompts) show adults guiding students through writing tasks.
Lesson 8
The End of the Storm
Students are asked to use the "Happy or Sad Fishbone" graphic organizer to plan a paragraph with a center sentence (topic sentence), four supporting detail lines, and a concluding sentence, then copy the organizer into a journal paragraph. Students are prompted to write and illustrate a chapter summary in their journal (Activity 1), practicing organization and development appropriate to summarizing. Adults are instructed to review organization features (topic sentence, indenting, supporting details, concluding sentence) and to give the graphic organizer and prompts, providing guidance and support.
Lesson 9
Plot
Students are asked to write the title of the story and to describe the problem in one sentence on the Story Plot Diagram (Activity 1). Students write or place major events on the plot diagram, identify the climax and resolution, and are reminded to use time transition words to reinforce event order. Option 2 directs students to write one sentence for each chapter summary on strips of paper and glue them onto the Tornado Plot Diagram in sequence.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students are asked to produce multiple written products (a letter, a song, a new cover explanation, a paragraph about how weather affects characters, a journal entry, an acrostic poem, and a what-if event write-up). Students are instructed to write a draft and then a final copy for projects that involve writing and to make improvements based on suggestions. Students can use a provided Hamburger Paragraph Organizer to arrange thoughts before writing the required center-paragraph project, and an adult is asked to discuss projects and offer suggestions.
Unit 2: Sarah, Plain and Tall
Lesson 1
Getting Started
Students are asked to list six facts about each state (Kansas and Maine), which requires them to produce an organized informational list. Students are asked to write a five-senses poem for each state using a provided five-line structure, giving explicit guidance on how to organize descriptive content. Students are prompted to create a book cover and title (including adjectives) and to explain their design choices, which requires short, purposeful written explanation tied to a task.
Lesson 2
Story Elements
Students are prompted to plan a narrative using the Story Pyramid (selecting character traits, setting words, problem, events, and solution) and to write a creative short story using those elements. Activity directions ask students to include multiple events, a resolved problem, a theme/lesson, and to use time-transition words (first, next, after, then, finally) to organize the sequence. Options explicitly allow students to write with adult assistance or to dictate while an adult records, and the skills list includes "Write structured narratives when given help with organization."
Lesson 3
The News
Students are asked to produce a first-person journal entry as Anna, with guidance to write in "I" voice, include ideas, thoughts, and experiences, and to use time transition words to show event order. Students are guided to create a farm help advertisement by brainstorming descriptive qualities, using a template titled "WIFE WANTED," and writing copy aimed at a specific audience. Students are given a choice to write a paragraph describing an environment that uses all vocabulary words (Option 2) or to complete a structured vocabulary story (Option 1); the skills list explicitly includes "Write structured, informative narratives."
Lesson 4
The Letters
Students are asked to write a journal entry from Anna's point of view, producing a structured narrative (Activity 1). Students compose a letter that includes explicit instruction about greeting, closing, signature, complete sentences, grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and they are asked to include details about personality and three questions for the visitor (Activity 2). Students write a descriptive paragraph about their environment using a brainstormed vocabulary list and a provided 'Hamburger Paragraph Organizer' that prompts a topic sentence, three detail sentences, and a concluding sentence (Activity 3). Adult support is built in: an adult reads Chapter 2 aloud, asks students to summarize verbally, discusses differences between speaking and writing, and may transcribe dictated text while prompting for ending punctuation.
Lesson 5
The Arrival
Students are asked to write a journal entry from Anna's point of view focusing on Sarah's arrival, which directs them to produce a focused narrative. Students make a Venn diagram comparing the coast of Maine and the Kansas prairie, which requires them to organize and record similarities and differences. Students are prompted to draw a welcome token and "write a sentence or two" explaining why the token is special, and the materials remind students to use complete sentences and list "Write structured, informative narratives" as a skill.
Lesson 6
Life on the Prairie
Students are asked to write a journal entry describing Anna's thoughts about the day spent with Sarah, which requires producing a coherent narrative. Students are asked to write a new song about farm life, a focused creative writing task tied to purpose. Students are guided to create a Wildflower Field Guide with labeled pages (Name, Where it grows, Interesting fact) and a graphic organizer, which directs organization and development for an informational piece; adult prompts and instructions appear throughout (e.g., "Encourage your child," "Ask your child").
Lesson 7
The Dune
Students are asked to write a journal entry reflecting on the fun day Anna spends with Sarah (Activity 1), and to answer chapter questions in their journal (Reading And Questions). Activity 3 asks students to write and/or illustrate how the environment can provide entertainment after an outdoor excursion and to record ideas in their journal. The lesson repeatedly prompts an adult to discuss, ask questions, and have the child respond, indicating guided support for writing tasks.
Lesson 8
Work and Play
The lesson explicitly lists the skill "Write structured, informative narratives" and asks the child to "write Anna's journal entry" to reflect on chapter conversations and activities, which requires producing a narrative with a clear purpose. Activity 2 directs the child to list three factual things and three nonfactual things in a journal, an informational writing task with a specified organizational form (lists). Adult support is explicitly described throughout with prompts such as "Explain to your child," "Ask your child," and "Help your child," indicating guided writing opportunities.
Lesson 9
Writing
Students are asked to brainstorm and record three reasons and supporting details using a graphic organizer tailored to a persuasive letter, which scaffolds organization around a clear task and purpose. Students read and analyze two persuasive examples to identify reasons and supporting evidence, providing modeling of development for the genre. Students draft a letter from a character to persuade Sarah, use a self-editing checklist to revise content and organization, and produce a final copy with adult prompting (including addressing the envelope).
Lesson 10
Neighbors
Students are prompted to write Anna's journal entry about the visit from Matthew and Maggie (Activity 1), which asks them to produce a piece of writing with adult-led reading and discussion. Students are also asked to list five things they would miss or write a song or poem in their journal as part of Activity 3, giving multiple opportunities to produce writing for a specific purpose. Parent-led questions and discussion about main ideas and details appear throughout, supporting students as they gather content to include in their writing.
Lesson 11
Squall
Students are asked to produce a journal entry as Anna about Sarah's request to ride a horse and drive a wagon and about the big storm, which requires writing for a specific purpose. Students draw and write words or phrases describing four main characters on the Character Line-Up page, organizing character details under each character. Students practice combining short sentences and using commas with conjunctions on the Connecting Sentences page, which targets sentence-level cohesion and helps make writing flow more smoothly.
Lesson 12
The End of the Storm
Students are asked to write a journal entry about how Anna feels when Sarah announces she is staying, which requires producing a focused piece of writing with a clear purpose. Students create a Story Plot Diagram, filling problem, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, which requires organizing narrative content logically. Students complete a Theme web by writing the theme in the center and recording supporting examples in surrounding bubbles, which scaffolds organization of evidence and development of ideas with adult prompts (e.g., "Ask your child...").
Final Project
Welcome To Kansas
Students are asked to plan and produce multiple written products: an invitation (with date/time/location), a paragraph explaining decorations, a recipe with ingredients and directions, and a welcome card. Students are guided to compose a rough draft, use a Self-Editing Checklist to revise (questions include "Do you have three reasons?" and checks for spelling, punctuation, and word choice), and then produce a final copy. Adults are instructed to help locate sources about the historical setting and to lead students through stages (create invitation, gather materials, follow recipe, write the card) so students receive guidance and support while writing.
Unit 3: Who Was Helen Keller?
Lesson 1
Helen's Early Years
Students are asked to record answers to chapter questions in a journal and to answer in complete sentences, producing guided written responses to the text. Students create a timeline of Helen Keller's life, identifying and recording two or three important events (and dates when available), which requires organizing information chronologically. Students draw and write titles for books (one fiction and two nonfiction, one a biography) and record spelling words, which involves producing short written items appropriate to simple tasks.
Lesson 2
Helen's Childhood
Students are asked to read Chapter 2 and answer comprehension questions, which requires them to produce written responses (e.g., why Helen threw tantrums, ways Helen communicated). Students are instructed to predict and record ideas about Helen before reading and to fill in a timeline with one or two important events, requiring them to organize information chronologically. Students complete vocabulary pages by recording definitions, syllable counts, synonyms/antonyms, and writing the sentence from the book that uses each word, with the teacher providing assistance as needed.
Lesson 3
Helen's Challenges
Students are prompted to write a sensory paragraph using only smell/touch/taste words, then read aloud, revise, and edit for capitalization, punctuation, and subject-verb structure (Activity 2). Students choose between writing song lyrics that reflect Helen's experience or drawing a gift and writing a paragraph explaining the choice using a provided Hamburger Paragraph Organizer (Activity 3). The Skills section explicitly lists generating ideas, planning what to include, and using editing to check sentence completeness and word order, indicating guided support for producing organized writing.
Lesson 4
Inventors
Students are asked to produce written work in several activities: Activity 2 (A Bell Riddle) directs students to write ten facts about Alexander Graham Bell as clues, and Activity 3 (Famous Inventors and Inventions) asks students to write a sentence describing each invention, a sentence describing how it helped people, and a sentence describing how it changed the world. The lesson repeatedly instructs adults to prompt and support the child (e.g., "Tell your child...", "Encourage your child...", "Ask your child...", and "Begin to show your child how to research"), providing guided support during writing tasks. The timeline activity asks students to add events from the chapter, which requires selecting and organizing information chronologically.
Lesson 5
Annie
The Skills section explicitly lists that students should "Write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization." Activity 1 asks students to add events from the chapter to a timeline, which has them organize information sequentially. Activity 2 has students draw before/after pictures, list three adjectives for each, and write a 'before' and 'after' sentence about Helen, requiring them to produce written sentences tied to the task and purpose. Activity 3 has students punch and glue Braille words (dog, car, eyes), producing written word representations and practicing encoding words.
Lesson 6
Helen Leaves Home
Students are asked to create a personal timeline (Activity 3) and to add events from Helen Keller's chapter to a timeline (Activity 1), which requires selecting and sequencing information. The skills list includes "Plan and make judgments about what to include in written and oral products," and the comma activity has students write two sentences of their own, practicing sentence-level composition. Instructions direct an adult to prompt, encourage, and share stories, providing the guidance and support described in the standard.
Lesson 7
More Learning
The Skills section explicitly tells students to "Write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization." Activity 3 provides a bio-poem template with line-by-line prompts (name; describing words; who feels/needs/gives/fears; resident of, etc.) and asks students to write a bio poem for Helen and a poem about themselves. The directions ask parents to "encourage your child," to provide assistance, and to have students copy the poem and add graphics, showing guided support for producing organized writing.
Final Project
Scrapbook or Interview
Students choose between two writing projects (a first-person biography scrapbook or an interview) and then plan and record ideas for specific pages or questions (e.g., birth certificate, journal entries, postcard, five interview questions). Students are instructed to compose drafts for each page or answer, reread drafts, revise, and receive adult feedback. Students use explicit rubrics that assess organization, voice, and development and practice a presentation (interview) with adult support.
2: Change
Unit 1: Morning Girl
Lesson 1
Background Information
The Skills section explicitly lists "Write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization." Activity 2 directs students to summarize research and create a short report about the Bahamas using a provided outline with prompts. Activity 4 has students record facts in a journal and write an acrostic poem, and Activity 5 asks students to write sentences describing artifacts' materials and uses, all of which require students to produce written work with adult guidance.
Lesson 2
Point of View
Students are asked to write journal entries after each chapter, recording three thoughts/phrases and two important events using a provided sample journal format, which guides organization. Students write first-person riddles with a specified rhyme structure and draw/respond on the "First Person: Who's Talking?" page, producing a short creative piece for a clear purpose. Students complete character descriptions and a four-part Venn diagram to compare accounts, then write short descriptions of shared outings (Activity 5) with adult prompting and discussion, and are instructed to answer questions in complete sentences in writing.
Lesson 3
The News
Students are asked to record three feelings and two events in a journal (Activity 1), producing organized written responses about a text. Students are asked to create an island short story using all vocabulary words, with the teacher recording the story as the student tells it and a review that stories have a beginning, middle, and end plus characters, a problem, and a solution (Activity 2). Students draw family members and write three phrases or sentences describing what each person brings to the family, producing organized descriptive writing (Activity 3).
Lesson 4
The Rock
Students are asked to produce written journal responses: recording three feelings, three phrases, and two events from Chapter 4 in Star Boy's voice and doing the same for Chapter 5 in Morning Girl's voice. Students can answer comprehension questions aloud or record answers in their journals, and they are prompted to write a sentence under each family member's name describing how to make that person feel better. Students also complete a pronoun worksheet that requires them to rewrite sentences and create three original sentences each containing two pronouns.
Lesson 5
Let's Write
Students use the "Ideas and Rough Draft" organizer to plan two first-person paragraphs, filling in opening idea, see/hear/think/do details, and a concluding idea for each character. Students write rough drafts in first person for Morning Girl and Star Boy, use an Editing Rubric to guide revisions focused on ideas, voice, and grammar, and then produce a final copy to share. Adults prompt discussion about character voice, remind students to write in first person, and encourage use of reference materials during editing.
Lesson 6
The Storm
Students are asked to read Chapters 6 and 7 and then answer specific questions in their journal or discuss them, with a reminder to answer in complete sentences and attend to grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Students are instructed in Activity 1 to record Morning Girl and Star Boy's feelings, thoughts, words, and events for each chapter, producing organized journal entries. Students are asked in Activity 2 to record words or phrases that describe the setting before and after the storm and to list two positive and two negative effects, producing focused descriptive and list writing. Students are asked in Activity 3 to explain the significance of new names for family members and to create name tags, producing brief explanatory writing tied to a clear purpose.
Lesson 7
Visitors
Students are asked to produce written responses to Chapters 8 and 9 in complete sentences and to record Star Boy's feelings, actions, and words in a journal (Activity 1). Students use a structured "Name Poem" activity with sentence stems ("I once was... But now I am...") that guides organization and development of a reflective poem (Activity 2). Students plan and write two short journal entries from different perspectives (Morning Girl and a visitor) using a provided "Morning Girl/Visitor Organizer," with explicit prompts to include descriptions, thoughts, feelings, and opinions (Activity 3). Adult involvement is built into instructions (ask your child, discuss, encourage), showing guided support for the writing tasks.
Final Project
Poetry Night
Students are asked to produce two before-and-after poems (one from a Native American perspective and one from Columbus) each containing five before-and-after phrases that describe how environment, community, health, and lives changed. Students create a mini-fold book that requires them to organize examples into labeled categories ("Positive Changes," "Negative Changes," "Mixed") using details from the provided text. Adults are instructed to read the background page and guide folding, listening, and revision, and students record and re-record their poem readings to improve presentation.
Unit 2: Communities and Culture
Lesson 1
Getting Started
Students record prior knowledge, questions, and new information on the "Historical Time Periods" organizer (What I already know / What I want to learn / What I have learned). Students write examples of proper nouns on note cards and then select three cards to use each in a written sentence. In the Proper Nouns Scavenger Hunt students list five people, places, and things and then use three proper nouns in sentences, with an adult checking capitalization and punctuation.
Lesson 2
Where Are We?
Students are asked to answer reading questions in complete sentences for both verbal and written responses, providing guided practice in producing coherent written answers. Students record information on a "Historical Time Periods: Ancient Egypt" sheet and complete the "Life in Egypt" activity page by writing descriptions and categorizing natural resources, shelter, food, drink, and clothing. Students write in a journal to list three factual details and three fictional details from the story, with adults prompted to help, prompting supported writing and organization.
Lesson 3
The King
Students are asked to complete a Venn diagram comparing a king and a president and then "write a paragraph in her journal" explaining which form of government she would prefer, which requires producing a written response for a clear purpose. The Student Activity Page provides a planning graphic (Venn diagram) that students use to organize similarities and differences. Activity 3 asks students to look up vocabulary and "use them to create a short story about her own adventure in Egypt," with the option to dictate the story while an adult records it.
Lesson 4
Back Home
The Plot Pyramid activity asks students to record five events leading to the climax, three events after the climax, and to record the story's problem and solution, which requires students to organize narrative events in a structured diagram. The Reading and Questions section has students answer five specific comprehension questions about plot and content (e.g., How do Emma and Libby rescue Josh?), requiring short written responses. The Historical Time Periods activity asks students to add information to a page about Ancient Egypt, which involves producing organized informational notes.
Lesson 5
A Day in Egypt
Students are asked to record a daily schedule using provided time slots and to include brief descriptions of each event, which requires organizing information by time and purpose. Students are prompted to brainstorm from their reading, include specific details (meals, work, entertainment), and choose a social role (wealthy or laborer) that shapes content. Students are guided to draft a paragraph comparing ancient and modern life using a Hamburger Paragraph Organizer and are instructed to produce a rough draft, read it aloud, and make edits.
Lesson 6
Middle Ages
Students are instructed to write two sentences about the Middle Ages that each include a concrete noun and an abstract noun (Activity 2, Part 2), and to answer reading questions in complete sentences. Students are asked to write a first-person journal entry from the point of view of a peasant describing daily work and feelings, with guidance on point of view and use of "I" (Activity 3). Students complete a compare-and-contrast task recording at least three similarities and three differences between laborers in ancient Egypt and peasants in the Middle Ages using a two-column organizer (Activity 4). Several activities include graphic organizers or directed ordering of social ranks to help students organize information (Activity 5 and the "Being Poor" page).
Lesson 7
Off to the Castle
Students are asked to "record any new information" on the "Historical Time Periods: Middle Ages" page, which requires them to produce written notes. In Activity 2 (Option 1) students complete a two-column chart comparing "In a Castle in the Middle Ages..." with "In a Community Today...", requiring organized, purpose-driven listing of similarities. In Activity 2 (Option 2) students make a two-column list on folded paper and write whether activities still occur today or where they occur, explicitly prompting organized explanatory writing. The lesson directions include adult prompts (e.g., "Tell your child...", "Ask your child to read... then answer the following questions") that provide guidance and support during these writing tasks.
Lesson 8
Return Home
Students are asked to write a sentence for each vocabulary word about life in the Middle Ages (Activity 2) and to write three sentences using plural forms (Activity 5). Students record new information about the Middle Ages and similarities between cultures (Activities 1 and 4), label and name artifacts in categories (Activity 6), and write adjectives for characters with explanations tied to text and illustrations and complete a Venn diagram comparing themselves to a character (Activity 3). Students are also prompted to record ideas in a journal and draft a cover for an imagined time-period book (Activity 7).
Lesson 9
Writing About History
Students identify a time period and record facts using the "Getting Started" organizer and list interesting cultural elements to include. Students draft one factual and one fantasy paragraph using the provided "Rough Draft: Fact and Fantasy" sheet (or write independently), practicing organization and purpose for each paragraph type. Students revise and edit using an "Editing Rubric," focus on content, voice, and conventions, then produce a final copy and receive adult feedback and scoring.
Final Project
Elements of Change
Students choose three cultural elements and organize information for each element across three time periods (Ancient Egypt, Middle Ages, Today) using the "In My Book" and "Through the Ages" organizers. Students write sentences describing each element for each culture on the provided "Book of Change" pages and add illustrations to show changes over time. Students are prompted to revise their sentences for grammar, subject-verb agreement, capitalization, punctuation, and to add descriptive words, and adults are instructed to encourage, ask, and remind students during these steps.
Unit 3: American Heroes
Lesson 1
Heroes
Students list eight adjectives that describe a hero and match each adjective to a person (Activity 1). Students draw a picture of a chosen hero, list adjectives that apply, and write a sentence using each adjective plus a sentence about how the hero changed the world (Activity 2). The skills list includes "Write to record ideas and reflections" and "Record knowledge ... by drawing pictures, making a list, or showing connections among ideas," and adult scaffolding is implied by directions such as "let your child" and "encourage him."
Lesson 2
Early American Heroes
Students answer guided reading questions in a journal about Franklin, Jefferson, and Washington, producing written responses to prompts. Students complete Hero Cards by writing the hero's name, years lived, three adjectives, and a sentence describing how the hero changed the world (with adult help or dictation if needed). Students create an epitaph for Franklin or Washington that briefly describes the three greatest things the person did and then write their own epitaph, and students add names and dates to a Heroes Timeline.
Lesson 3
Heroes of Freedom
Students are asked to write a free-verse poem about their childhood after an adult reads and helps interpret Lincoln's poem, with prompts to include positive and sad memories. Students complete hero cards (names and dates) and place them on a timeline, producing brief informational entries. In the Underground Railroad activity, students describe secret signs on a "Planning My Journey" page, create a map and a key, and produce written directions that others can follow, with adult-led discussion beforehand.
Lesson 4
Hard Times
Students are asked to fill out hero cards and record heroes' names and birth dates on a timeline, which requires them to write factual information and organize it chronologically. Students answer guided reading questions about Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, producing written responses about character changes, actions, and challenges. Students write sentences using contractions in context (in Option 1/2 and the "Making a Difference" activity) and compose sentences that Eleanor or Franklin Roosevelt might have said, with adults prompted to discuss and guide reading and responses.
Lesson 5
Recent Heroes
Students answer written comprehension questions about Walt Disney and Jesse Owens, producing short written responses that explain characteristics, achievements, and effects. Students complete hero cards and record names and birth dates on a timeline, which requires writing informational entries. In the grammar activities students write two sentences using nouns and adjectives (Option 1 or Option 2), and in the Be an Imagineer activity students write brief descriptions of a new character or ride, describing personality or the attraction and what the movie or ride will be about.
Lesson 6
African-American Heroes
Students are asked to write a letter to a leader in a country where education is not accessible, with Option 1 providing a structured student activity page that includes an introduction prompt ("I am writing you because..."), main-point sentence starters (three reasons, consequences, and a personal example), and a concluding hope and signature. The activity instructions address adult support by telling the caregiver to "tell your child" and by offering Option 1 (structured scaffolding) and Option 2 (independent writing) depending on skill level. The Scientific Discovery worksheet also has students answer targeted questions and organize details, reinforcing practice in developing and organizing written responses for a specific purpose.
Lesson 7
Female Heroes
Students are prompted to write two declarative, two interrogative, and two exclamatory sentences about Susan B. Anthony and Sandra Day O'Connor, practicing production of sentences for specific purposes. Students create hero cards and record dates on a timeline, producing brief informational text about each woman. Students write an acrostic poem using a hero's name, producing organized phrases that describe accomplishments and personal qualities, with adults instructed to explain and guide the activities.
Lesson 8
Heroes of Science and Invention
Students are prompted to create hero cards and record names and birth dates on a timeline, which requires composing short informational texts and organizing them chronologically. The Perseverance activity asks students to write about a challenging experience, state whether they succeeded, list three motivating reasons, and provide supporting details for each reason. The Adverbs activities require students to write sentences using verbs and adverbs (Option 1) or generate adverbs and use them in sentences, with adult directions and encouragement to use comparative/superlative forms (Option 2).
Lesson 9
Book of Heroes
Students create a multi-page "Book of Heroes," arranging hero cards in chronological order, numbering pages, and producing a table of contents, which requires them to organize content for a specific task and purpose. Students complete a "My Favorite Hero" page in which they write three sentences (two scaffolded) explaining why the person is their favorite, practicing development of an idea with guidance. Students use a three-ring Venn diagram to compare three heroes, listing names, dates, and historical events, which asks students to organize and develop comparative information visually and in writing.
Final Project
My Life Story
Students complete a Pre-Writing Organizer that prompts specific content for two paragraphs (birth info and three major life events in Paragraph I; an action, hope, reason, and concluding idea in Paragraph II), which guides development. Students produce a first draft, use an Editing Rubric that explicitly checks organization (introduction sentence, concluding sentence, readability) and content requirements, and then create a final copy on scrapbook paper. Adult guidance is built into instructions (parents review the rubric, remind students about sentence types, adjectives/adverbs, and discuss scoring and improvements), supporting the writing process.
3: Cycles
Unit 1: Poppy
Lesson 1
Preparing for Poppy
Students are asked to list elements of fantasy in a journal and to write human characteristics for the mouse and owl on opposite sides of a sheet, which requires producing written responses. Students complete structured research activity pages for the deer mouse and the great horned owl by finding and recording habitat, food source, predators, shelter, size, and other information. Students write vocabulary note cards with unfamiliar words and definitions and are asked to write the sentence that contains each word in context, and to summarize the author's idea (which can be written).
Lesson 2
Mr. Ocax
Students are asked to write a paragraph describing three ways they are similar to a character and to support their opinion with evidence from the story and events in their own life, which requires organized development appropriate to the task. The lesson instructs an adult to provide reading support (read aloud if needed) and to ask follow-up questions, providing the guidance and support called for in the standard. Sentence‑combining activities require students to create longer, more complex sentences and to write and then combine sentences about the chapter, reinforcing organization and coherent development of ideas.
Lesson 3
The Emergency Meeting
The lesson asks students to answer discussion and journal questions in complete sentences and to write a short summary of Chapters 3 and 4, providing guided opportunities to produce written work. Activity 2 has students identify paragraph boundaries, underline topic and concluding sentences, cut paragraphs apart and reorder them, and identify the central idea of each paragraph, which teaches organization. Instructions to ask the child and to read aloud with guidance indicate adult support during writing and organizing tasks.
Lesson 4
Standing Before Mr. Ocax
Students are asked to write a conversation between Poppy and Mr. Ocax in their journal and to use quotation marks correctly, practicing dialogue structure and speaker attribution (Activity 2). Students are also guided to write a speech to their parents that explains an action or idea and is supported with evidence, examples, or reasons, then present it to an audience and receive feedback (Activity 3). The skills section explicitly states students will "Write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization."
Lesson 5
Poppy and Poppa
Students are prompted to write journal entries connecting events in the chapters to real life or other texts and to record predictions and ideas (Activity 1 and Wrapping Up). Students complete a cause-and-effect graphic organizer, writing effects in response to given causes (Activity 2), and are reminded to answer written questions in complete sentences. Students practice choosing precise words and writing sentence-level responses in the "Choose the Right Word" and synonyms/antonyms activities (Activities 3 and 4).
Lesson 6
Dimwood Forest
Students are prompted to write in a journal describing a decision Poppy made, including the decision, its effects, and why the decision was good or bad, which requires them to produce organized explanatory writing with adult prompts. Students are given explicit structure and modeling for a diamante poem (seven-line, line-by-line parts of speech) and asked to write their own diamante using Mr. Ocax and Poppy. The instructions begin with adult prompts ("Tell your child... Ask your child..."), indicating guided support while students write.
Lesson 7
Ereth
Students are asked to write answers to reading questions in complete sentences, which requires producing coherent written responses. In Activity 1 students select three important quotes and record why each quote is important, prompting explanatory writing that develops ideas. Activity 4 gives students a circle map graphic organizer where they write words or phrases that describe Ereth, supporting organization of descriptive information. Activity 2 has students create and record alliterative phrases, which requires composing short written phrases.
Lesson 8
On the Way to New House
Students are asked to write a summary of Chapters 13 and 14 in their journal, with an explicit explanation that a summary is a short description of the major ideas. The materials remind students to answer verbal and written questions in complete sentences and provide guided discussion questions that focus on main ideas and point of view. In Activity 3 students are instructed to copy dialogue and format it as a play script (character name, colon, quote), practicing organization appropriate to that task. The materials also instruct adults to provide assistance if needed, indicating guided support.
Lesson 9
The Truth at Last
Students are asked to produce a journal entry using a clear organizer: "In Chapters 15-16, Poppy wanted...But...So..." and a parallel organizer for Mr. Ocax, prompting them to write and sequence events. Students are asked to record two examples from the text showing Mr. Ocax losing power and two showing Poppy gaining power, requiring selection and organization of textual evidence. Students also answer chapter questions in complete sentences and complete short writing prompts (use a word with a prefix/suffix in a sentence), which practices sentence-level composition.
Lesson 10
The Battle
The lesson asks students to write a personal journal entry about a time they showed bravery, prompting them to explain what made them afraid, how they overcame the fear, and the outcome. It instructs students to answer written questions in complete sentences and to read their journal entry aloud, which supports producing connected writing with adult guidance. The Victory Flag activity asks students to design a flag and explain the meaning of their symbols, requiring a short explanatory response linked to a task and purpose.
Lesson 11
Writing Project
Students plan and organize writing using the provided Paragraph Organizer, dividing their work into three paragraphs with a clear topic, introductory sentence, supporting ideas, and a concluding sentence. Students compose a first draft from their organizer, then use the Paragraph Rubric to check paragraph organization, topic sentences, supporting evidence, and concluding sentences. Students revise and edit with adult support by reading aloud, checking spelling with a dictionary, making suggested changes, indenting paragraphs, and producing a final copy to be read aloud to family.
Lesson 12
A New Beginning
Students are asked to write two epitaphs of four to five lines with an optional provided format, which directs them to produce a brief, organized remembrance with guidance. Students fill in a "Story Tree" worksheet to record theme, setting, protagonist, antagonist, conflict, solution, resolution, and other literary elements, organizing information on the page. Students are prompted to write journal entries beneath their personal tree explaining the meaning of items and to write a short speech after planting a tree, and they are reminded to answer written questions in complete sentences.
Final Project
Poppy
Students are asked to produce multiple written products: a journal entry 'pretend you are Poppy,' a paragraph that describes a character and explains story elements supporting a theme, acrostic poems, a three-sentence dialogue with quotation marks, and other prompted writing tasks. The center Plot Diagram activity provides an organizational scaffold where students identify problem, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution for narrative writing. Adults are prompted to explain tasks, remind students about plot diagram elements, and review student work, recommending areas for revision and improvement.
Unit 2: Charlotte's Web
Lesson 1
Getting Started
Students are asked to write journal entries about a special pet and to record vocabulary sentences (Activity 1 and Activity 4). Students create and use graphic organizers (a bubble map for friendship, plot flow chart, and character descriptions) to record main events and character traits as they read. Students are directed to answer reading questions in complete sentences and to brainstorm and record descriptive words to use in writing.
Lesson 2
Charlotte
Students complete a Plot Flow Chart and Character Descriptions page to organize major events and character traits from chapters, and they make a written schedule of Wilbur's day and their own activities. Students gather facts on the Spider Research page and then write a poem from Wilbur's point of view using either a provided template or a free-verse option, linking research to written output. The lesson explicitly lists the skill "Write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization," indicating scaffolding and adult support for writing tasks.
Lesson 3
Bad News
Students plan and organize writing using the Plot Flow Chart and Character Descriptions pages, where they identify major events and record character traits. Students produce a sensory paragraph about their home in Activity 4, using a provided word bank or a student-generated word list and guided prompts that focus on word choice and organization. The Skills section explicitly states students will "Plan and make judgments about what to include in written products" and "Write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization," and adult prompts appear throughout (encourage, ask, explain) to provide guidance and support.
Lesson 4
Some Pig
Students are prompted to write answers to chapter questions and to respond in a journal for several prompts (Reading And Questions and Friendship Scenarios). Students fill in a Plot Flow Chart by highlighting a major event from each chapter and complete Character Descriptions by writing words or phrases about characters. Students complete writing tasks on the Adverbs pages (adding adverbs, rewriting sentences, and filling in blanks) including an Option 2 that asks students to rewrite sentences and add adverbs.
Lesson 5
Progress
Students are asked to answer comprehension questions in a discussion or in a journal (Reading And Questions), which asks them to produce written responses with adult support. Activity 1 requires students to fill in a Plot Flow Chart and write Character Descriptions, organizing events and character traits by chapter. Activity 3 has students write sentences using vocabulary words and copy sentences from the book onto the backs of note cards. Activity 4 asks students to describe each stage of a spider's life cycle on a circular organizer, producing ordered, purpose-driven descriptive writing.
Lesson 6
The Fair
Students are asked to plan and organize story events by filling in a Plot Flow Chart and writing Character Descriptions (Activity 1), which requires them to sequence events and choose what to include. In Activity 3 students write a focused paragraph about their best day using a note card of guiding questions that prompt message, clarity, and sufficient details. The Skills section and directions repeatedly instruct that students should write structured narratives and informative presentations with adult help, and Activity 2 has students rewrite paragraphs to improve sentence variety and coherence.
Lesson 7
The End
Students are asked to respond to discussion or journal questions for Chapters 19–22, which invites written answers about plot and character events. Students write short descriptions for specific characters on the "CHARACTERS CHANGE" chart to describe how characters are different at the beginning and end of the story. In the "Spiders Around the World" activity students are directed to write one or two sentences in each section of a spider graphic organizer, to create a research report with a main idea and habitat information, and to use the organizer as a guide for an oral report.
Final Project
Charlotte's Web
Students are asked to produce a multi-paragraph book review with explicit organization: three paragraphs that describe setting/events/problem, characterize main characters, and discuss theme and recommendation. As an alternative, students plan and produce a three-part advertisement with specified sections (characters; setting/events/problem; two illustrated cycles) using planning pages and a rubric. Adults are prompted to provide guidance: explain choices, conference with the child, help edit and revise drafts, and use guided discussion to refine writing.
Unit 3: The Family Under the Bridge
Lesson 1
Pre-Reading
Students are instructed to use research to complete the "Setting: Paris, France" page and to write a paragraph about Paris using the provided category prompts (Location, Weather, People, Historic Sites, Food, Other). On the "Economic Cycles" page students write examples in each labeled part of the cycle and are asked to explain how the cycle would be disrupted if a person did not have a job. Students are asked to record punctuation marks in a journal and to use each one in a sentence, showing sentence-level composition with guidance.
Lesson 2
The French Man
The lesson directs students to answer selected discussion questions in journal writing and to "answer verbal and written questions in complete sentences," indicating guided written responses. Activity 1 requires students to write new things they learn about characters after each chapter using the "Meeting Characters" graphic organizer (Thoughts and Feelings, Words, Physical Characteristics). Activity 2 asks students to compose a new sentence for each vocabulary word on the Vocabulary Webs. Activity 3 asks students to make a list of Armand's advantages and disadvantages and to explain (role-play) what he enjoys about not having a job, which can produce organized written lists or explanations.
Lesson 3
A Discovery
Students are directed to write two diary/journal entries: one from Armand's perspective and one from Suzy's point of view, including dates, openings, and signatures. Students are given a structured "Dear Diary" template with sentence starters that scaffold content and organization (e.g., "You won't believe what happened today!", "I felt __ because __."). Students are prompted to answer in complete sentences and to practice punctuation by writing questions and exclamations related to the scene.
Lesson 4
A Day in the City
Students are prompted to answer verbal and written questions in complete sentences for journal and discussion questions. Students complete a Venn diagram comparing Christmas in France and America, which asks them to organize similarities and differences. Students write short responses on the activity pages (e.g., foods, traditions, date, and whether they would enjoy Christmas in France) and create sentences using colons and semicolons. Adults are directed to read aloud punctuation rules and discuss giving ideas, indicating adult-supported writing and discussion.
Lesson 5
Singing
Activity 2 asks students to choose and produce a persuasive letter or speech to Armand, instructing them to include three reasons each supported with evidence. The lesson provides a graphic organizer titled "A Letter or Speech for Armand" that structures the piece into reasons and supporting details. The teacher/adult is prompted to give guided support (help with the first reason and support) and to discuss persuasive words or phrases, and students are asked to read the speech aloud if they choose that option. Activity 1 also has students describe and record the economic cycle for the Calcet children and for their own family, which asks students to organize informational writing about needs, services, and purchases.
Lesson 6
The Shoe
Students are asked to answer journal and discussion questions in complete sentences, including comprehension questions about Chapter 5. Students fill in a "Meeting Characters" sheet with new information about characters, producing written descriptions. Students complete a double-bubble map by writing words and phrases that describe the Calcets and the Gypsies, practicing organization of comparison information.
Lesson 7
Among Friends
Students are asked to respond to Chapter 6 questions for discussion and journaling, providing written answers to comprehension and opinion prompts. Students complete a "Meeting Characters" sheet that requires them to write new information learned about characters. Students produce written sentences in the vocabulary and apostrophe activities (matching vocabulary in blanks, writing original sentences for pictures, and composing three sentences using cut-out word combinations), with adult prompts to encourage reading aloud and explanation.
Lesson 8
Christmas Eve
Students are asked to answer reading questions in their journal using complete sentences, which requires producing written responses with adult guidance. Students are asked to write about things they enjoy at their place of worship or to discuss different places of worship, producing a short written account tied to a clear purpose. Students are asked to create five sentences related to the book that use contractions and to record contractions and their source words in a journal activity. Students are prompted to describe and compare how Armand and the Calcets celebrate Christmas Eve with their own family, which asks for a written description or comparison.
Lesson 9
Saying Goodbye
Students are asked to write quinzaine poems with a clear structure guide (7-5-3 syllables) and sample poems, which gives explicit organization for that writing task. Students are prompted to answer discussion and journal questions in complete sentences, producing written responses about the chapter. Students complete a "Culture Commentary" page that directs them to record information in labeled sections (map, time period, people, French words, traditions), supporting organized informational note-taking.
Lesson 10
A Home at Last
Students are asked to write in their journals answering chapter questions in complete sentences and to write about a time they gave up something to help someone (Activity 2). Students create a flip book with labeled sections (Best Part, Funniest Part, Saddest Part, Most Exciting Part) and add descriptive phrases or sentences beneath each flap (Activity 3). Students are directed to write a paragraph describing why having a home is important (Activity 4, Option 1) or to write a letter explaining a chosen housewarming gift and a singing telegram (Activity 4, Option 2).
Final Project
Reader's Theater
Students choose a scene from the novel and write a Reader's Theater script, using the provided 'Writing Your Script' page to list characters and props and to compose dialogue. They study script format and punctuation (colons, parentheses, question/exclamation marks, apostrophes) and are asked to include stage directions, at least the required number of lines, and descriptions of prop usage. Students review a rubric that checks both punctuation and script organization (lines, stage directions, props, and content such as reference to care/economic cycle). The instructions also tell students to think about how characters speak, their emotions, and actions as they draft lines, with adult assistance available if needed.
4: Relationships
Unit 1: One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest
Lesson 2
Morning in the Rain Forest
The lesson asks students to record responses in a journal to selected discussion and journal questions as they read each chapter. Students fill in the Rain Forest Animals Chart to classify animals and describe relationships, which requires organizing information by category and chapter. Students complete the Daily Activities page by recording their own activities alongside events from the book, sequencing events by time. The vocabulary activity asks students to record definitions and use each word in a sentence, requiring short written production and sentence-level organization.
Lesson 3
The Tree
Students are asked to record new animals on a "Rain Forest Animals Chart" and to record major events from Chapter 2 on a "Daily Activities" sheet, which requires them to produce written lists or chronological entries. Students complete a nouns-and-adjectives worksheet in which they locate nouns in the text, write the author's adjective and then write their own adjective for each noun. The activities prompt the child to explain how a local tree differs from Tepui's favorite tree (an oral or written explanation) and include adult prompts such as "Ask your child..." which provide guidance and support.
Lesson 4
Butterfly Search
Students are asked to write journal responses to selected questions from Chapter 3 and to record events on a "Daily Activities" sheet, providing direct opportunities to produce writing. Students are given an "Animal Scientists" page with a scaffolded paragraph outline and may write the paragraph independently, which supports organization for an explanatory/personal piece. Students are also prompted to write about two relationships that a newly designed butterfly has with a plant or animal and to compose interview questions for a scientist, which require planning and composing text with adult guidance. The lesson's skills list explicitly includes planning and composing written products and increasing written vocabulary by composing texts.
Lesson 5
Rain Forest Relationships
Students answer written journal and discussion questions about Chapters 4 and 5 (e.g., describing the butterfly, explaining plant battles, and describing sloth-moth relationships). Students add animals and relationships to a "Rain Forest Animals Chart" and record major events on a "Daily Activities" sheet, requiring them to plan what to include in a written product. Students organize story events by cutting out event strips and pasting them onto Plot Timelines, placing events into time intervals to show sequence and simultaneous action.
Lesson 6
Law of the Jungle
Students are asked to write a titled free-verse poem of five to ten lines called "The Law of the Jungle," with adult prompting to reread specific text and think about examples. Students are asked to illustrate and describe three examples of the Law of the Jungle in their journal, organizing content into distinct examples. Students record animals and relationships on a Rain Forest Animals Chart, record major events on a Daily Activities sheet, and use vocabulary words in context sentences after consulting the text or a dictionary, all with adult prompts and questions guiding the work.
Lesson 7
Helping a Friend
Students are instructed to write dialogue lines for Tepui and Dr. Rivero and to organize those lines into a script with character names and colons, which practices written organization. Students are asked to include stage directions that explain characters' actions and to make the events of the script reflect the order and development of events in the story. An advanced option asks students to write an original script using quotes from the book and to include important stage directions, explicitly scaffolding the writing task. Adult guidance is implied throughout by directions like "Tell your child" and by having a parent act as a scene partner while the child writes and practices.
Lesson 8
Persuasive Writing
Students are given a clear persuasive task (convince men with bulldozers not to clear the rainforest) and an organizer that structures writing into three paragraphs with topic sentence, supporting reasons/details, and concluding sentence. Option 2 requires students to write a supporting sentence for each idea, prompting development of each paragraph. The lesson instructs students to discuss paragraph organization (opening, supporting, concluding), produce a rough draft, revise using a four-pass Editing and Revising Rubric that checks paragraph organization and supporting details, and then write a final copy and read it aloud to the intended audience.
Lesson 9
A Close Call
Students are asked to use a Plot Diagram graphic organizer to select and list major events, identify the problem, note the climax, falling action, and resolution (Activity 4). Students record major events on a "Daily Activities" sheet and add animals and relationship descriptions to a "Rain Forest Animals Chart" (Activity 1). An adult is directed to guide the child through reading and discussion, and Activity 2 asks students to create metaphors or similes in written form.
Final Project
Field Guide or Documentary
Students use structured organizers (Field Guide Organizer and Documentary Organizer) that prompt specific informational elements—name, layer where found, food, predators, interesting facts, and relationships—so they collect and organize content appropriate to an informational task. Students compose products with clear formats: a folded field guide with a cover, table of contents, and one page per animal, or written scripts for a filmed documentary, each requiring development of content for an audience. Students are directed to generate ideas, develop drafts, revise for audience and precise word choice, and edit for grammar and punctuation via the listed skills and rubric, providing adult-guided stages of writing production.
Unit 2: The Whipping Boy
Lesson 1
Medieval Times
Students are asked to write what they already know about medieval times after drawing a setting (Activity 1), list disadvantages of monarchy and complete a Venn diagram comparing a king and a president (Activity 2), and write sentences describing four personal relationships or journal three relationships and reflect on them (Activity 3). Students also record labeled facts about transportation, clothing, homes, government, education, and entertainment on a chart (Activity 5), and create a comic strip that tells the story of The Whipping Boy using pictures and a few words, sequencing major events (Activity 6). Several activities direct students to use provided graphic organizers (Venn diagram, chart, activity pages) and to write sentences or journal entries with adult assistance as needed.
Lesson 2
Jemmy and Prince Brat
Students create a comic strip for each chapter, illustrating key events and writing a caption or dialogue in each panel, which requires selecting and organizing events and developing concise narrative text. Students answer chapter questions in a journal and discuss responses with an adult, using guided comprehension prompts to shape their written summaries. Students write diary entries from Jemmy's and Prince Brat's points of view using provided prompts or independently, practicing narrative development and organization appropriate to the task and purpose.
Lesson 3
The Plot Thickens
Students are asked to answer comprehension questions in a journal after reading Chapters 4–6, providing written responses to text-based questions. Students are asked to "describe how the two characters' personalities affect their relationship," which requires writing an explanatory response. Students complete an Idioms page in which they translate idioms and "use each one in a new sentence," producing original sentences with guidance.
Lesson 4
A Note to the King
Students are asked to answer comprehension questions in a journal after reading Chapters 7–9, producing written responses to prompts. Students create a comic strip by filling in boxes for each chapter, which requires them to sequence events and organize information visually. Students also write three original similes and complete short-answer questions about the feudal-system flowchart, producing sentences for a specific purpose with adult-guided discussion.
Lesson 5
Disagreements
Students are instructed to answer some comprehension questions in their journal after reading Chapters 10–12, which requires them to produce written responses. Students fill in boxes on a comic strip for each chapter, creating captioned or sequential writing tied to events. Students rewrite listed hyperboles without exaggeration and complete sentence prompts using hyperbole, producing original written sentences, and they complete a vocabulary fill-in-the-blank paragraph using appropriate words in context.
Lesson 6
In the Woods
Students are asked to answer journal questions about Chapters 13–15, producing written responses to comprehension and inferential prompts. Students are asked to add a scene to a comic strip for each chapter, producing a brief narrated/written scene. Students are offered two creative writing options: write a letter to a close friend explaining why that friend is good and what they enjoy doing together, or design a "Best Friend Award" that lists friend traits (which requires writing the traits).
Lesson 7
The Rescue
Students are given two explicit paragraph outlines (Option 1 and Option 2) that guide them to plan an introduction, three reasons with details, and a concluding sentence, and are instructed to outline and then write the paragraph in their journal. The lesson directs students to write a ballad about an event in the story with a specified rhyme pattern and to sing it, which requires selecting content and organizing lines for purpose. The skills list explicitly states students will "Plan and make judgments about what to include in written products" and "Write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization."
Lesson 8
Friends
The lesson's Skills section explicitly states students will "plan and make judgments about what to include in written products" and "write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization." Activity 2 (Changes) asks students to list four behaviors from early chapters and four from later chapters and to write a poem, providing a structured Student Activity Page with sentence prompts. Activity 3 (A Day in the Castle) gives a diary format with prompts for Prince Horace and Jemmy, guiding students to produce organized narrative entries reflecting task and purpose. The comic-strip completion asks students to review their sequence for sense and organization.
Final Project
A Monologue
Students are given explicit, adult-supported structures for writing: sentence starters and a scaffolded monologue format for both Prince Brat and Jemmy, and an alternative option to write using only the rubric. Adults are instructed to help students locate figurative language, review the rubric, and guide revision. Students read specific pages for content, use the rubric to check development and presentation, and practice and revise their monologues aloud before presenting to an audience.
Unit 3: Iggie's House
Lesson 1
The Move
Students are asked to write in a journal: list five characteristics of a good friend and write a sentence for each explaining why it is important, then give examples of how they have demonstrated those traits. Students are directed to write answers to reading questions in their journal and to complete a Reactions Chart by writing characters' reactions and their own personal reactions to events. For extended writing, students choose between writing a letter to a friend who moved away (including addressing an envelope) or writing a paragraph describing what they would miss about a friend.
Lesson 2
Meeting the Neighbors
Students are asked to write answers to selected Chapter 2 journal questions, producing written responses about character actions and motivations. Students read each scenario on the "Racial Relationships" page aloud and write how they would respond, and they create their own scenario in Scenario 4. In the "Fact or Opinion" activity students write two factual and two opinion sentences and, in the advanced option, rewrite statements to change facts into opinions and vice versa.
Lesson 3
The Softball Game
Students are asked to write responses to chapter discussion and journal questions after reading Chapter 3, which requires composing answers about characters and events. Students fill a "Reactions Chart" and complete activity pages that require writing sentences (subject/verb agreement page) and short sentences using past-tense irregular verbs. Several activities instruct students to write combinations of subject and verb fragments and to write two sentences using past-tense forms of chosen irregular verbs.
Lesson 4
A New Dog
Students are asked to write journal answers to reading questions and to "write a paragraph" on the "My Pet" activity, producing connected writing about their relationship with a pet. The Skills list includes "Develop drafts," and Activity 3 (Option 2) asks students to write full sentences in past, present, and future tense and to write one sentence in each tense. The parent/teacher is prompted to discuss the pet relationship and to have the child complete the written activity, indicating adult guidance and support during writing.
Lesson 5
A Visit from Germs
Students answer journal and discussion questions about Chapter 5 (they are prompted to write answers to six comprehension/reflection questions). Students complete the "Problems in Relationships" activity by recording the problem between two characters and thinking of ways the characters might solve the problem, and they fill in a "Reactions Chart." The lesson also asks students to list three points of interest when describing a tree house and to draw and describe their own design, all while an adult is instructed to prompt and discuss with the child.
Lesson 6
A New Petition
Students answer assigned comprehension and opinion questions in a journal, write summaries of the chapter, and fill in a Reactions Chart, which requires them to produce written responses about events and feelings. Students create vocabulary flashcards by writing definitions on the backs and (in the advanced option) write sentences using the words, practicing sentence-level composition. Students complete Character Circle Maps by writing descriptive words and phrases about characters, organizing character information in a graphic organizer and explaining selections with textual evidence.
Lesson 7
The Swim Club
Students fill in a Reactions Chart to record how characters responded to events and their own personal responses, which requires organizing responses by event and character. In the Friendship House activity, students number windows/doors, write the names of two friends for each number, and write a sentence describing each friendship, producing connected written descriptions tied to a task. Option 2 asks students to write six journal sentences about characters or events (each containing a contraction), which requires students to produce multiple sentences about a text with adult prompts and examples provided.
Lesson 8
Moving
Students complete double-bubble maps comparing characters, which requires them to organize similarities and differences before writing. Students rewrite a provided paragraph in past tense and complete or write their own paragraph in future tense, producing connected sentences. Adults are prompted to explain tense rules and discuss responses with the child, indicating guided support during these writing tasks.
Lesson 9
A Letter
Students use a three-paragraph planning organizer that asks for a topic sentence, multiple supporting details, and a concluding sentence for each paragraph, directly teaching paragraph development and organization. Students are instructed to write a letter in the first person from Winnie's perspective, using events from the story to shape content and audience. Students draft in a journal, perform targeted editing passes (capitalization/punctuation, subject/verb agreement, spelling) using a provided rubric, receive adult feedback, and produce a final copy on stationery.
Lesson 10
I Have a Dream
Students are asked to answer comprehension questions in their journal after reading Chapter 9, providing written responses to prompts about characters and events. Students compose sentences for a subject/verb agreement activity: they write singular and plural sentences using the same verb, circle the subject, underline the verb, and record sentences on a cut-and-match wheel. Students read an excerpt of "I Have a Dream," respond to guided questions about King's dream and what they can do, and create an illustrated statement of their own dream.
Lesson 11
The End
Students are asked to write in a journal responding to guided questions (Reading And Questions) and Activity 3 asks students to write about what they would have in common with a character, why that character would be a good friend, and what they would do together. The Skills section explicitly lists "Write to record ideas and reflections," and the Introduction and Wrapping Up prompts an adult to ask questions and discuss responses with the child, indicating adult guidance and support during writing.
Final Project
Character Interviews
Students are instructed to write interview questions for specific characters and to write the characters' answers from their perspectives, using the story's events (Part 1 and Part 2). The lesson directs adults and students to discuss characteristics of good interview questions (avoid yes/no answers, ask about relationships) and to watch/model interviews before writing. The Interview Rubric asks whether students used events from the story in questions and answers, developed good interview questions, and whether answers were easy to understand and reflected character personalities.