Third Grade - ELA
1: Environment
Unit 1: Tornado
Lesson 1
Weather on the Farm
Students are asked to write three factual sentences about tornadoes after researching in a book or on the Internet. Students write a short paragraph describing what they would enjoy about working on a farm (Option 1) or fill in a Venn diagram with comparative written entries (Option 2). Students maintain a journal entry by writing a detailed hourly daily schedule for farm life and are asked to write about a farm visit as a life-application activity.
Lesson 2
The Storm
Students are asked to keep a daily journal and write a three- or four-sentence summary at the end of each chapter, continuing this task across the book. Students practice using time-transition words and are prompted to use those transitions in their chapter summaries. Students also write main-idea responses on the Main Idea page (circle choices for two paragraphs and write main-idea sentences for two others).
Lesson 3
The Tornado
Students are asked to write and illustrate a chapter summary in their journal using transition words, which practices composing a focused piece (Activity 1). Students read an author's description and then write their own descriptive version of the doghouse, practicing word choice and sensory detail (Activity 2). Students plan and write a paragraph describing a pet using a hamburger or paragraph organizer and are encouraged to rewrite sentences to improve word choice during assessment (Activity 3).
Lesson 4
A Card Trick
Students write a chapter summary in a journal (Activity 1) and write and illustrate that summary. Students practice sentence-level writing by adding end punctuation to sample sentences (Activity 3, Option 1) and by composing two declarative, two interrogative, and two exclamatory sentences (Activity 3, Option 2). Students also record examples of sentences from Chapter 3 ending with periods, question marks, and exclamation marks (Activity 2).
Lesson 5
Turtles
Students are asked to write and illustrate a chapter summary in a journal (Activity 1), which can be completed in a single sitting. Students conduct Turtle Research by locating information in books and on the Internet and filling facts on the turtle shell (Activity 2), providing time for research. Students plan, draft, revise, and read an original myth using a graphic organizer, self-assessment prompts, and an invitation to rewrite and read their story to family (Activity 4 and Day 2), which shows reflection and revision across sessions.
Lesson 6
The Best Pet Award
Students write and illustrate a chapter summary in a journal (Activity 1), which requires composing a coherent response to reading. Students create vocabulary sentences and alphabetize vocabulary cards, practicing sentence-level writing and word use (Activity 2). Students design a "World's Best Pet" badge and write reasons on ribbons using sentence starters (Option 1) or original reasons with specific story examples (Option 2), producing purpose-driven writing for an audience (the badge recipient). An extension asks students to make a badge for a family member and write sentences describing why that person is the best, which broadens audience and purpose.
Lesson 7
Conflict
Students are asked to write a chapter summary and draw an illustration in a journal (Activity 1), which requires composing a short written response about text events. Activity 2 directs students to dictate and record sentences that describe two story conflicts and to label the conflict type, and the Student Activity Page explicitly prompts students to "Write a sentence" describing each conflict and to illustrate it. The Life Application suggests students identify conflict in other books over the next few days, implying repeated practice identifying and possibly recording conflict.
Lesson 8
The End of the Storm
Students write a chapter summary and illustrate it in a journal (Activity 1). Students plan and write a personal paragraph about a time they were happy or sad using a fishbone graphic organizer and then copy it into their journal (Activity 5). Students complete a "Mood and the Environment" sheet after rereading Chapters 1 and 7 (Day 2) and record synonyms and descriptive phrases from the text (Activities 2 and 3).
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students choose from a variety of discipline-specific writing tasks (a letter from Pete, a song, a new book cover blurb, a journal entry, an acrostic poem, a paragraph analyzing weather effects, and an alternate-event narrative) and complete three mini-projects. Students are instructed to draft and then produce a final copy for projects that involve writing, and they are prompted to look closely at their work and make improvements. A Hamburger Paragraph Organizer is provided to help students plan a paragraph before writing.
Unit 2: Sarah, Plain and Tall
Lesson 2
Story Elements
Students are asked to write sentences on the activity page describing a favorite character, setting, lesson, and the plot, and to complete a story pyramid that organizes word-length descriptions of character, setting, problem, events, and solution. Students select characters, a setting, and a problem and then write a creative short story in a journal or by dictation, including use of time-transition words and a theme. Students also create a book cover, which requires them to produce a finished written/illustrated product.
Lesson 3
The News
Students are asked to write a journal entry at the end of each chapter, pretending to be Anna and using first-person narration and time-transition words, which gives repeated writing opportunities across the text. Students create a newspaper advertisement ("WIFE WANTED") describing qualities for a helper, which asks them to write for a specific audience and a discipline-specific genre. Students also complete shorter writing tasks such as a vocabulary paragraph or a fill-in story using target words, suitable for single-session writing.
Lesson 4
The Letters
Students are asked to write a second journal entry from Anna's point of view, practicing narrative writing and perspective taking. Students are asked to write a letter to a person who is coming to visit, including a greeting, closing, signature, and three questions, which addresses audience and purpose. Students are asked to write a descriptive paragraph about their environment using a Hamburger Paragraph Organizer and to brainstorm descriptive vocabulary and include a drawing to support the writing.
Lesson 5
The Arrival
Students are asked to write a journal entry from Anna's point of view about Sarah's arrival, which requires composing a narrative focused on a specific event. Students must write a sentence or two explaining why a chosen farm token is special, which practices explanatory writing for a purpose. The Venn diagram activity asks students to record three differences and two similarities and allows adding to it as they learn more from the book, encouraging continued note-taking tied to reading.
Lesson 6
Life on the Prairie
Students are asked to write a journal entry describing Anna's thoughts and to answer chapter questions in their journal, which provides opportunities for reflection. Students are directed to research five wildflowers using an encyclopedia, field guide, or the Internet and to create a Wildflower Field Guide with names, locations, and one fact for each plant, which requires extended information-gathering and informational writing. Students are also asked to write a new song that Sarah might sing about farm life and to write structured, informative narratives, showing a range of discipline-specific tasks (narrative, informational, creative).
Lesson 7
The Dune
Students are asked to write a journal entry reflecting on the day Anna spends with Sarah (Activity 1) and to answer reading questions in their journal after reading Chapter 5. Students are instructed to practice spelling words over the next few days, writing each word five times and later spelling them independently (Activity 2). After an outdoor excursion, students can illustrate and/or write about how the environment provides entertainment and record ideas in their journal (Activity 3).
Lesson 8
Work and Play
The lesson asks students to write Anna's journal entry reflecting on conversations and activities from Chapter 6 (Activity 1) and to record in their journal three things from the book that are factual and three that are not (Activity 2). The skills list explicitly includes "Write structured, informative narratives" and suggests students may answer comprehension questions in their journal or discuss them, indicating opportunities to produce written responses.
Lesson 9
Writing
Students brainstorm and record three reasons with supporting details using a graphic organizer before writing (Activity 2). Students write a draft of a persuasive letter (Activity 3), then revisit their draft on Day 2 to self-edit using a checklist (Activity 4) and produce a final copy on stationery with envelope addressing (Activity 5). The lesson also asks students to consider persuasive examples and suggests a life application where they write a persuasive letter to a friend or family member.
Lesson 10
Neighbors
Students are asked to write Anna's journal entry about the visit (Activity 1), which requires composing from a character's perspective. Students are also asked to write a list of five things they would miss or to write a song or poem in their journal (Activity 3), providing short creative and reflective writing tasks. The Life Application suggests students could make a welcome card, which asks students to write for a real audience.
Lesson 11
Squall
Students are asked to write a journal entry in Activity 1 (Anna's journal entry about Sarah's request and the storm), which requires composing several sentences about a text read. Students complete the Character Line-Up by writing names and descriptive words or phrases for characters, practicing descriptive writing. Students practice sentence-level composition in Activity 3 (Connecting Sentences) and are prompted in Wrapping Up to write journal sentences that demonstrate comma usage with and.
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 (Activity 1). Students complete a Story Plot Diagram by writing the problem, events, climax, and resolution (Activity 2). Students write the theme in the center of a theme web and record examples of how the author supports that theme in surrounding bubbles (Activity 3), and they are encouraged to reread journal entries for each chapter to recall events and feelings.
Final Project
Welcome To Kansas
Students are asked to locate sources about pioneer activities and foods to inform their planning (research). Students write a rough draft of a letter and are encouraged to edit it using a Self-Editing Checklist, then produce a final copy on a designed card (revision and reflection). Students create multiple written products—an invitation, a paragraph about decorations, a recipe with ingredients and directions, game directions, and a welcome card—addressing different purposes and an audience (Sarah). The activities span more than one day (Day 1 planning and Day 2 preparing/producing), showing extended-time and shorter-time tasks.
Unit 3: Who Was Helen Keller?
Lesson 1
Helen's Early Years
Students are asked to record answers in a journal (odd/even question option) and to answer Chapter 1 questions in complete sentences, which supports shorter, single-sitting writing. Students add two or three important events to a timeline after each chapter, which requires writing across multiple chapters and therefore over an extended time frame. Students are prompted to generate questions that "might require additional sources of information," providing an explicit link to research as part of their writing tasks. Students also write book covers and titles (one fiction and two nonfiction, including a biography) and record spelling words in a journal, showing a variety of discipline-specific writing activities.
Lesson 2
Helen's Childhood
Students read Chapter 2 and answer comprehension questions, recording written answers to prompts (QUESTION #1–#5). Students fill in a timeline entry, record letters when decoding the ASL message, and practice spelling and signing their name using the ASL alphabet. Students complete two vocabulary pages by writing definitions, synonyms/antonyms, syllable counts, and sentences from the text, and they play and repeat the vocabulary clue game two or three times over the course of the unit.
Lesson 3
Helen's Challenges
Students are asked to write a sensory paragraph (Activity 2) using only smell/touch/taste, read it aloud, and make changes while checking capitalization, punctuation, and subject-verb agreement. Students choose between writing song lyrics about Helen's experience (Activity 3, Option 1) or drawing a gift and writing a paragraph explaining it using a hamburger paragraph organizer (Activity 3, Option 2). The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes generating ideas for writing, planning what to include, editing for sentence correctness, and writing to communicate with a variety of audiences.
Lesson 4
Inventors
Students write ten facts about Alexander Graham Bell on the "A Bell Riddle" page and read the clues aloud to family or neighbors, practicing writing for a real audience and a specific purpose. Students write sentences for multiple inventions on the "Famous Inventors and Inventions" pages—describing the invention, explaining how it helped, and explaining how it changed people or the world—which gives practice with discipline-specific informational writing. Students add events to a timeline and are prompted to begin using the library or online to research inventors, which introduces research-related writing tasks and gathering information over time.
Lesson 5
Annie
The Skills section specifies that students should "Write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization," and the reading questions require students to read Chapter 5 and answer comprehension questions. Activity 1 asks students to add events to a timeline, which requires them to record information in writing. Activity 2 directs students to list three adjectives for Helen before and after Annie's arrival and to write one sentence for each picture, and Activity 3 has students punch and produce their name and simple words in Braille on paper.
Lesson 6
Helen Leaves Home
Students write short pieces when they add one or two events to Helen's timeline and when they complete the "A Timeline of My Life" activity. Students practice writing when they insert commas into five sentences and compose two original sentences that contain lists. The skills list also asks students to "Plan and make judgments about what to include in written and oral products" and to "Use media and technology to enhance the presentation of information to an audience for a specific purpose."
Lesson 7
More Learning
Students are asked to write a bio poem about Helen and to copy and decorate that poem on a final page, which requires composing a structured piece of writing. Students answer directed comprehension questions in writing about Chapters 7 and 8 and add events to a timeline, which involves organizing information in written form. The Skills section explicitly lists that students will "Write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization."
Lesson 8
All Grown Up
Students read biographical chapters and create a personal timeline, then in Activity 3 they pick one event from their timeline and write about the experience on the "Writing with Voice" page. Students read two model passages, discuss differences in voice, and are asked to focus on voice (humorous, exciting, honest, suspenseful) while writing. Students also read their writing aloud and use guided questions to self-evaluate whether their piece sounds like a real person and evokes feeling.
Final Project
Scrapbook or Interview
Students are directed to gather information from their book, an encyclopedia, or the Internet, showing research as part of the project. Students are asked to record ideas, compose drafts for each scrapbook page or interview question, reread drafts, and make revisions before producing a final copy. Students practice presentation and audience awareness by rehearsing the interview with a parent or sibling, sharing the finished project with family, and using rubrics for feedback and revision.
2: Change
Unit 1: Morning Girl
Lesson 1
Background Information
Students are asked to summarize research and create a short report about the Bahamas using a structured worksheet (Activity 2). Students record facts in a journal after researching the Taino and then compose an acrostic poem (Activity 4). Students write one-sentence explanations of artifact uses and list materials for each artifact on the "Archaeologists and Artifacts" pages (Activity 5).
Lesson 2
Point of View
Students write journal entries after each chapter, recording thoughts, feelings, phrases, and two important events (Activity 1). Students answer comprehension questions in complete sentences in writing (Reading and Questions) and write short riddles in first person and character descriptions (Activity 2 and Activity 3). Students record similarities and differences in writing using a four-part Venn diagram (Activity 4) and each write a short description of an outing and their reactions to compare perspectives (Activity 5).
Lesson 3
The News
Students are asked to record answers and reflections in a journal (Activity 1) and to write three feelings/words/thoughts and two events for Morning Girl. Students complete vocabulary sentences and are asked to use all vocabulary words in their own island short story, which they record as they tell it (Activity 2). Students draw family members and write three phrases or sentences describing each person's contribution to the family (Activity 3).
Lesson 4
The Rock
Students are asked to record answers in a journal after reading Chapters 4 and 5 and to complete Activity 1 by recording three feelings, three phrases, and two events from each chapter in Star Boy's and Morning Girl's voices. The lesson instructs students to answer reading questions either aloud or by recording them in their journal and to write sentences under each family member's name describing how to help them feel better (Activity 4). Students rewrite sentences replacing nouns with pronouns and create three original sentences containing two pronouns (Activity 2 and the student activity page), which requires short written practice and composition.
Lesson 5
Let's Write
Students generate ideas using the "Ideas and Rough Draft" organizer and write two first-person paragraphs in distinct character voices (Activity 1). Students revise and edit their writing using the provided "Editing Rubric" on Day 2, consult reference materials for spelling, and then produce a final copy (Activity 3). Students describe the steps of the writing process and explain how they created voice, providing an opportunity for reflection (Wrapping Up).
Lesson 6
The Storm
Students are asked to read Chapters 6 and 7 and then answer guided questions in their journal or via discussion, with an explicit reminder to answer in complete sentences. Activity 1 directs students to record Morning Girl and Star Boy's feelings, thoughts, words, and events in a journal. Activity 2 asks students to look through the book, record words or phrases that describe the setting, and list two positive and two negative effects of the storm. Activity 3 asks students to create names for family members and make name tags, which requires writing and explanation of name significance.
Lesson 7
Visitors
The lesson asks students to read Chapters 8 and 9 and then answer questions in their journal, instructing them to provide written responses in complete sentences. Activity 1 directs students to record Star Boy's feelings, actions, and words and to do the same for Morning Girl, and Activity 3 asks students to write short journal entries from Morning Girl's and an explorer's point of view using an organizer. The Name Poem activity asks students to write poems about how a character has changed and to write a personal poem, providing multiple, discipline-related writing tasks (journal, poem, point-of-view entry).
Final Project
Poetry Night
Students are asked to read the provided "European Explorers and Native Americans" page and the book Encounter to collect examples for a mini-fold book, which demonstrates time for research and gathering evidence. Students write or draw examples under "Positive Changes," "Negative Changes," and "Mixed," showing they produce written summaries for a discipline-specific (history/social studies) task. Students write two "before and after" poems (one from a Native perspective and one from Columbus) with five phrases each, and they are guided to illustrate them, read them aloud, record, reflect on playback, and re-record, which provides practice in reflection and revision. Students prepare a family poetry reading as an audience-focused presentation of their writing.
Unit 2: Communities and Culture
Lesson 1
Getting Started
Students record "What I already know," "What I want to learn," and "What I have learned" on a Historical Time Periods organizer and are instructed to add information each day as they read, which shows writing across the unit. Students write short, discipline-specific pieces in single sittings: they write sentences using proper nouns from note cards and use three proper nouns in sentences after the scavenger hunt. Students produce lists of proper nouns during a timed scavenger hunt and keep journal entries of examples found in the unit books.
Lesson 2
Where Are We?
Students are asked to give written answers to reading questions and to answer in complete sentences, which requires short, focused writing in a single sitting. Students are instructed to record new information on a "Historical Time Periods: Ancient Egypt" sheet each time they read during the unit, creating an ongoing writing record across multiple lessons. Students complete a journal activity (listing three factual and three fictional details) and fill out a Student Activity Page comparing resources, shelter, food, drink, and clothing between ancient Egypt and their own community.
Lesson 3
The King
Students are asked to complete a Venn diagram and write a paragraph in their journal explaining why they would prefer an elected president or a king (Activity 2). Students write vocabulary definitions on note cards and use those words to create and (dictate or) write a short story about an adventure in Egypt, then read it aloud (Activity 3). Students can continue to add information to a "Historical Time Periods: Ancient Egypt" page, which implies ongoing recording of information (Activity 1).
Lesson 4
Back Home
Students complete a Plot Pyramid activity in which they write five events leading to the climax, three events after the climax, and record the story problem and solution, which requires short-term written work. Students are asked to "continue to add information" to a "Historical Time Periods: Ancient Egypt" page, which implies ongoing collection and recording of historical information over time. The wrapping-up prompt asks the child to describe why they would or would not recommend the book, which elicits a written or verbal opinion statement.
Lesson 5
A Day in Egypt
Students are asked to brainstorm on the "A Day in Ancient Egypt" planning page and to refer back to the book and the "What I have learned" notes to gather information for their schedule, demonstrating use of source material. Students record written schedules on the "A Day in Ancient Egypt" and "A Day in My Life" activity pages, producing structured written products with time slots. Students are prompted to write a paragraph comparing ancient and modern life, to create a rough draft, read it aloud, and make editing changes, and are given a "Hamburger Paragraph Organizer" to guide organization and revision.
Lesson 6
Middle Ages
Students answer comprehension questions in complete sentences and write two short sentences about the Middle Ages that must include concrete and abstract nouns (short-form writing). Students write a first-person journal entry as a peasant describing daily work and feelings, using rereading of the text for support (longer, reflective writing). Students compare and list at least three similarities and differences between laborers in ancient Egypt and peasants in the Middle Ages and record new information on a Historical Time Periods page; activities occur across Day 1 and Day 2 and include a day-long "Let's Pretend" simulation that prompts reflection.
Lesson 7
Off to the Castle
Students are asked to read pages 16–31 and answer specific comprehension questions, which requires short written responses. In Activity 1 students record new information about the Middle Ages on a "Historical Time Periods" page, producing informational writing. In Activity 2 (both the chart and Option 2) students write comparisons between castle activities and modern community activities, listing items and writing whether activities are still practiced and where they occur.
Lesson 8
Return Home
Students write sentences for vocabulary words about life in the Middle Ages (Activity 2) and use plural forms in sentences (Activity 5), showing short, single-sitting writing tasks. Students record new information about the Middle Ages (Activity 1), list similarities between cultures (Activity 4), and complete character adjective entries and a Venn diagram comparing themselves to a character (Activity 3), which require reflective writing. Activity 7 asks students to locate information through research, record ideas in a journal, and design a book cover to be used in the next lesson, indicating a multi-step research and planning task across days.
Lesson 9
Writing About History
Students plan and draft writing: the lesson asks students to record a time period, collect information, and compose a rough draft (Part 1 and Part 2). Students revise and edit: an Editing Rubric directs students to read their paragraphs, focus on content and voice, then correct grammar and spelling (Part 3). Students produce a final copy after revision and receive scoring and feedback, showing a process that includes research, drafting, revision, and publication (Part 4 and Wrapping Up).
Final Project
Elements of Change
Students plan and decide which three cultural elements to include and record descriptions and illustration ideas on the "In My Book" organizer. Students write sentences for each element on "Book of Change" and "Through the Ages" pages, are instructed to read through and edit for grammar, spelling, subject-verb, capitalization, and punctuation, and then produce final pen copies. The project is scheduled to take two days, and students are encouraged to use media (printed images or internet pictures) and to share the finished book with family as an audience.
Unit 3: American Heroes
Lesson 1
Heroes
Students list eight adjectives describing heroes and pair each adjective with a person (Activity 1). Students draw a hero, list adjectives, and write a sentence for each adjective plus a sentence about how the hero changed the world (Activity 2). Students record a list of American heroes in a journal and are directed to crosscheck with a nonfiction book and read specific pages (Activity 3); the skills list also states students should "write to record ideas and reflections" and "record knowledge...by drawing pictures, making a list."
Lesson 2
Early American Heroes
Students answer targeted reading questions in a journal after reading about Franklin, Jefferson, and Washington, practicing short-form written responses. Students complete Hero Cards by writing names, years lived, three adjectives, and a sentence describing how each hero changed the world; the cards are intended to be added to throughout the remainder of the unit. Students create a Heroes Timeline by listing names and dates and write epitaphs for historical figures and for themselves, which requires reflection and composing focused pieces of writing.
Lesson 3
Heroes of Freedom
The Skills section lists writing objectives such as "Write to record ideas and reflections," "Write to discover, develop, and refine ideas," and "Write in different forms for different purposes." Activity 2 asks students to write a free-verse poem in their journal about their childhood, and Activity 1 has students fill out hero cards and place names/dates on a timeline. The Underground Railroad activity requires students to plan and describe secret signs, draw a map, and create a key, which involve written planning and directions.
Lesson 4
Hard Times
Students are asked to "write to record ideas and reflections" and complete short writing tasks such as filling out hero cards and recording names and dates on a timeline. Students write contractions by matching or writing contractions (Option 1 or 2) and then compose sentences that Eleanor or Franklin Roosevelt might have said. In Activity 3 students write multiple sentences in response to a scenario (each sentence required to include at least one contraction).
Lesson 5
Recent Heroes
Students answer focused written comprehension questions after reading chapters on Walt Disney and Jesse Owens, producing short responses to prompts. Students complete hero cards and record names and birth dates on a timeline, which require writing factual entries. Students write adjective-noun sentences and produce descriptive writing for the 'Be an Imagineer' project (describing a new character or ride), demonstrating a range of short, discipline-related writing tasks.
Lesson 6
African-American Heroes
Students are asked to write a letter to a leader (Activity 2) with prompts and an option to develop their own letter in a journal, providing a clear audience and purpose. Students complete the Scientific Discovery worksheet (Activity 3) that asks them to read about a natural product (research), record details, propose a new use, and describe how it would be used. Students create hero cards and record birthdates on a timeline, which requires brief written responses and organization of information.
Lesson 7
Female Heroes
Students are asked to write two declarative, two interrogative, and two exclamatory sentences about Susan B. Anthony and Sandra Day O'Connor (Activity 2 and the Student Activity Page), which requires composing short pieces in a single sitting. Students create hero cards and record dates on a timeline (Activity 1), which involves producing short written descriptions and placing them in a sequence. Students write an acrostic poem about a woman they admire and may present it to that person (Activity 3), which asks them to produce a more extended creative piece and consider an audience.
Lesson 8
Heroes of Science and Invention
Students answer short written comprehension questions after reading chapters on Einstein, Edison, and the Wright brothers, producing brief written responses about facts and opinions. Students create hero cards and record names and birth dates on a timeline, producing short informational entries. Students complete adverb worksheets that require writing sentences using verbs and adverbs. Students complete a Perseverance page that asks them to reflect in writing about a challenging task and to list three supporting details for their reasons.
Lesson 9
Book of Heroes
Students assemble and write inside a multi-page "Book of Heroes," numbering cards, creating a cover, and making a table of contents, which requires producing and organizing written pages. Students are prompted to research a chosen hero by looking on the Internet or in library books and to locate short biographies. Students complete short written tasks such as a three-sentence explanation of why a person is their favorite and fill in a three-ring Venn diagram comparing names, dates, and historical events for three heroes.
Final Project
My Life Story
Students complete a Pre-Writing Organizer to plan two paragraphs, showing planning before writing. Students compose a first draft, use an Editing Rubric to check organization, content, and grammar, and then produce a final copy on decorative paper or a scrapbook page. Students reflect on their work by discussing what they are proud of, what they would do differently, and share the finished page with family and friends.
3: Cycles
Unit 1: Poppy
Lesson 1
Preparing for Poppy
Students are asked to list elements of fantasy in a journal and to tell a short fantasy story using that list, which represents a short, single-sitting writing/oral task. Students complete Deer Mouse and Great Horned Owl research pages by using books and websites to record habitat, food sources, predators, and other facts, which requires gathering information and writing about it. Students copy and annotate a setting map and label major events as they read each day, and they create vocabulary note cards with definitions and contextual sentences as they encounter words across chapters.
Lesson 2
Mr. Ocax
Students are asked to answer chapter questions as discussion or journal questions, requiring written responses after reading Chapters 1 and 2. Students are asked to write a paragraph comparing themselves to a character, including three ways they are similar and supporting evidence from the story and their own life. Students practice sentence-level writing by listing conjunctions in their journal, composing sentences using each conjunction, and combining short sentences into longer ones on the "Combining Sentences" activity (including writing two sentences about the chapter and merging them).
Lesson 3
The Emergency Meeting
The lesson requires students to answer discussion questions in complete sentences and to write a short journal summary of Chapters 3 and 4, providing explicit short-term written tasks. Students are asked to research animal bones found in an owl pellet and then draw food chains based on their discoveries, which invites a research component tied to a product. The paragraph activity has students identify paragraph boundaries and main ideas and then cut and reassemble paragraphs, reinforcing paragraph structure that can support writing skills.
Lesson 4
Standing Before Mr. Ocax
Students write a conversation between Poppy and Mr. Ocax in their journal and practice using quotation marks (Activity 2), showing a short, discipline-specific writing task and attention to punctuation. Students plan and write a speech to their parents asking permission, support it with reasons, and present it to an audience (Activity 3), which addresses different purposes and audiences (dialogue/narrative and persuasive speech). Students also reenact dialogue with puppets and receive feedback about what was liked and what could be better, connecting writing to oral presentation.
Lesson 5
Poppy and Poppa
Students are prompted to write responses to reading questions and journal prompts after reading Chapters 7 and 8 (Reading And Questions and Activity 1). Students complete short written tasks such as the cause-and-effect Student Activity Page and vocabulary/word-choice worksheets (Activities 2–4). The Wrapping Up section asks students to write ideas in their journal and to track and revisit predictions as they continue reading, indicating ongoing written reflection across reading sessions.
Lesson 6
Dimwood Forest
Students are asked to write in a journal describing a decision Poppy made, including the decision, its effects, and why it was good or bad, which requires short-form reflective writing. Students are directed to write a diamante poem about Mr. Ocax and Poppy using a seven-line structure and the provided activity sheet with lines to fill. The activity sheet and journal prompt provide explicit, short-term writing tasks for comprehension and creative expression.
Lesson 7
Ereth
Students are asked to write a journal entry selecting three important quotes from Chapters 11 and 12 and recording why each quote is important, which requires written response and reflection. Students create and record multiple examples of alliteration and compose two- and three-word alliterative phrases, which are short, discipline-specific writing tasks. Students fill in a circle map with words and phrases that describe Ereth, producing descriptive written responses and organizing ideas on a graphic organizer.
Lesson 8
On the Way to New House
Students are asked to write a summary of Chapters 13 and 14 in their journal, practicing concise written synthesis of major ideas. Students are prompted to answer verbal and written comprehension questions in complete sentences, producing short written responses. Students copy dialogue and format play script lines (character name: quote) and fill in vocabulary words on a crossword, providing additional short, task-focused writing practice.
Lesson 9
The Truth at Last
Students are asked to write journal entries (Activity 1) using a specific format to record events and responses about Chapters 15–16. Students complete sentence-level writing prompts and short writing activities in the prefixes/suffixes pages (write a word with "-ly" and use it in a sentence; write a word with "re-" and use it in a sentence). Students are asked to record two examples in a journal showing how Mr. Ocax is losing power and how Poppy is gaining power (Activity 3) and to explain/recap the cycle of power during the wrap-up.
Lesson 10
The Battle
Students are asked to write a personal journal entry about a time they showed bravery (Activity 2), explaining what made them afraid, how they overcame it, and the outcome. Students answer comprehension questions in complete sentences for Chapters 17 and 18, providing short written responses to text-based prompts. Students create a drawing of a favorite event from the book and write three sentences with -ing and three with -ed to describe it, then read their writing aloud.
Lesson 11
Writing Project
Students plan writing using a three-paragraph "Paragraph Organizer" that guides topic sentences, supporting ideas, and concluding sentences. Students compose a first draft from the organizer, use a paragraph rubric to self-assess organization and required features, and perform editing steps (reading aloud, checking spelling, revising) before producing a final draft. Students share their final three paragraphs with family, which provides a real audience for their writing.
Lesson 12
A New Beginning
Students are asked to answer discussion and journal questions in complete sentences, providing short written responses to comprehension and reflection prompts. Students write two four- to five-line epitaphs in their journal, comparing tone between characters and following an optional provided format. Students complete a "Story Tree" worksheet by writing the theme, setting, characters, conflict, solution, and resolution, and they are asked to write beneath a personalized memory tree why each item is unique; the Life Application asks students to write a short speech after planting a tree.
Final Project
Poppy
Students choose and complete multiple writing mini-projects (e.g., a journal entry as Poppy, a paragraph analyzing a character/theme, an acrostic poem, a celebration card with reasons, a three-sentence dialogue, and vocabulary/paragraph tasks) that require composing for different purposes and audiences. Students select and complete a required plot diagram and additional projects from the Think-Tac-Toe, allowing for a mix of short tasks (three-sentence dialogue, acrostic) and longer creative products (song, card with explanation, paragraph). Students are asked to share projects with family members and the Wrapping Up instructions ask students to check, improve, and make changes to their work, indicating revision and attention to quality.
Unit 2: Charlotte's Web
Lesson 1
Getting Started
Students write in a journal about a special pet (Activity 1) and are asked to write sentences using vocabulary words on note cards or in their journal (Activity 4). Students answer reading questions in complete sentences in their journal and record major events in a Plot Flow Chart and character descriptions after each chapter, which requires writing across multiple days as they read the book. Students also look up vocabulary meanings (dictionary lookup) and record definitions on note cards, indicating brief research and note-taking.
Lesson 2
Charlotte
Students are asked to locate information about spiders and fill out a multi-section "Spider Research" page, which requires gathering information and recording findings. Students are asked to write a poem from Wilbur's point of view using their research or story information, and to complete character descriptions and a plot flow chart that require written responses. The lesson's skills state that students will "write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization," indicating guided practice in composing different written products.
Lesson 3
Bad News
Students are asked to write a descriptive paragraph that appeals to all five senses in the "Senses and Writing (Word Choice)" activity, which is a short, single-sitting writing task. Students are prompted to research and list six pig products on the "Pig Products" page, which requires time for research and collecting information. Students complete plot flow charts and character descriptions and are asked to plan and make judgments about what to include in written products per the listed skills.
Lesson 4
Some Pig
Students are asked to read Chapters 10–12 and respond to discussion/journal questions, indicating they will write answers about plot, characters, and author's message. Students fill in a Plot Flow Chart and write character descriptions, producing written summaries and descriptors for each chapter. Students complete adverb exercises and rewrite sentences (Option 2) and select three Friendship Scenarios to answer in their journal, practicing short written responses and grammar-focused writing.
Lesson 5
Progress
Students read Chapters 13–15 and answer comprehension questions either in discussion or in their journal, producing written responses. Students complete a Plot Flow Chart and Character Descriptions page by writing words or phrases to describe events and character traits. Students create adjective webs for family members and write explanations for their word choices, and they match vocabulary cards and write sentences using each word. Students research the spider life cycle online or in an encyclopedia and either describe the stages in writing or illustrate and label them.
Lesson 6
The Fair
Students are asked to write brief journal responses to reading questions for Chapters 16–18 and to rewrite short paragraphs to make sentences more interesting, which provides shorter-time-frame writing practice. Activity 3 asks students to write a paragraph describing their best day with prompts about ideas, sentence variation, and a note card to guide revision, and Activity 2 has students rewrite paragraphs (one-sitting or short-duration tasks). Activity 5 asks students to make a list and design a booth (including reading about county fairs online) and to describe booth activities for visitors, which involves planning and writing for a specific audience.
Lesson 7
The End
Students are prompted to answer discussion or journal questions after reading Chapters 19-22, which supports short, single-sitting writing. Students complete Character Descriptions and the "Characters Change" chart by writing short descriptions of characters at the beginning and end of the story. The "Spiders Around the World" project asks students to research a spider, write one or two sentences in each section of a graphic organizer, prepare a report (including an oral report), address and mail spiders to real recipients, and locate returned spiders on a map — activities that involve research, an external audience, and an extended timeline.
Final Project
Charlotte's Web
Students are asked to plan and compose a rough draft and then revise and produce a final copy on Day 2, providing explicit instruction to edit for grammar, spelling, and mechanics. Students choose between two discipline-specific tasks (a three-paragraph book review or a multi-part book advertisement) that target different purposes and audiences. The skills list and activity directions explicitly require planning, drafting, rereading for meaning, revising with guided discussion, and using technology or reference materials to improve writing.
Unit 3: The Family Under the Bridge
Lesson 1
Pre-Reading
Students are asked to research Paris and use that research to complete a structured student page and write a paragraph about the city (Activity 1). Students fill in the Economic Cycles diagram by listing examples of wants/needs, jobs, and goods and services, producing written responses in each section (Activity 2). Students make lists of ways to care for others and circle personal/family examples, and students record punctuation marks in a journal and write sentences using each mark, with the punctuation activity repeated daily during the unit (Activity 3 and Activity 4).
Lesson 2
The French Man
Students are asked to answer chapter questions in journal writing and to "fill in information presented in the story about the characters" after every chapter, saving sheets for future lessons, which creates repeated writing across the unit. Students complete Vocabulary Webs for Chapters 1–5 (look up definitions, write sentences, create new sentences) and make a written list of advantages and disadvantages for Armand, then "pretend to be Armand" and explain in writing what he enjoys about not having a job. Students also add commas to sentences on the Commas activity page and are reminded to answer verbal and written questions in complete sentences.
Lesson 3
A Discovery
Students are asked to write two diary/journal entries from different perspectives (Armand and Suzy) using provided sentence starters and a template, which engages them in composing for an audience and purpose. Students are prompted to answer reading questions in complete sentences and to write questions and exclamations in their journals, practicing sentence composition and punctuation. Students are encouraged to reflect on the characters' economic situation and personal feelings, supporting reflective writing.
Lesson 4
A Day in the City
Students are asked to answer journal and discussion questions in complete sentences (QUESTION #1-#5). Students complete written activity pages: a "Meeting Characters" page, answers about "Christmas in France," and a Venn diagram comparing traditions. Students practice punctuation by inserting colons and semicolons and then writing their own sentences, and they write a plan for how they will give of their time and a response to whether they would enjoy Christmas in France.
Lesson 5
Singing
Students are asked to answer reading questions in complete sentences and to write journal entries listing goods, wants, and needs from the market passage. Students complete the "Working for Money" flowchart to describe economic cycles for the Calcet children and their own family. Students plan and write a persuasive letter or speech to Armand using a graphic organizer with three reasons and supporting details, and students copy quoted sentences into their journals to practice punctuation.
Lesson 7
Among Friends
Students are prompted to use journaling questions after reading Chapter 6, giving them opportunities to write responses to comprehension and reflection questions. Students complete a "Meeting Characters" sheet by filling out information learned about characters, practicing written description. Students write vocabulary words into sentence blanks and are asked to use vocabulary words in sentences, and they write sentences using apostrophes to show ownership in the apostrophe activity.
Lesson 8
Christmas Eve
Students are asked to answer reading questions in their journal in complete sentences and to add information to a "Meeting Characters" chart, which requires short written responses and character analysis. Students are directed to write about things they enjoy at their place of worship or discuss places of worship and, if applicable, write about those experiences. Students brainstorm and record a list of contractions in their journal and create five sentences using different contractions on construction paper, including making a flap activity that displays the two words and the contraction.
Lesson 9
Saying Goodbye
Students are asked to write quinzaine poems about a character and about homelessness, which requires composing a short poem in one sitting. Students are prompted to answer discussion and journal questions in complete sentences, producing short written responses. Students are directed to complete a "Culture Commentary" page by looking back at Chapters 1-5, drawing a map, and recording findings with page references, which requires gathering information from the text and producing organized notes.
Lesson 10
A Home at Last
Students answer chapter comprehension questions in writing and discussion, recording responses in their journals and practicing complete-sentence written answers. Students write a personal journal entry describing a time they gave up something to help someone and consider a future action to help, and they add descriptive phrases or sentences under illustrations in the flip book. Students produce longer written pieces such as a paragraph about why having a home is important, a letter explaining a housewarming gift choice, and a singing-telegram script to welcome the family, addressing different purposes and audiences.
Final Project
Reader's Theater
Students select a scene from The Family Under the Bridge, reread the event, and plan dialogue so they must draft a Reader's Theater script. Students study published scripts and specific script conventions (colons, stage directions, end punctuation, apostrophes) and use those models while writing. Students are required to write a script of at least twenty lines, use a rubric with punctuation and content criteria, practice reading lines multiple times, perform and record the drama, and watch the video to reflect on what they would change.
4: Relationships
Unit 1: One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest
Lesson 2
Morning in the Rain Forest
Students are asked to record journal responses and to fill in the Rain Forest Animals Chart each day after reading a chapter, classifying animals and describing relationships among them. Students complete the Daily Activities chart, recording their own activities and Tepui's events and answering reflective questions about roles and relationships. Students write vocabulary definitions and use each word in a sentence, and they are encouraged to look up information online when unsure how to classify an animal.
Lesson 4
Butterfly Search
Students are asked to write journal responses to selected reading questions (three of the chapter questions are assigned as journal questions). Students write a paragraph describing which type of animal scientist they would like to be, using an outline or writing independently. Students record entries on a "Rain Forest Animals Chart" and a "Daily Activities" sheet and are asked to write about two relationships the newly designed butterfly has with a plant or animal. Students are also prompted to prepare four or five interview questions for a scientist as a life-application writing task.
Lesson 5
Rain Forest Relationships
Students are asked to use journal and discussion questions to respond to Chapters 4 and 5, providing written answers to specific comprehension questions. Students complete a "Rain Forest Animals Chart" and a "Daily Activities" sheet where they add animals, relationships, and record major events. The Student Activity Pages provide spaces for students to write three-line descriptions of relationships and to place events on plot timelines, requiring students to compose short written responses and organize information in writing.
Lesson 6
Law of the Jungle
Students are asked to record predictions and add animals and events to a Rain Forest Animals Chart and a Daily Activities sheet, which requires written notes and organization. Students complete a Chapters 6-10 vocabulary page that includes matching and creating sentences using each word. Students describe or illustrate three examples in a journal and then write a five- to ten-line free verse poem titled "The Law of the Jungle," and are asked to develop a nature law for their own environment.
Lesson 7
Helping a Friend
The lesson explicitly asks students to use the reading questions as journal questions, which requires short written responses. The dramatizing-a-scene activities ask students to write a script (Option 2) and to add stage directions and dialogue, with a student activity page that provides space for composing the script. Option 1 also asks students to identify which character speaks each line and the order of lines, which requires written organization of dialogue and stage directions.
Lesson 8
Persuasive Writing
Students plan and draft a three-paragraph persuasive paper using an organizer (Paragraph 1: importance, Paragraph 2: relationships, Paragraph 3: what would be lost). Students write a rough draft, perform multiple focused read-throughs using an Editing and Revising Rubric (changing edits with different-colored pencils), and produce a final copy and read it aloud to the intended audience (men in bulldozers and trucks). Option 2 asks students to add supporting sentences/details for each reason, showing practice with development and revision over days.
Lesson 9
A Close Call
Students answer targeted reading and journal questions for Chapters 8–10, providing short written responses about plot and details. Students add new animals to a continuing "Rain Forest Animals Chart" and record major events on a "Daily Activities" sheet, indicating ongoing documentation across lessons. Students create a labeled bar graph from chart data and complete a plot diagram graphic organizer, writing the problem, climax, falling action, and resolution. Students produce original figurative language by composing metaphors or similes and illustrating one on paper.
Final Project
Field Guide or Documentary
Students select a discipline-specific task (create a field guide or design a documentary) and gather information from multiple sources (books or online). They use organizers to record name, habitat, food, predators, interesting facts, and relationships, and they write scripts or field-guide entries, develop drafts, revise selected drafts, and edit for grammar, spelling, and audience. Students practice and present their finished product to an audience (film the documentary or share with family) and reflect on improvements during the wrapping-up discussion.
Unit 2: The Whipping Boy
Lesson 1
Medieval Times
Students are asked to produce short writings such as journal entries (listing disadvantages of monarchy, naming relationships, writing sentences describing relationships) and to complete discipline-specific charts and Venn diagrams (compare/contrast king and president; record facts about transportation, clothing, homes, government, education, entertainment). Students are directed to locate and use sources (web links, encyclopedia or library books) to gather factual information about castles and the Middle Ages. Students are assigned a multi-chapter comic-strip project in which they illustrate and narrate major events from the book as they read each chapter, showing writing/creation that occurs over an extended time frame.
Lesson 2
Jemmy and Prince Brat
Students add a scene to a comic strip for each chapter as they read, producing writing/art over the course of the entire book. Students answer chapter questions in a journal and are instructed that some questions can be assigned daily, prompting short-term (single-sitting or day-to-day) writing. Students write vocabulary definitions, copy sentences from the book, and create new sentences using the words, and they write diary entries from Jemmy's and Prince Brat's points of view to reflect on events and relationships.
Lesson 3
The Plot Thickens
After reading Chapters 4–6, students are asked to answer questions in their journal, indicating they produce written responses about plot and character. The IDIOMS activity directs students to translate idioms and use each one in a new sentence, requiring students to compose original sentences. Students are also asked to create crests for two characters and to describe how the characters' personalities affect their relationship, which can involve written description tied to character analysis.
Lesson 4
A Note to the King
Students are asked to answer some questions in their journal after reading Chapters 7–9, providing a written response to text-based questions. Students complete a comic-strip box after each chapter, which requires them to produce drawings and captions across multiple sittings. Students write three original similes and illustrate one, a short, single-sitting writing task focused on figurative language.
Lesson 5
Disagreements
Students are asked to "answer some of the questions below in his journal," which requires written short responses after reading Chapters 10–12. Students can "fill in a box on the comic strip page" for each chapter and complete the vocabulary activity by selecting and writing words into blanks. Students rewrite listed hyperboles without exaggeration and complete hyperbole prompts, producing original written sentences and an illustrated example.
Lesson 6
In the Woods
Students are asked to answer targeted comprehension questions in their journal after reading Chapters 13–15, and to make a list and finish the prompt "A good friend..." in their journal, which provides short-form reflective writing. Students are invited to add a scene to a comic strip for each chapter they read, which requires composing/illustrating narrative content tied to the text. Students may choose to write a letter to a close friend (Option 1), producing a purpose- and audience-driven piece of writing.
Lesson 7
The Rescue
Students are asked to plan and write a five-sentence paragraph about a place where they feel comfortable using an outlined Student Activity Page (Option 1 and Option 2). Students are asked to compose and sing a ballad about Jemmy and the prince and to identify rhyming patterns. The skills list and activities prompt students to plan what to include in written products and to write structured narratives or informative pieces with organizational support.
Lesson 8
Friends
Students are asked to finish the comic strip started in Lesson 2, showing continuation of a writing project across lessons. Students write responses to journal prompts about Chapters 19–20 and complete the "Changes" page where they list behaviors and write a poem, providing both short-response and creative-writing tasks. Students are prompted to write two diary entries (Prince Horace and Jemmy) reflecting on how their days and relationships have changed, and to reread earlier chapters and their prior "A Day in the Castle" entry to inform their new writing.
Final Project
A Monologue
Students plan and write two character monologues (for Prince Brat and Jemmy), using sentence starters or their own structure and incorporating figurative language. Students reread specified pages for evidence, use a rubric to guide content, and are instructed to read aloud, make changes, and improve their monologues. Students practice performing, create and compare video rehearsals, and present the monologues to an audience, which supports revision, reflection, and writing for an audience.
Unit 3: Iggie's House
Lesson 1
The Move
Students are asked to write journal entries listing five characteristics of a good friend and write a sentence for each characteristic. Students answer reading comprehension questions in their journals and complete a Reactions Chart by writing characters' reactions and their own personal reactions to events. In Activity 4, Option 1, students are asked to write a letter to a friend who moved away, address an envelope, and (optionally) mail it, which requires composing for a real audience.
Lesson 2
Meeting the Neighbors
The lesson asks students to answer selected reading questions in a journal, which requires students to write responses about Chapter 2. The Racial Relationships activity has students read scenarios, decide how they would respond, and create their own scenario in writing. The Fact or Opinion worksheets require students to mark statements as fact or opinion, write two factual and two opinion sentences, and (in the advanced option) rewrite sentences to change fact/opinion.
Lesson 3
The Softball Game
Students are asked to respond to discussion and journal questions about Chapter 3, which requires writing answers to comprehension and reflection prompts. Students write sentences using singular and plural subjects by combining subject and verb fragments and generating all possible sentence combinations. Students practice past-tense usage by circling correct irregular verbs and by writing two sentences using selected past-tense verbs.
Lesson 4
A New Dog
Students write a paragraph about their pet on the "My Pet" activity page and answer two or three comprehension questions in a journal. The Skills section lists "Develop drafts," and Option 2 asks students to compose sentences in past, present, and future tense and to write original sentences, which requires independent composing. The lesson also directs students to summarize Chapter 4 and produce sentences in different tenses, indicating multiple short writing tasks.
Lesson 5
A Visit from Germs
Students are asked to use chapter questions as journal questions, which requires written responses to comprehension and opinion questions. In Activity 2 students record relationship problems on a chart (Option 1) or write a partner's name and describe the problem (Option 2), producing short written analyses and proposed solutions. In Activity 3 students write a list of three points of interest for a new friend after drawing a tree house, producing a brief written invitation/description.
Lesson 6
A New Petition
Students are asked to answer assigned comprehension and reflection questions in a journal, which requires writing responses to literature. Students write vocabulary definitions on the backs of flashcards and, in the advanced option, write sentences using vocabulary words. Students complete written Reactions Charts and Character Circle Maps by recording descriptive words/phrases and supporting those choices with text evidence. The life-application suggests students make additional circle maps for friends, family, or themselves, recording descriptive words.
Lesson 7
The Swim Club
Students are asked to respond to chapter questions as journal prompts and discussion questions after reading Chapter 7. Students write sentences for the Friendship House activity by numbering windows and writing the names of two characters and a sentence describing their friendship. Students write sentences using contractions in Option 1 and write six journal sentences about characters/events (each containing a contraction) in Option 2.
Lesson 8
Moving
Students are asked to write and revise sentences and paragraphs in Activity 3 (rewrite a paragraph in past tense and compose a paragraph in future tense), which provides focused practice in a short time frame. Students complete journal/discussion questions after reading Chapter 8 and fill in a Reactions Chart and double-bubble maps that require them to write comparisons and record character traits. The lesson lists a skill to "Write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization," indicating students will produce organized written work.
Lesson 9
A Letter
Students plan a three-paragraph letter using the "Planning My Letter" pages, filling in topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding sentences. Students write a first draft in a journal (noted as Day 2) and then perform multiple editing passes guided by the provided Letter Rubric, checking capitalization, punctuation, subject/verb agreement, and spelling. Students produce a final copy on stationery and read their letter aloud, demonstrating audience-aware first-person letter writing to Iggie.
Lesson 10
I Have a Dream
Students are asked to answer comprehension questions in a journal after reading Chapter 9, providing a direct short-form writing task. Students also write sentences for the Subject/Verb Agreement activity (make up sentences using each verb, circle subjects, underline verbs, record sentences on the wheel). The lesson prompts students to respond to questions about Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech and to state their own dream and how to make it come true, which can be recorded.
Final Project
Character Interviews
Students are asked to write interview questions for multiple story characters and to write character responses on provided activity pages, including at least one relationship question per character. The project is organized across Day 1 and Day 2: students draft questions, refer to their journal and a Reactions Chart to craft answers, practice role-playing, and then perform or record the interview for an audience. A rubric asks whether students developed good interview questions, used events from the story in their writing, and produced answers that reflect character personalities.