Students are given lists of sailing vocabulary with definitions (e.g., grommet, boom, outhaul, mizzen, helm) and a "Sailing Terminology" section that defines terms like mizzen, bow, jibe, bilge, cleat, tiller, furling, stays, and heave to. Students are directed to review a labeled diagram of parts of a sailboat and to use the diagram and terminology as they read the novel to better understand crew communication. The activities ask students to familiarize themselves with technical terms and to refer back to the diagram while reading.

Students are asked to determine definitions of specific vocabulary words (impulsive, gimbal, gibberish, etc.) by matching words to definitions and by using page references to find how each word is used in the book. Students are instructed to determine meanings of unfamiliar vocabulary by using context clues or a dictionary and to review and use each vocabulary word in context (matching, a sailing paragraph, or a picture dictionary). The activity prompts students to use text-based context (page references) to infer word meanings and to produce their own sentences using the words.

Students are asked to explain what Sophie means when she says, "I love it when people do things like that — take something decrepit and create something grand out of it!" (Question #1), requiring them to determine meaning of a phrase in context. The Parent Plan discussion also asks students to interpret Bompie's remark, "It's not where you're going that's important -- it's how you get there," which asks for explanation of a figurative/commentary phrase as used in the text.

Students decode messages using the Radio Code activity, translating sequences like "X-ray Mike Alpha..." into plain-language phrases (Answer Key: "X Marks the Spot," "Danger Ahead," "Look Out Below"). Students identify and circle words in sentences and then categorize them as adjectives, adverbs, or prepositional phrases on the Modifiers activity pages. The lesson provides definitions of adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases that students use when analyzing words and phrases in context.

The lesson lists targeted vocabulary with definitions (deftly, careening, gnarly, sextant, badgering, woes) and includes a "Vocabulary Memory" activity that directs students to locate the words on the pages provided and read the vocabulary words within the context of a sentence. The Skills section explicitly tells students to "select key vocabulary critical to the text and apply appropriate meanings as necessary for comprehension." Activity 2 asks students to consider how whales and dolphins "symbolize" different things to crewmembers, prompting interpretation of symbolic (figurative/connotative) meaning.

The lesson defines simile and personification and asks students to identify examples in quoted text, label each as simile or personification, and explain what is being personified or what two things are being compared. Students complete an "Identifying Voice" activity that requires them to match quotes to characters and produce character-appropriate responses, which involves analyzing word choice and tone. The skills list explicitly includes "Analyze word choice using critical and evaluative processes," "Determine the effect of literary devices on the reader," and "Understand and explain the figurative and metaphorical use of words in context."

The Parent Plan includes a discussion prompt asking students to explain what Sophie meant by the passage about things being "safely tucked away...hidden under the floorboards," which requires interpreting figurative language. Reading-and-questions items ask students to explain how the storm and The Wave changed Cody and how relationships among crewmembers changed, which requires students to infer meaning from context and characterize language about change. The wrap-up and discussion sections prompt students to retell stories and explain character motivations, which can involve interpreting word choice and phrases in the text.

Students are instructed to review vocabulary words and to make sure they can use them correctly in a sentence; the test includes items that ask students to use the words "badger" and "capricious" in a sentence. Students review examples of personification and similes and are asked to write personification sentences describing a tornado and the ocean. Students must select a character quote (with page number) and explain why the quote is meaningful, requiring interpretation of phrasing in context.

Students are directed to locate definitions in a dictionary and to read each vocabulary word in context on the provided page, then select the definition that makes sense. The activities require students to record definitions, draw an illustration to reinforce meaning, review definitions several times, and verbally use each word in a sentence. The student pages provide spaces for Definition, Illustration, and Sentence for specific words (including a technical term, thermodynamics), and the answer key supplies dictionary definitions.

Students are asked to interpret a phrase in Question #2 where they explain what the doctor means by "Someone pushes, someone pushes back. Pretty soon everything is ruined," which asks them to determine meaning from context. The lesson's stated skills include "Develop an interpretation exhibiting careful reading, understanding, and insight," which directs students to practice deriving meaning from text. The discussion prompts (e.g., "How can misunderstandings and revenge lead to conflict and destruction?") require students to reason about language and implications in the story.

Students are asked explicitly to define a term from the text: Question #1 asks "What is a roamer?" and the sample answer gives a literal definition based on context. The same question asks how people "buy" the object the roamers bring, prompting students to interpret a non-literal use of "buy" (barter). The Things to Know box defines "debate," giving a direct technical meaning students can adopt.

Students are directed to "determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words by using context clues or a thesaurus" and to read each vocabulary word in context before choosing a synonym. The Things to Know section explicitly contrasts denotation and connotation and Activity 1 asks students to select synonyms that fit the sentence context and to record which contextual clues helped them choose. The answer key points out a simile ("fury spread...like a fire") and other contextual signals (exclamation points, actions) that students use to infer figurative or intense meanings.

Students are asked to write synonyms for the words "Fury" and "Astonishing" (Activity 7), and the answer key gives possible synonyms such as anger/wrath and surprise/amaze. The skills list and parent notes ask students to edit and revise manuscripts to improve meaning and focus, which involves attending to word choice and clarity.

Students read examples of figurative, sensory language in the story (e.g., Risa's "eye bouquet" lines such as "that shimmery color, halfway between purple and silver" and "the green of horses munching") and are asked to create at least two vivid descriptions that rely on visual/figurative language. In Activity 2 students write descriptions without naming the object and then read them aloud to a listener who must infer the object from the wording, which requires interpreting descriptive phrases.

Students are given explicit definitions of high fantasy and low fantasy (Getting Started; Things to Know), which labels genre-specific vocabulary. Students complete Activity 3 (Mars Research) where they gather facts about Mars and record them in a journal, exposing them to technical terms about the planet. Students complete Activity 4 by selecting and recording phrases and sentences the author uses to describe environments, which requires noticing language used in context.

The lesson explicitly defines and practices irony: the "Things to Know" section gives a definition of irony and Activity 2 asks students to identify the ironic ending of the story and write three more examples. Activity 3 directs students to "locate words and phrases that the author uses to describe Pompeii" from Tito's point of view and to record sensory phrases before and after the eruption. The parent notes and questions ask students to provide examples of irony and to analyze how descriptive language reveals setting and character perspective.

Students answer Question #3 asking what it means that "Zlateh's language consisted of only one word, but it meant many things," which requires them to determine the meaning of a word/utterance in context. Students also read the Hanukkah dreidel section that explicitly labels each Hebrew letter and explains the technical meanings/rules associated with those symbols.

Students are asked on the "Elements of a Short Story" page to write "words and phrases the author uses to describe the setting," which requires locating author word choice in the text. The Parent Plan skills list includes that students will "identify elements of fiction and nonfiction and support by referencing the text to determine the plot development and author's choice of words." The optional Activity 2 allows students to design a grammar or writing activity related to the story, which could involve working with specific words or phrases.

Students are given explicit definitions in the "Things to Know" section (primary source, secondary sources, and secede/secession), so they practice understanding technical historical vocabulary. The Parent Plan lists a skill to "determine the importance of author's word choice and focus," and parents are instructed to discuss perspective, facts vs. opinions, and bias when students read the primary-source journals. Students are asked to read and work with authentic primary-source diary entries whose "grammar and spelling ... are not perfect," which requires students to interpret words and phrasing in historical context.

The Parent Plan asks students to interpret the figurative line about secessionists' "swaddling clothes...woven in Massachusetts..." which requires explaining figurative meaning. The lesson provides a clear definition of "propaganda" in "Things to Know," giving students a technical meaning to use. Activity 2 directs students to record factual vs. opinion statements, identify potential propaganda statements, and explain how images could be used to sway attitudes, which engages analysis of emotional/connotative messaging.

Students are asked to read pages 21–40 and answer text-based questions, including QUESTION #2 which asks them to interpret the meaning of the doctor's remark, "Man is the deadliest of God's creatures." Activity 2 asks students to design a propaganda poster and later explain the message the poster conveys and how it would influence a reader's thinking, prompting analysis of word choice and persuasive phrasing. The reading questions require students to produce explanations in complete sentences, providing an opportunity to articulate the meaning of a phrase in context.

Students are asked to reread page 54 and respond to a prompt about the irony of a scene, which requires them to interpret figurative meaning. Students read pages 41–60 and answer comprehension questions about character perspectives and intentions, which requires deriving meaning from text. The Activities include analyzing photographs and writing sentences describing how the photos make them feel, which asks students to interpret connotative emotional responses to images.

The lesson includes a direct question asking students to interpret a figurative phrase: Question #3 asks, "What did Dr. William Rye mean when he said, 'A victory? Indeed it was for death upon his pale horse'?" and the provided answer explains that the phrase refers to widespread death and wounding. Activities require students to reread character accounts and "cite evidence from the book to support your ideas," which asks students to use textual context to support interpretations. Students also practice reading accounts aloud "in character," which encourages attention to phrasing and tone in the text.

The discussion prompts ask students to interpret Einstein's quote, "Imagination is more important than knowledge," prompting them to determine what the phrase means in context. The prompt "How would you describe the study of physics?" with an explanatory parenthetical provides a direct opportunity for students to state a technical meaning. Comprehension questions require students to restate ideas from the text, which engages them with words and phrases in context.

Students are given a 'Things to Know' list with definitions for vocabulary (boisterous, radioactivity, bohemian, exasperated, prodigy, bravado, synchronicity). The Skills section directs students to 'monitor expository text for unknown words or words with novel meanings by using word, sentence, and paragraph clues to determine meaning.' Activity 1 asks students to match vocabulary words with definitions and then record each vocabulary word in sentences drawn from the book, with an instruction to look up words in a dictionary if unsure.

Students work with the Beyond Roots cards: they separate Set 1, read through the cards, play matching and recall games (Memory, Root Recall, Go Root!), and take online quizzes (A and B) that test knowledge of root meanings. The lesson explicitly tells students that knowing Latin and Greek roots helps them understand new vocabulary and that some roots have more than one meaning. The wrap-up and review direct students to review roots they learned and retake quizzes if they scored below 80%.

The lesson provides explicit vocabulary instruction: the "Things to Know" lists definitions for asylum, pacifist, agog, ambivalent, anti-Semitism, retort, and refute. Activity 3 asks students to place vocabulary words into a crossword where the clues are the definitions and includes a word bank and an instruction to use a dictionary if needed. The Parent Plan directs students to review definitions and demonstrate use by putting each vocabulary word into their own sentence verbally.

Students are directed to study Beyond Roots Set 2 cards, play Root Recall/Go Root! games, and take online A/B quizzes to learn Greek and Latin root meanings. The Skills section explicitly tells students to recognize Greek and Latin roots, know affixes, and determine the meaning of grade-level academic words derived from those roots. Students are asked to interpret the proverb "Knowledge is power" and to explain gravity as a warping of space and time, which requires interpreting a figurative phrase and a technical concept.

Students are asked to interpret a figurative phrase in Question #2, where they explain what Einstein meant by calling himself a "lone traveler." Students memorize and reflect on a set of Einstein quotes in Activity 1 and are prompted to "think about the power of your own words," exposing them to varied word choices and figurative language. Students read nonfiction chapters and answer comprehension questions that require inferencing from text.

The lesson explicitly states that students will learn "the meanings of words formed from Latin and Greek roots" and includes Activity 5 (Beyond Roots) in which students play root games and take online roots quizzes to learn and review root meanings. The Wrapping Up and Things to Review sections direct students to "Review the meanings of the roots on the Set 3 Beyond Roots card." The lesson includes a web activity ("The Power of Tiny Things") that directs students to a quiz to better understand the formula E=mc², which addresses understanding a technical concept.

Students are asked to review and combine three sets of Beyond Roots cards to practice root meanings, play a game (Go Root!), and take an online quiz covering root meanings. The skills list explicitly includes identifying language devices in biographies and explaining how authors create meaning through stylistic elements. In Option 2 students are prompted to provide examples from the book showing how the author accomplished elements of a biography, which requires analyzing author choices.

The project requires students to include at least three Latin or Greek root words in both the letter (Part 2) and the journal entry (Part 5), which asks students to use vocabulary derived from roots. Students must also write and display three of Einstein's quotes and produce journal entries using "powerful language," which requires active word choice and use of words in context.

Students are presented with a labeled vocabulary list of words (contempt, hearse, sabotage, surge, intricate, brusque, outskirts, tantalize) and their definitions. Students are asked to study the words and definitions, write each word on a note card, and play a vocabulary game in which they identify words from spoken definitions. The Parent Plan skill explicitly directs students to "select key vocabulary critical to the text and apply appropriate meanings as necessary for comprehension," and the wrap-up instructs students to review the vocabulary to better understand the novel.

The discussion question asking, "What do you think the boy means when he says that all of Denmark is the king's bodyguard?" prompts students to interpret a figurative phrase and includes an expected interpretation. The reading-and-questions section asks students to summarize chapters, which requires comprehension of word and phrase meaning in context to capture main events. The wrapping-up question set asks how life is different since the Nazis came, which requires students to interpret descriptive language about occupation.

The lesson explicitly defines the technical term "propaganda" in the Things to Know section, giving students a direct technical meaning to learn. Students are asked to analyze propaganda posters, summarize the message of each poster, and interpret visual techniques and translations, which requires interpreting connotative and persuasive language. The "Finding Symbols" activity instructs students to underline symbols, circle associated words, and reflect on why those symbols impact readers, which engages students in interpreting symbolic (figurative) language.

The parent-plan discussion questions ask the student to explain why Papa had to "speak to Uncle Henrick in code" and to identify what the code word "cigarette" referred to, requiring the student to interpret the meaning of that phrase and the code word in context. The Questions to Discuss section provides the direct Q&A that students are expected to answer about the coded language and its referent (Ellen).

Students are explicitly taught four proofreading abbreviations (sp, -s, s/v, T) and instructed to rewrite and edit paragraphs using those abbreviations, demonstrating they determine the technical meanings of editing marks and apply them. Students are asked to choose two or three passages from the book, read them aloud, and explain their reasons for picking them, which requires them to consider the meanings and importance of selected phrases or sentences.

Students learn and use editing abbreviations (Ww, Wdy, Pron) and apply them to a provided paragraph, marking and correcting errors such as 'accept' -> 'except' and 'Her and Ellen' (pronoun error). The proofreading activity requires students to choose correct words and revise wordy or incorrect phrasing, demonstrating attention to word choice and meaning in context. The activity key highlights specific vocabulary/word-choice corrections for students to emulate.

Students are asked to read multiple texts (Chapters 14-17 and two versions of Little Red Riding Hood) and use a graphic organizer to compare similarities and differences, which requires attending to word choices and meanings in each text. The "Things to Know" statement explicitly defines what it means when an author "parallels" two ideas, giving students a technical definition to apply. A discussion question asks students to evaluate Henrik's definition of "brave," prompting students to interpret the connotative meaning of that word in context.

Students are asked to "Use the word intricate correctly in a sentence" (Question 7) and to "Circle the sentence where the word contempt is used correctly" (Question 9), requiring them to apply word meanings in context. The "Number the Stars Test" also asks students to identify editing symbols for adding a period and capitalization (Questions 3 and 5), requiring knowledge of technical notation and abbreviations. These items require students to demonstrate understanding of specific word meanings and technical symbols.

Students create a Vocabulary Picture Dictionary with eight target words, recording each word's part of speech, drawing a picture, and reading a sentence that uses the word in context. The Parent Plan and Skills sections explicitly instruct students to "use context (e.g., in-sentence restatement) to determine or clarify the meaning of unfamiliar or multiple-meaning words" and to apply vocabulary meanings for comprehension. Activities ask students to try to recall a word's meaning from the picture or sentence before checking the provided definition, prompting practice with contextual cues.

The Parent Plan lists as a skill to "Recognize the effectiveness of figurative language within a text," and Question #4 asks students to "record a phrase or sentence from the book where she uses words to paint a picture in the reader's mind," which asks students to identify imagery/figurative language. The Activities ask students to reread descriptive passages and underline sentences that describe the setting and to record a quoted phrase for their illustration, prompting textual attention to word choice and descriptive phrases. The Things to Review entry asks students to read through their Vocabulary Picture Dictionary, indicating some attention to word study.

Students are directed to identify personification in quoted sentences from the text by underlining the object being personified and circling the human-like characteristic, and then to write new sentences that personify the same objects in different ways. Parent guidance and review ask students to analyze the effects of figurative language and to evaluate how personification shapes the reader's feelings or perspective. The activities also include parts-of-speech work (adverbs, verbs) that has students identify word functions in context.

The lesson explicitly defines the technical term "groundwater" and asks students to explain what groundwater is and why it is important. Students perform an "Investigating Groundwater" simulation and watch a groundwater video that reinforce the technical meaning and movement of groundwater. A comprehension question uses the quoted phrase "big, dangerous secret," prompting students to interpret that phrase in context.

The lesson explicitly defines vocabulary and word function (e.g., "Juxtapose means to put unlike things side by side" and detailed notes on adjectives and predicate adjectives). Students are asked to locate and record words and phrases the author uses to juxtapose the Fosters' home and the Tucks' home and to put quotation marks around the author's words. Multiple activities require students to identify and label parts of speech in sentences (including adjectives, linking verbs, and verbals).

Students are given a list of six vocabulary words with definitions (apprehension, constable, parlor, revulsion, prostrate, gentility) and are asked to write a chapter summary that includes and uses those words. Students are taught similes and metaphors (definitions and examples) and complete activities that require them to identify the two things being compared in multiple similes/metaphors and to write their own comparisons.

Students are asked to review vocabulary from the previous lesson and to give examples of coordinating and subordinating conjunctions and use each type in a sentence. Students identify parts of speech in given sentences (Options 1 and 2) and label words such as conjunctions, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, and interjections. The materials explicitly show how to tell whether a word like "after" is functioning as a conjunction or a preposition and note that "at once" is an adverb, which requires attention to how words are used in context.

Students are asked to use vocabulary words (from lesson 7) orally in a sentence and to review definitions and discuss how each word is used. The Parent Plan explicitly directs reviewing any words the student is confused about and discussing usage. This gives students direct practice with word meaning and usage.

Students are asked in Activity 2 (Symbols and Similes) to select objects as symbols for main characters and to describe each symbol in a simile, which requires them to create and explain figurative comparisons. In Activity 3 (Book Quote) students choose a meaningful quote of at least ten words and draw a picture that represents the quote realistically or metaphorically, prompting them to interpret phrase meaning and imagery. The Things to Review section also tells students to review vocabulary words learned, implying some attention to word meanings.

Students are given an explicit vocabulary list with definitions (concession, raucous, dubious, formidable, caravan, discourse, wheedle, reprimand) and page numbers showing where each word appears in the novel. Students play matching activities that require them to match words to definitions (Option 1) and to match words, definitions, and contextual sentences (Option 2). Directions prompt students to use each word correctly in a sentence orally and to refer to the book pages where the words occur.

The Dialect Guide student page lists regional words (e.g., ain't, 'bout, wanna) and provides direct meanings (is not, about, want to), including a note about -in vs. -ing. The instructions tell students to use the Dialect Guide as they read to help understand challenging words or phrases, and the Parent Plan lists the skill to "Recognize dialect and conversational voice and explain how authors use dialect to convey character." These elements show students translate and interpret dialectal words and phrases from the text.

Students are given explicit definitions of technical terms such as "mortgage" and "interest" in the "Things to Know" and introductory sections. Students read a description of sharecropping in the Introduce the Lesson section that explains the historical/technical meaning of the term. Students complete the "Interest & Mortgage" activity where they use the Principal × Rate × Time formula and solve problems that require applying the technical meanings of interest and mortgage.

Question #2 asks students to explain what Mama means when she says, "White people may demand our respect, but what we give them is not respect but fear," which requires students to determine the meaning of a phrase in context. The Parent Plan asks parents to discuss Cassie's experience and Big Ma's explanation of racism, prompting students to explain historical terms and ideas in their own words. The Expanding Sentences activity directs students to use a dictionary or thesaurus to find more descriptive verbs, which involves looking up word meanings.

The lesson's Skills section explicitly tells students to "determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words by using context clues and/or a dictionary." Activity 1 requires students to select eight unknown words from chapters 7-12, read each word in context, locate definitions in a dictionary, and then review and use the vocabulary when making and solving a crossword. Parent notes and "Things to Review" prompt students to recognize meanings and use words in context.

Students read a "Things to Know" entry that defines "boycotting" and describes the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and they read the "Integrated Bus Suggestions" pages that use protest-related language in context. Students are asked to read chapters and to track instances of discrimination, exposing them to domain-specific and historical terms within the text.

Students are given an explicit definition of "sharecropping" in the "Things to Know" and Activity 1 text, defining it as a farming system and explaining how percentages of crop sales are divided. Students are asked to watch a video about sharecropping and then create a diagram, picture+quote, or explain the system to a sibling/parent, which requires them to restate and apply the technical meaning. The reading passage uses terms and phrases in historical context (for example, "separate but equal" and descriptions of sharecropping debt) that provide contextual examples of technical vocabulary.

Students are directed to "read over the vocabulary words and definitions in Lesson 1 and those that you selected in Lesson 7" to prepare for the end-of-unit test. The End-of-Unit Test asks students to choose the correct usage of the word "reprimand," to define terms such as "sharecropper" and "boycott," and to "use a vocabulary word selected from the novel in a sentence." The answer key provides explicit definitions for several vocabulary and content-specific terms, indicating students must learn and produce word meanings.

The lesson provides a list of vocabulary words with definitions and a Skills statement that students will "select key vocabulary critical to the text and apply appropriate meanings as necessary for comprehension." Students complete Vocabulary Cards with definition, part of speech, synonyms/antonyms, and a sentence, and they play a Vocabulary Cube game that prompts them to "Give the definition," identify "Part of speech," give a "Synonym or Antonym," and "Use in a sentence." The activities also instruct students to use a dictionary to complete a blank card for an unfamiliar word from the novel.

The lesson defines euphemism and gives a Student Activity Page listing euphemisms from the book (Nurturer, Release, Replacement child, etc.) and asks students to record the actual meanings or predict meanings from context. The Italics activity asks students to skim chapters, identify five italicized words/phrases, and underline them, drawing attention to how specific words are presented and used. The reading task directs students to record words or phrases that describe Jonas on a timeline, requiring attention to word/phrase meaning as used in the text.

Students are given explicit vocabulary practice: six target words are listed with definitions and students complete 'Vocabulary Web' organizers identifying each word's definition, part of speech, syllables, roots/prefixes/suffixes, and compose sentences. The Parent Plan specifies that students should use a dictionary, glossary, or thesaurus to determine meanings, syllabication, pronunciations, alternate word choices, and parts of speech. The activity directions tell students to "Read the word in context so you will know which definition to use," prompting contextual meaning determination.

Students read Chapters 11–12 and identify descriptive words and phrases from the sled memory, organizing those words by the five senses on a chart. The Skills section explicitly asks students to "evaluate the impact of sensory details, imagery, and figurative language in literary text" and to "describe the function and effect of common literary devices, such as symbolism and imagery." Activities require students to select sensory language, record it, and use sensory words and phrases to write a descriptive paragraph about a childhood memory.

Students are asked to identify and describe symbolism as a figurative device (e.g., flag = freedom, handshake = peace, the color red in The Giver) and to think of two other examples of symbolism in books they have read. The Student Activity Page prompts students to state what specific symbols represent and to describe symbols and their meanings found in literature. The Parent Plan repeatedly instructs checking that the child understands symbolism as a figurative language device and offers connotative examples (e.g., the color red: knowledge, understanding, love, truth).

Students are instructed to pick four acronyms from a provided list and, using a dictionary or the Internet, write out what each acronym stands for; the materials also define abbreviation and acronym. The Rules for Capitalization pages ask students to look for abbreviations and acronyms in their reading and record them in a journal, prompting students to determine technical meanings. Students are asked to "decide on the words and phrases that describe Jonas" and record them on a Character Timeline, requiring selection of descriptive language from the chapters.

The skills list tells students to "Determine the impact of word choice on written and spoken language," and rubrics require use of imagery, descriptive language, and symbolism in student writing. Students read and discuss Lois Lowry's Newbery Acceptance Speech (multiple annotated pages) and are prompted to discuss how her memories relate to The Giver, which provides opportunities to interpret author's language and imagery. The Final Chapter option asks students to focus on sensory details, imagery, and active voice, requiring attention to authors' word choices when composing and analyzing text.

Students are asked to learn and make flashcards for Spanish vocabulary (campesino, fiesta, vaqueros, etc.), directly practicing word-to-word meanings. Questions ask students to define specific terms from the informational text (e.g., "What were shantytowns?") and to explain Roosevelt's three "R"s, which requires explaining technical program terms. A discussion prompt asks students to interpret Papa's line "the land is alive," prompting them to determine a figurative meaning in context.

Students are assigned the Wordsmith role to locate and read aloud passages they find "interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling, or important," and then discuss them with a parent, prompting close reading of language in context. In Activity 2, students read a poem about the phoenix and are asked to "pay close attention to what the author tells us about the phoenix" and either describe how the phoenix might serve as a symbol for Esperanza or write an original free-verse poem inspired by the phoenix. The teacher directions ask students to explain why they identified particular passages as important, which can involve interpreting phrase-level meaning and figurative language.

Students read a explicit definitional note in "Things to Know" that defines the Dust Bowl and its causes, giving a technical meaning for that term. Students practice word choice in Activity 1 by replacing instances of "said" with more descriptive verbs, requiring them to select verbs that match tone and nuance. Students also record and quote language from Dust Bowl videos in Activity 2, which asks them to capture wording and phrases from informational sources.

The lesson provides a "More Spanish Vocabulary" activity that lists Spanish words with their English translations (arroz - rice; gracias - thank you; ándale - come on; reina - queen; tormenta - storm; Feliz Navidad - Merry Christmas; por favor - please). Students are instructed to write the vocabulary words in blank speech bubbles, cut them out, and paste them on a picture to label objects and describe what people are saying. The lesson also instructs students to review the definitions of the Spanish words and notes that the author often follows Spanish words with English translations in the text.

Students are asked in the Line Locator activity to copy lines or short passages and explain why they are examples of good writing or important to the story, requiring them to interpret meaning and significance of text passages. In the Cesar Chavez activity, students must choose a quote, write it down, and "explain its meaning in their own words" and relate it to Esperanza's story, which has students practice paraphrasing and interpreting quoted language. Parent prompts ask students to read quotes aloud and explain their meaning and significance, reinforcing oral explanation of textual meaning.

Students practice word meaning and usage in the "Commonly Confused Words" section where definitions are given (e.g., accept/except, breath/breathe, its/it's) and students must circle the correct word in multiple-choice items. Students also write original sentences using target word pairs (through/though; two/too/to; except/it's; lose/its; then/than) and are asked to review and use each word correctly aloud or in writing.

Students are prompted to "discuss and analyze the effects on texts of such literary devices as figurative language and dialogue" in the Parent Plan Skills section, which directs attention to figurative language. Students are asked discussion questions that require interpreting symbolism (what knitting symbolized) and the connotative meaning of a name (the significance of Esperanza meaning "hope"). These items require students to interpret words/phrases and figurative elements in the text.

Students read poems slowly and are asked to think about what each author is trying to communicate and the images formed by the language. The Parent Plan skills and activities explicitly list figurative terms (personification, metaphor, simile, imagery) and instruct students to recognize how tone or meaning is conveyed through word choice and figurative language. Activity 2 asks students to analyze punctuation, capitalization, and structure and to consider what words or phrases will convey tone and emotion when they write their own poems.

Students are given explicit definitions of personification and metaphor and are asked to find and describe metaphors in the poems (e.g., "Can you find any example of metaphor…? Describe."). Students match inanimate objects to human traits from the poems and record words/phrases the poets attribute to objects, and they are prompted to identify examples such as "The sea is our mother." Students also write their own poems that must include at least one metaphor and one example of personification.

Students are asked to explain how the author uses personification in the poem "Dinosaur Bone" (Question #2), and to identify irony in the poem "206" (Question #3). The "Things to Review" section explicitly lists poetry vocabulary—stanza, end rhyme, personification, and metaphor—so students practice identifying figurative devices. The parent plan skills also direct students to analyze the effects of author's craft and make inferences about author purpose, which involves interpreting language use.

Students are asked to identify a metaphor in "The Dandelion" (Question #3), which requires recognizing figurative language. Student Activity Pages instruct students to find hyphenated adjectives in a poem and explain whether the hyphenated words create a visual image or sound, prompting analysis of word effect and connotation. Several activities ask students to look up words in a dictionary and record correct spellings (Part II), which engages them in checking word forms and meanings.

Students read poems and are asked to identify specific figurative language (e.g., record the simile in "Earthworm" and two metaphors in "Rainforest"). Instructions prompt students to look for metaphors, personification, alliteration, imagery, and rhyming patterns, and Parent Plan skills state students should define how tone or meaning is conveyed through word choice and figurative language. Discussion prompts ask students to explain what words or phrases the author uses to bring about an emotion, and activities require students to explain how dashes and sound effects reinforce meaning.

Students are asked to "Record a line... that creates a vivid image" and to "Describe the words the author uses to help create the image," which asks them to analyze words and phrases that produce figurative imagery. Students are asked to "Record an example of alliteration" from a poem, showing attention to poetic language. The lesson provides definitions for haiku, narrative poem, and alliteration, and asks students to identify haiku and form their own, which addresses technical meanings of poetic terms. The Parent Plan commentary asks students to consider how parentheses change the meaning of lines, prompting attention to how punctuation affects phrase meaning.

Students are asked to identify poetic devices (Question 2: find examples of metaphor, simile, personification, imagery, alliteration) and to list words/phrases from the poem that help create an image on the Student Activity Page. Students are asked to determine the tone and to name the words/phrases the author uses to convey that tone (Question 4). The lesson materials and skills statements explicitly direct students to consider word choice and figurative language when defining tone or meaning.

Students identify irony and list words and phrases that create emotional responses in poems (Questions #2 and #4). Students analyze and explain authors' stylistic and figurative choices by rereading "Song of Myself," discussing poet's observations and feelings, and by writing their own lyric poems using metaphor, alliteration, imagery, and personification. Students practice the technical meaning and use of the ellipsis by inserting it into a paragraph, explaining why poets used ellipses in selected poems, and looking up the plural form of the term.

Students are directed to reread poems (e.g., "Earth's Bondman") and list words or phrases that use poetic devices and figurative language, then describe how those choices convey tone and meaning. Activity prompts ask students to identify poetic devices (rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, imagery) and figurative language (personification, simile, metaphor) with specific examples from the text. Student activity pages require students to record metaphors, similes, personification, tone, alliteration, rhyme, and imagery and to explain how those elements create meaning.

The lapbook rubric asks whether poems "show evidence of figurative language," prompting students to identify and use figurative language in their work. The poetry test includes multiple-choice items that require students to recognize literary devices (personification, metaphor, imagery, rhyme, etc.), so students practice labeling and defining figurative terms. The "Study for Your Unit Test" activity directs students to create flashcards for vocabulary and terms they do not know, supporting retention of poetry-related word meanings.

The lesson provides a vocabulary list with short definitions (precipice, chasm, sentinel, idle, beckon, plaited, hinder, minstrel) and asks students to review these words. Activity 3 directs students to look up each vocabulary word in the dictionary and, if more than one definition exists, to use context clues from underlined sentences taken from the book to identify the correct definition. The crossword task requires students to write the chosen definition as the clue and to keep the puzzle handy to review definitions as they encounter the words in the text.

Students are asked to identify the figurative language device in Cusi's line "It sounds like wind over water," explicitly naming a simile (Question #3). The Parent Plan lists as a skill that students will "Analyze how authors create meaning through figurative language." Activity 2 requires students to reread the minstrel's songs and use similes/metaphors/personification/imagery when composing a lyric poem, reinforcing recognition and production of figurative language.

Students are asked to interpret the figurative phrase "Something that darkened his heart like a cloud at midday" and predict what will happen to Cusi, requiring them to determine meaning from context. Students are prompted in the Parent Plan to explain what the author means by "people are of two bloods," interpreting a phrase to mean Incan and Spanish ancestry. Students answer reading questions that require making inferences about characters' feelings and motives, which involves interpreting language in context.

The Skills section tells students to identify elements of fiction and nonfiction and to reference the text to determine the effectiveness of figurative language. Activity 2 (Personification) asks students to ascribe human traits to animals and non-living things and to identify the words and phrases that personify them. Question #2 asks students to interpret Chuto's characterization of the truck (e.g., "It has wheels instead of feet...evil-smelling blood by the name of gasoline"), which requires interpreting figurative language from the text.

Students are asked to interpret a specific figurative phrase: the discussion question asks what the old Indian meant by "The rivers of Cuzco lie hidden beneath the cobblestones of its streets," and the parent plan gives an explanatory answer. In Option 2 students must produce a poem about the Incan conquest and include at least three examples of figurative language (personification, similes/metaphors, imagery). The parent plan also instructs reviewers to check the poem for examples of figurative language.

The Parent Plan discussion prompts students to explain what the old man meant when he said that Cusi had "learned to read his own heart," which asks students to interpret a figurative phrase. The Reading and Questions section asks students to answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, requiring them to explain meanings of events and feelings. The "Things to Think About" prompts ask interpretive questions that could lead students to discuss implied meanings in the text.