Fifth Grade - ELA
1: Relationships
Unit 1: Poetry
Lesson 1
What Is Poetry?
Students read the print text R is for Rhyme and select at least three poems to read, recording the titles and examples from those poems (e.g., favorite line, stanza, couplet, quatrains). Students identify and record specific features and information from the texts (syllable counts, meter, rhyming patterns, onomatopoeia, alliteration, synonyms) and keep a journal for recording ideas and observations. The parent notes and wrapping-up directions explicitly prompt students to describe, paraphrase, and explain the mood/tone of poems and to paraphrase to indicate active listening.
Lesson 2
Parts of Speech and Rhymes in Poetry
Students read poems from the book My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States and identify specific words and patterns from those print sources. Students record action verbs from the poem "Gulls and Buoys" in a journal and list nouns and the adjectives that describe them from "Watercolor Maine" on activity pages. Students answer reflective questions about what they learned about the Northeast and identify end rhyme words, recording these findings in their journals.
Lesson 3
Geography and Poetry
Students read poems in My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States and answer questions that ask what they learned, which requires recalling information from the text. In Activity 1 students identify and label states, cities, and bodies of water mentioned in the poems on a map, which requires gathering specific geographic information from print sources. Students also record favorite lines from poems, demonstrating extraction of relevant textual details.
Lesson 4
Haiku and Onomatopoeia
Students read poems from the print book My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States and answer directed comprehension questions (e.g., Question #4: "What did you learn about the geography and culture of the Midwest after reading these poems?"). Students locate and record specific textual elements on activity pages, such as listing onomatopoetic words on the Onomatopoeia page and recording adjectives and the nouns they modify. Students also write responses and creative pieces (haiku and quatrain) on provided student activity pages, showing they extract and use information from the printed texts.
Lesson 5
Figurative Language and Voice
Students read poems in the "Southwest" section and are asked to write down names of plants and animals mentioned, identify lines that use personification, and record metaphors from specific poems. Students create a two-column chart listing each poem title and its point of view, and they answer a reflective question about the effectiveness of second person. Students also respond to the prompt "What did you learn about the culture and the geography of the Southwest?" which requires recalling and reporting information from the texts.
Lesson 6
Art and Poetry
Students read poems from the sections "The Mountain States" and "The Pacific Coast States" and answer comprehension questions that ask them to report what they learned about culture and geography, which requires recalling information from a print source. Students are asked to record a specific line (the simile) from the poem "Skier," which requires gathering and citing exact textual information. Activity 2 directs students to write down the words to a song and decide line breaks if read as poetry, which has students gather and transcribe printed or recorded material.
Lesson 7
Robert Frost
Students are directed to read about Robert Frost using three web links and to "record ten clues about the man and his life," which requires gathering relevant information from digital print sources. Students complete the "Frost Poems" analysis page and answer specific questions about setting, stanzas, and lines, which requires recalling and recording information from the poems. Students also complete "Verbs in Poetry" tasks that ask them to record action verbs found in a poem and to compose a poem using those verbs, demonstrating gathering and noting textual details.
Lesson 8
You Come Too
Students are directed to read pages 22–45 of Love That Dog and answer specific questions that require extracting information from the text, such as identifying whether Jack's poems are narrative and listing onomatopoetic words found on pages 31–34. One question asks where Jack got the title "YOU COME TOO," and the expected answer cites "The Pasture" by Robert Frost, which requires locating and naming a source in print. Activities ask students to reread poems (e.g., "The Red Wheelbarrow") and use words from the poems to create drawings and picture poems, which involves gathering descriptive language from print and using it in their own work.
Lesson 9
Write About What You Know
Students are asked to visit the library or use poetry books at home to find poetry collections, read them, and record discoveries (title, words from the poem, figurative language phrases) on the "Book of Poetry" pages. Students are prompted to write a free-verse poem based on personal experience, using vivid adjectives and imagery, which requires recalling relevant experiences. The guidance "You should never copy another author's writing word for word, but you can incorporate his or her ideas into your own writing" gives students direction about using sources without direct copying.
Lesson 10
Inspired
Students read Love That Dog and answer comprehension questions that ask them to recall details from the book and to explain personal experiences (e.g., describing why Jack could not stop thinking about hearing back from Walter Dean Myers). Students compare Jack's poem with Walter Dean Myers's poem using a graphic organizer to record similarities and differences, which requires gathering and summarizing information from the printed poems. A web link to Walter Dean Myers is provided and students are directed to use an inspiration poem (print or digital) to write their own poem, which involves gathering information from those sources.
Unit 2: The View from Saturday
Lesson 1
The Academic Bowl
Students read specified pages of The View from Saturday and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, directly recalling details from the print text (e.g., questions about Noah, Mrs. Olinski, and settings). Students are asked to record factual statements about the book and identify facts versus opinions, which requires extracting relevant information from the text. Students are instructed to use post-it notes to jot down ideas before composing a 7–8 sentence thank-you letter, demonstrating basic note-taking from their own experience.
Lesson 2
Florida
Students are directed to use an encyclopedia or the provided National Geographic link to find information and write a zoo plaque about loggerhead sea turtles, which requires gathering information from a digital source. Students create plot flowcharts for Noah's and Nadia's stories, which require recalling and summarizing key events from the text into organized notes. Students use a dictionary to write definitions on note cards for the vocabulary cube, demonstrating locating and recording information from a print source.
Lesson 3
Sea Turtles
Students are asked to finish reading the story and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., identifying the musical, what Nadia's father decided, and why Nadia stopped attending turtle walks), which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students are asked to write three interesting things they notice or learn about Nadia in a journal and to fill in the storyline for "Nadia's Story," which requires summarizing or condensing story details in written form. One question (Have you ever seen a musical?) asks students to relate personal experience, prompting recall from their own experiences.
Lesson 4
Report Writing
Students are directed to "find information on websites or in books" and to "use the outline below to organize your ideas," showing they gather relevant information from print and digital sources and record it in notes. The Student Activity Pages provide structured outline prompts (habitat, food sources, predators, life cycle) for students to write their findings. The Parent Plan lists skills including "Use multiple sources to locate relevant information" and "Summarize and organize information by outlining ideas," and students are instructed to write a rough draft and a final copy based on their research.
Lesson 5
Epiphany, New York
Students answer specific comprehension questions about Chapter 3 and the excerpt "Ethan Explains the B & B Inn," requiring recall of details from the text. Students are asked to list five state-history questions and provide answers in Activity 2, then quiz a family member, which requires generating and recording information. Students are also prompted to write three sentences about the story in Activity 1, producing brief written responses based on the text.
Lesson 6
Adventures in Wonderland
Students are asked to finish reading the story and "summarize the first half of his story," which requires recalling relevant information from a print source. The Reading and Questions section directs students to answer comprehension questions and "write your storyline for 'Ethan's Story,'" which asks them to produce a written summary/retelling. Wrapping Up asks students to "identify five sentences with linking verbs in the novel or any other book," which requires gathering specific information from print; Activity 3 asks students to write a paragraph describing a friend, drawing on personal experience.
Lesson 7
Annie
Students read Chapter 4 and answer specific comprehension questions about Julian, which requires recalling relevant information from the print text. Students are asked to 'create the storyline for Julian's Story' and 'explain the storyline,' which asks them to summarize the book material in a finished product. Students also write a script for a selected scene and draw relationship lines with explanatory phrases, both of which require paraphrasing or condensing information from the story.
Lesson 8
The Souls
Students read Chapters 5–8, which requires them to gather information from a print source. Students complete a 'Round and Flat Characters' page where they list round characters and write three things they know about each, recalling and recording relevant textual details. Students write an acrostic poem about The Souls that asks them to reflect on what they know about the team and its members, producing finished work based on gathered information.
Lesson 9
Kindness
Students finish reading the book and are asked to describe the journey of each member of The Souls in their journals (Activity 2), which requires recalling relevant information from the print text. Students are asked to perform random acts of kindness and then write about their experience in a journal (Activity 4), which requires recalling and reporting on personal experience. The Parent Plan instructs students to support their ideas by citing examples in the text and personal experiences, indicating students will use evidence from print and experience to support their writing.
Unit 3: American Tall Tales and Legends
Lesson 1
Story Genres
Activity 2 asks students to find a folktale in their home library and "record in your journal five things you learn about the culture" where the folktale originated, which requires gathering information from a print source and taking notes. Activity 1 requires students to identify and write the title of a story that fits each story-type definition, which has students recall examples from prior reading or experience. Activity 3 has students place story titles on regional maps and add small illustrations, which has students organize and record information about story origins.
Lesson 2
Tales and Legends of the Northeast
Students are asked to research the life of John Chapman using three provided web links and then write a John Chapman bio-poem, which requires gathering information from digital sources. Students create a Venn diagram comparing the legend (Johnny Appleseed) to the real man, which requires summarizing and organizing information from multiple sources. Students record words and phrases describing characters and identify hyperboles from the texts, which involves recalling relevant information from the stories and summarizing it on activity pages.
Lesson 3
Tales and Legends of the South
Students are asked to read specific print and digital texts (Annie Christmas, Susanna and Simon, Brer Rabbit stories) and answer comprehension questions that require recalling details (e.g., "What was Annie's job?", "What task did Susanna's Pa decide..."). Students are directed to read two Brer Rabbit stories via provided web links or to find other online versions, which requires gathering information from digital sources. Students are also asked to "record your questions in your journal," indicating an expectation to note information from their reading.
Lesson 4
Tales and Legends of the Midwest
Students are directed to read another version of John Henry online or in books and to record five differences and three similarities in their journals, showing gathering from print and digital sources and comparing content. Students are given web links to online versions of John Henry and asked to record journal entries (Activity 6) and to trace the Mississippi on a map (Activity 1), which requires extracting relevant information from provided sources. Students are also asked to list items and to record sentences that characterize John Henry in their journals (Activities 3 and 4), which involves noting and recording information from texts.
Lesson 5
Tales and Legends of the Southwest
Students read named print folktales ("Pale-Faced Lightning," "Sister Fox and Brother Coyote," "Pecos Bill") and answer comprehension questions that require recalling details from those texts. Students are instructed in Activity 2 to "Write a summary of one of the stories you read today" using at least five transitional words, and Activity 4 asks students to "list ten things the author writes about the geography of the Southwest" in a journal. The compare/contrast graphic organizer (Activity 1) asks students to organize information from two stories, which requires gathering and recording relevant details.
Lesson 6
Tales and Legends of the West
Students read the printed folktales ("Hekeke," "Hiiaka," and "Paul Bunyan") and answer specific comprehension questions that require recalling details from the texts. Students complete the "Myth" activity page by listing characters and writing the message of the myth, which requires summarizing the story's main idea. Students reorder cut-apart paragraphs from "Hekeke" and create a "Story Book Jacket" that asks them to write a short summary on the back cover, both tasks asking students to condense and restate story content. The storytelling activity asks students to retell a legend aloud, use transition words, and check sequence and key relationships, requiring paraphrase and summary in oral form.
Final Project
Your Own Tall Tale or Legend
Students are asked to use real geographical details and possibly real state history in their folktale and to record ten details about the setting in a journal, which requires recalling or noting relevant information. The activities direct students to brainstorm and list descriptive words for the main character and to use a plot diagram and journal notes to organize ideas for their final story. The rubric specifically asks whether students included geographical and cultural details, and the editing step directs students to look up words in a dictionary and consult a Handy Guide to Writing.
2: Diversity and Interdependence
Unit 1: The Cay
Lesson 1
Story Context
Students are asked to gather information about Curaçao using books or Internet resources and are provided with specific web links to consult (Activity 2). Students are directed to read about World War II from recommended online sources and answer focused journal questions about causes, countries involved, locations of fighting, and outcomes (Activity 4). Students produce finished written work that synthesizes gathered information, including a travel-brochure paragraph, journal answers, a Venn diagram comparing Curaçao to their community, and written responses about why each side fought (Activities 2, 4, and 5).
Lesson 2
Curacao
Students read Chapters 1 and 2 of The Cay and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, demonstrating recall of relevant information from the text (e.g., describing the town and Phillip's background). Students use context to write vocabulary definitions and then look up and record dictionary definitions, showing gathering information from print sources. Activity 3 asks students to research Curacao imports and exports and draw items based on the novel and their research, which requires gathering relevant information from print or digital sources. Activity 2 has students record effective opening sentences from other novels, which involves locating and recording information from print texts.
Lesson 3
Overboard
Students read Chapters 3–4 of The Cay and answer comprehension questions, showing they gather relevant information from a print source. Students record one or two sentences per character across chapter ranges on the Phillip and Timothy activity pages, which requires summarizing/paraphrasing character feelings, thoughts, and actions in notes. Students rewrite a provided paragraph or compose their own paragraph about what happened when the boat was torpedoed, practicing paraphrase and summarization in finished writing. Students practice translating Timothy's dialect phrases into standard English, which is a form of paraphrasing spoken text.
Lesson 4
Land
Students are asked in Activity 3 to "Find information about the shark in books or on websites," and to record three important pieces of information and two related ideas on the Shark Research web. Part C of the subject/verb activity asks students to find and write one sentence with a plural subject/verb and one with a singular subject/verb from the book, which requires recalling information from print. The Shark Research organizer requires students to organize information into a web and to draw the shark in its habitat, demonstrating selection and condensation of facts.
Lesson 5
Stranded
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 of The Cay and fill in information about both characters on the "Phillip and Timothy" pages, which requires locating and recording relevant details from print text. Students are asked to read the nonfiction book Coral Reef Food Chains and then complete related tasks (illustration/labeling or a journal entry) that require gathering information from that source. Students complete the SURVIVAL page by illustrating resources from the coral reef and writing descriptions of how each resource could be used, which requires extracting and recording relevant information.
Lesson 6
Work
Students read Chapters 9 and 10 of The Cay and answer specific comprehension questions recalling details (e.g., how Timothy and Phillip made a rope, tasks Timothy wanted Phillip to do). Students are asked to write a sentence or two on the "Phillip and Timothy" pages describing the characters' attitudes and actions, and to list or illustrate island resources used to meet needs. Students also record written responses to discrimination scenarios, demonstrating recall and application of information from the text and prompts.
Lesson 7
Different Cultures
Students are asked to read Chapters 11 and 12 and answer specific comprehension questions and fill in character information, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Activity 2 instructs students to "refer to books or websites" if unsure about an organism and Option 2 explicitly says "You may have to research this information" to design a classification chart. Activity 3 asks students to make journal lists of ways Timothy and Phillip have helped each other, prompting students to recall and record events from the story.
Lesson 8
Fishing
Students read Chapters 13 and 14 and write one- to two-sentence descriptions of the characters' feelings and actions, which requires recalling and summarizing text-based information. In Activity 2 students write two journal entries from Phillip's perspective, paraphrasing sensory details and character information learned from the story. The hurricane simulation and survival-kit activity ask students to draw on experience and justify choices, which involves recalling relevant information and explaining it in finished work.
Lesson 9
The Storm
Students read Chapters 15 and 16 of The Cay and complete the "Phillip and Timothy" activity page, gathering relevant information from the print text. The Skills section explicitly lists "Summarize major points from fiction to clarify ideas," and students use multiple "Organizing My Ideas" pages to record main ideas, topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding sentences. Students then write a three-paragraph rough draft that synthesizes their notes and ideas, using the rubric to shape their finished work.
Lesson 10
Survival
Students read Chapters 17 and 18 and answer five questions focused on important events, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Students revise and produce a final essay about how Timothy and Phillip's relationship changed, and are asked to support the book's theme with evidence from the text. Students complete the "Remembering Timothy" activity by selecting and describing three items that represent Timothy, which asks them to gather and explain relevant information from their experience of the story.
Final Project
For Timothy
Students read the last chapter of The Cay and answer specific comprehension questions, filling in information on the "Phillip and Timothy" activity page, which requires recalling relevant events. Students read or listen to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech via provided text and audio links and are asked to read part aloud, which requires gathering information from a digital/print source. Students compose a concise monument inscription and a formal eulogy that describes what they learned from Timothy and includes a description of King's dream, which requires summarizing or paraphrasing their experiences and source content in finished work.
Unit 2: A House of Tailors
Lesson 1
German Immigrants
Students are asked to use library or online resources and interviews to learn about immigration (Parent Plan Skills) and Activity 1 explicitly directs students to locate Germany on a map and "find information about Germany online or in books or other resources." Students complete a Student Activity Page by filling in facts in labeled categories and Activity 3 asks students to ask family members about ancestry and write a short journal entry about what they learned.
Lesson 2
Dina in Germany
Students read Chapters 1–2 and answer specific comprehension questions that require recalling details from the text (e.g., Dina's job, why the soldier suspected her). The Skills section directs students to "use the text's structure... to locate and recall information." Activities ask students to look up vocabulary definitions in a dictionary and to use provided web links to label and color a map of Germany, requiring gathering information from print and digital sources.
Lesson 3
Journey to New York
Students are asked to record information they learn about New York City and immigrants in 1870 on chapter-based note pages (Activity 3), which requires gathering relevant information from the printed novel. Students complete cause-and-effect pages that require recalling events from Chapters 3–6 and writing two examples from their own lives, which involves retrieving relevant experiential and textual information. Students are directed to add a couple of sentences each day to their notes, showing practice in taking notes from the print text.
Lesson 4
Welcome to New York
Students are asked to record things they learned on the pages titled "The City and the People of New York in 1870," which requires gathering relevant information from the print text. Students list interesting adjectives and strong verbs from specified pages and sort words and phrases by the five senses, which requires extracting and recording textual details. Students reflect on a main street in their community and write a paragraph from personal observation, which requires recalling relevant information from experience and producing a finished paragraph.
Lesson 5
Dina's Job
Students read Chapters 10–12 and are instructed to "record a few things you learned about the people and the city" on the pages titled 'The City and the People of New York in 1870,' which requires recalling and gathering relevant information from print. Students create picture frames and bubble maps where they label family members, list two ways the families are different and two ways they are alike, and list character traits based on characters' actions and words, which involves summarizing details from the text. The activities direct students to "think back on each character's actions and words," prompting them to extract and condense information into notes and graphic organizers.
Lesson 6
A New Hat
Students read Chapters 13–15 and answer specific comprehension questions and are instructed to spend time filling in information learned on the pages titled "The City and the People of New York in 1870," which requires recalling or extracting relevant information from the text. Activity 3 asks students to write a journal entry about a personal embarrassing moment, which prompts students to recall relevant information from their own experiences. Activity 2 directs students to use a dictionary and a thesaurus and provides an online resource link, prompting students to gather information from print and digital reference sources.
Lesson 7
Sickness
Students are directed to "Read about smallpox online or in a book or other resource" and to "Fill in the information you learn about the disease on the 'Smallpox' page," which requires gathering relevant information from print or digital sources. Students are also asked to "Write down information you learned from today's chapters on the pages 'The City and the People of New York in 1870'" and to answer specific content questions (e.g., how Dina described vaccination, symptoms), which requires recalling and recording relevant information from a text.
Lesson 8
Christmas
Students read Chapters 19–21 of A House of Tailors and answer specific comprehension questions in complete sentences, requiring recall of details from the text (e.g., season, gifts, events on the roof). Students are asked to "record a few things you learned about the people and the city" on the page titled "The City and the People of New York in 1870," which requires summarizing information from the reading. Students make lists of reasons for Dina to stay or go and decide what she should do, using text-based reasons, which asks them to condense and organize relevant information from the story.
Lesson 9
A Letter
Students are instructed to use a prior list of reasons (from the previous lesson) and to record ideas on the "Organizing Your Ideas" page, including topic sentences and supporting details for each paragraph. Students then turn those notes into a first draft, revise and edit, and produce a final copy of the letter, using their notes as the basis for finished work.
Lesson 10
Fire!
Students read Chapters 22–24 and answer explicit comprehension questions that require recalling details (e.g., causes of the fire, items Dina worried about, actions she took). Students are asked to "record a few things you learned about the people and the city" on the pages titled "The City and the People of New York in 1870," which requires gathering and noting information from the text. The Analyzing Writing activity asks students to highlight passages and reflect on techniques, which involves extracting relevant information from the printed novel.
Lesson 11
Living the American Dream
Students are asked to "write down any information you learned from these final chapters on the pages 'The City and the People of New York in 1870,'" which requires gathering relevant information from the print text and recording notes. Students are instructed to ask family members about an interesting event or individual from their own family history and to "think of a short synopsis (summary) and title for a book," which requires collecting information from personal experiences and summarizing it. Students create book jackets and complete "If...then" reflective prompts and a short poem or song, which ask them to produce finished work that retells or paraphrases character events and personal reflections.
Final Project
Today and Yesterday or Story Quilt
Students are instructed to locate information in books and online about New York today and in the late 1800s and to record important information and vivid words and phrases on a chart. Students take notes during research (Part 1: Taking Notes) and are required to use fact-based information and adequate notes as criteria on the poems rubric. Students incorporate gathered information into finished products by writing poems about New York or by filling quilt squares with story information and comparisons drawn from the novel and research.
Unit 3: My Side of the Mountain
Lesson 1
Preparing for the Adventure
Students are asked to use technology to gather information (Parent Plan Skills: "Use technology as a tool to gather information") and are given specific web links to research Jean Craighead George and the Catskill Mountains. Students complete an "About the Author" activity page by researching biographical details and fill graphic organizers (e.g., "My Survival Story" and "Seasons in the Catskill Mountains") that require them to record and present information. Activities ask students to look for pictures, describe seasonal features, and write journal entries about tourist activities and personal preferences.
Lesson 2
Learning to Survive
Students read pages 1–20 of My Side of the Mountain and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, demonstrating gathering relevant information from a print source. Students read the "Building a Campfire" information (noted as from smokeybear.com) and are instructed to summarize the major points on a poster, demonstrating synthesis of information from a digital source into a finished product. Students practice paraphrasing when they are told to "summarize the major points" and to "highlight the most important parts" for the poster.
Lesson 3
Making a Home
Students are asked to summarize what happened in the pages they read and to read pages 21–40 and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, which requires recalling relevant information from a print source. In Activity 1 students read a Wilderness Survival list and explain how each item would help Sam, requiring them to gather and apply information from the text to new contexts. In Activity 3 students create analogies between forest nouns and wilderness survival, which has students paraphrase ideas and express relationships in their own words.
Lesson 4
A Baby Falcon
Students read pages 41–58 of My Side of the Mountain and answer specific comprehension questions that require recalling events from the text (e.g., what happened when Sam tried to get the baby falcon). Activity 3 asks students to create a bird feeder and "take some time to closely observe the birds that come to feed," which prompts gathering information from personal experience. Activity 1 asks students to describe an animal's personality and explain the relationship they would have with it, requiring written description in finished work.
Lesson 5
A Stranger
Students read specific pages of My Side of the Mountain (pages 58–85) and are asked to recall prior events and answer comprehension questions, which requires recalling relevant information from print. Students are directed to write a short summary of the section using provided words with suffixes, and parents are asked to check that the summary contains examples of each suffix. Students are also prompted to read Walking with Henry and, if using a timeline, place Thoreau's card, which asks students to gather information from an additional print source.
Lesson 6
Autumn
Students are asked to "research information about falcons" and "discover how they interact with other organisms in their environment," which requires gathering relevant information from print or digital sources. Students must prepare a short presentation (speech with a poster, models, or a PowerPoint) that describes those relationships, requiring them to synthesize findings into a finished product. The reading task (pages 86-106) and question types also prompt students to recall and use information from text to answer and generate questions.
Lesson 7
Newspaper Reporter
Students read specified pages (107-131) and answer comprehension questions, requiring them to recall relevant information from print. Students locate and examine a physical or online newspaper to gather information about article organization and use the "Newspaper Article Planning" page to take notes on the 5 Ws and 1 H. Students convert those notes into paragraph organizers and compose a finished newspaper article that presents the who/what/when/where and elaborates on how/why.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students are asked to finish reading My Side of the Mountain and answer comprehension questions, which requires recalling relevant information from a print source. Students read passages and find words containing prefixes/suffixes/roots and provide definitions, which involves gathering information from the text. Students are asked to identify and classify plants and animals, develop a food web, describe examples of interdependence, create a plot diagram, and document a year in the wilderness, all of which require collecting and recording relevant information from the book or imagined experience.
3: Discovery and Survival
Unit 1: The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Lesson 1
Barbados to Connecticut
Students are instructed to read the first two chapters of The Witch of Blackbird Pond and answer specific recall questions (e.g., where Kit grew up, why she was going to Connecticut), which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Activity 1 directs students to read about Barbados at the provided web links and "take notes in your journal about some important things you learn," which requires gathering information from digital/print sources and recording it. The wrapping up and parent-plan prompts ask to "review information your child learned about the geography and culture of Barbados," reinforcing recall of gathered information.
Lesson 2
The Woods
Students are asked to read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer comprehension questions, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Activity 2 directs students to "read about the geography of Connecticut and the lives of its colonists" and explicitly tells students to "take notes in your journal about important things you learn," and several web links are provided as digital sources. Activity 3 asks students to complete a "Barbados vs. Connecticut" comparison chart, which requires organizing gathered information into categories.
Lesson 3
Meeting House
Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer direct comprehension questions that require recalling details (e.g., how Kit feels, what Bulkeley and Wood argued, who William Ashby is). Students examine a map of the Connecticut Colony, consider how geography and climate affected colonists, and record three ideas in their journal, comparing the colonial map to a modern map. Students write a personal narrative about an experience (embarrassment or nervousness), using concrete sensory details and providing context, which draws on personal recollection and retelling.
Lesson 4
William
Students are asked to summarize the chapters they read yesterday, prompting them to recall and condense information from print. Students answer specific comprehension questions (Q1–Q3) that require recalling relevant details from the chapters. Students make journal lists of colonists' daily chores and list reasons for being a Royalist or supporting free government, which requires gathering information from the text and recording it as notes or organized lists.
Lesson 5
The Meadow
Students read Chapter 9 and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., why Kit ran away), which requires recalling relevant information from a text. Students are asked in Option 1 to find a story in the Bible or another book and prepare it for family members to act out, which involves locating and using a print source. Students rewrite sentences in the "Show, Don't Tell" activity, transforming given statements into descriptive versions, which practices paraphrasing or restating content.
Lesson 6
The Widow
Students are asked to read Chapters 10 and 11 and answer comprehension questions, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. In Activity 1 students record three discoveries about the community, the Woods family, and themselves on a Student Activity Page, which has them write notes based on their reading. In Activity 2 students read a provided page about the Quaker faith and complete a Venn diagram comparing Quakers and Puritans, which has them gather information from a print source and organize key ideas. The vocabulary picture dictionary activity has students write word definitions and record unfamiliar words, demonstrating note-taking from text.
Lesson 7
A Bird
Students read Chapters 12 and 13 and answer specific comprehension questions that require recalling details from the text (e.g., what Aunt Rachel gave Kit, what happened to Hannah Tupper). In Activity 2 students read the short "An Island Bird" passage, identify a metaphor, compare two things, and list three ways Kit's experience parallels the bird, using textual evidence. In Activity 3 students view an online painting and brainstorm descriptive phrases, gathering information from a digital source and saving their ideas as notes for later use.
Lesson 8
New England in the Fall
Students are asked to find pictures of New England in the fall, which requires gathering visual print or digital sources. In Activity 2 students are instructed to make a list in their journal of the colonists' complaints from Chapter 15, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Activity 3 asks students to write a paragraph about a day the weather made special for them, which asks them to relate and record an experience in finished writing.
Lesson 9
Halloween in the Colonies
Students read Chapter 16 and answer five specific comprehension questions that require recalling facts from the text (e.g., why the community did not celebrate Thanksgiving; what happened to William's house). Students complete activity pages that ask them to rewrite and correct run-on sentences, which requires them to produce revised versions of given sentences. The Student Activity Page provides space for written responses and reflections tied to excerpts from the chapter.
Lesson 10
A Witch Hunt
Students answer specific comprehension questions about Chapters 17 and 18, demonstrating recall of details from the text (e.g., why Matthew Wood did not ask for help, how Kit rescues Hannah). Students are instructed to brainstorm reasons, record their ideas in a journal, and then review a provided list of explanations for the Salem witch trials, which requires gathering relevant information from the printed activity page. Students select three reasons from the list and write explanations for why they chose each one, showing they work with gathered information in written responses.
Lesson 11
The Trial
Students finish the remaining chapters and answer comprehension questions, which requires recalling relevant information from the book. The Skills section explicitly lists "Cite textual evidence to support analysis," and the "On Trial" activity asks students to make three arguments for defending Kit and "provide support" for each argument, prompting use of information from the text. The Wrapping Up and Things to Review sections ask students to think about the characters' experiences and what happened to them, which involves summarizing events.
Final Project
Narrative Essay
Students are prompted to recall personal experiences and brainstorm three or four options, placing a chosen memory in the center of a web and listing supporting details. Students use pre-writing organizers (flow chart or topical organizer) and an example organizer based on the printed essay "Kit's Story" to identify and organize relevant details for introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Students read and discuss the printed model essay and then draft, revise, and produce a five-paragraph narrative that incorporates the recalled or identified details.
Unit 2: The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Lesson 1
Train Station in Paris
Students are asked to "spend some time learning about Paris online or in books" (Activity 1), which requires gathering relevant information from print and digital sources. For Option 2, students must make a three-day travel itinerary listing three places per day and "describe what you will find there and why it is an important place," which requires them to record and present information. Activity 5 directs students to listen to or read interviews with the author, and vocabulary tasks instruct students to look up definitions in a dictionary, both of which involve gathering information from sources.
Lesson 2
Magic Tricks
Students read Chapters 4-6 and answer explicit comprehension questions that require recalling specific details from the text (e.g., what Hugo pulled from the wall, what it was designed to do). In the "Before & After" activity students write three statements in first person describing Hugo's life before and after his father's death, which requires summarizing/paraphrasing events and changes. In the "A Story in a Picture" activity students select an illustration and write text that conveys the same action, tone, and character thoughts, which asks them to convert visual information into written summary or paraphrase. The Life Application prompt asks students to reflect on personal decisions, prompting recall of relevant personal experiences.
Lesson 3
Memories
Students are prompted to "summarize what has happened in the story to this point," which asks them to recall and condense narrative events. Activity 1 asks students to write a personal memory in a journal, requiring recall of relevant experience and conveying details and emotion. Activities 2 and 3 require students to read an original Hans Christian Andersen text (with a provided web link) and compare it to a different version or movie using a graphic organizer that asks for characters, setting, events, message/moral, and similarities/differences, which involves gathering information from print/digital sources and summarizing it.
Lesson 4
The Key
Students answer specific comprehension questions (Questions #1-#5) that require recalling details from the text (e.g., the heart-shaped key, why Hugo took it, what the mechanical man drew). Students write and describe the specific task of an automaton on a note card (Activity 1) and jot down important parts of a made-up story to remind themselves of story elements (Activity 3). Students are asked to reread the book's introduction and write three predictions in a journal and to review the important events that occurred in Part 1, which involves extracting and recording relevant information from the print text.
Lesson 5
A Box
Students are directed to "read about his life online or using other reference material" and to "take notes on note cards," recording facts and dates for Georges Méliès. The directions require students to create around 20 note cards and then "reread them and put them in chronological order." The Wrapping Up section asks students to compare how the information in the story is similar to and different from the information they found about Méliès.
Lesson 6
Prometheus
Students are asked to retell the myth "Prometheus and the Story of Fire" in their own words after listening, which requires summarizing a text. Students are directed to watch the film "A Trip to the Moon" and read accompanying commentary, which has them gather information from digital and print sources. Students answer written questions (e.g., on the "Two Thieves?" and "Purpose" pages) that ask them to look back at book pages and write comparisons or explanations, which requires recalling relevant information and paraphrasing it in written responses.
Lesson 7
Six Months Later
Students are asked to gather information from the book and a linked movie trailer: Activity 1 directs students to write an exciting synopsis of the movie adaptation and then compare their ideas to the actual trailer (digital source). Activity 3 and the "Discoveries" organizer require students to recall and describe specific discoveries each character makes and how those discoveries change their lives (recalling relevant information from the text). Activity 4 provides a "Story Organizer" for students to record factual details from an event or person and then integrate those details into a short fictional story (taking notes and using gathered information).
Final Project
Hugo Mini-Projects
Students are instructed in the Research section to collect information using books and the internet (e.g., "Collect cards for individuals involved in early cinema, detailing their roles using books and the internet"). Day 2 Part 4 directs students to locate books and websites and to "record important information on note cards" with the name of the book or website at the top of each card. The Skills list explicitly notes that students should "quote or paraphrase information sources, citing them appropriately" and to "use technology as a tool to gather, organize, and present information."
Unit 3: The Ballad of Lucy Whipple
Lesson 1
From Massachusetts to California
Students are asked in Activity 2 to "locate information about the Gold Rush" using encyclopedias or online resources and to answer specific questions on the "What's the Rush in California?" page. The lesson provides two web links (History.com and PBS) for digital research and includes a student page with lines for written responses and a space for a student-generated question and answer. The Parent Plan and Skills list explicitly state students should "Take notes from relevant sources" and "Frame questions to direct research."
Lesson 2
Change
Students read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer comprehension questions that require recalling facts from the text (e.g., what job Lucy's mother asked her to do, why Lucy did not like California). Activity 2 asks students to calculate the distance from Boston to Coloma using a map or an online tool such as Google Maps, which requires gathering information from print or digital sources. Activity 2 also asks students to record ideas about what the family would have seen along the journey on the map, creating a written record of gathered geographic information.
Lesson 3
An Entrepeneur
Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer explicit comprehension questions that require recalling facts from the text (e.g., what Lucy discovered to make money, who Snowshoe is, why Lucy wants to save money). Students follow written instructions on the Mock Apple Pie page, gathering and using information from a print recipe to complete a cooking activity. Students brainstorm a list of money-making ideas in a journal and make a list of steps to carry out an entrepreneurial plan, drawing on their own experiences to plan and act.
Lesson 4
A Ballad
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 and answer specific comprehension questions that require recalling details (e.g., why Lucy paid $16, what was suspicious about Mr. Coogan). Students are instructed to reread the "Ballad of Rattlesnake Jake" and then write their own ballad, using the printed ballad as a model. Students analyze a provided paragraph by identifying and marking parts of speech, which requires close reading of a print source.
Lesson 5
A New Friend
Students answer direct comprehension questions about Chapters 9 and 10 (e.g., identifying Joe and what Lucy does with books), which requires recalling relevant information from reading. Activity 2 asks students to "research wildflowers that grow in your area" if they cannot visit a store, prompting gathering information from print or digital sources. The Sentence Beginnings activity asks students to rewrite a paragraph, which requires rephrasing existing text into new finished writing.
Lesson 6
Clyde Claymore
Students read Chapters 11–12 and are asked to generate and answer different types of questions (In the Text, Think and Search, Reader and Author, On My Own), which requires recalling and locating relevant information from the text. In the Packing for a Character activity, students collect five items that represent a chosen character based on what the author has told them and explain why each item was chosen, showing they gather and use textual details. The vocabulary cube task has students write definitions and sentences for target words, demonstrating that they extract and record relevant information from print.
Lesson 7
Loss
Students are asked to "summarize what happened in the chapters he read" and to read Chapters 13 and 14 and answer comprehension questions, which requires recalling relevant information from the text. The raccoon craft activity directs students to "look at pictures of raccoons online or in books," which asks them to gather relevant information from print and digital sources. Students also write directions for the craft and create a poem or song "based on the information the author has shared about [Butte]," which requires transforming information into finished work.
Lesson 8
Fire!
Students read Chapters 15 and 16 and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., how Brother Clyde reminded Lucy, what happened to the town), which requires recalling relevant information from the text. Activity 2 explicitly directs students to write a summary of Chapter 16, and the Parent Plan lists paraphrase and summarize as targeted skills. Activity 3 has students recount important events and their feelings in a personal letter, which asks them to summarize events from their reading and experiences.
Lesson 9
The Sandwich Islands
Students read Chapters 17–18 and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., Lucy's and her mother's plans, Clyde's savings), which requires recalling relevant information from the print text. Students are asked to draw characters "based on information the author has provided" and to write three words or phrases that describe them, prompting retrieval and written reporting of textual details. The "Survival & Seasons" activity directs students to record two or three threats for each season that are a result of the season or events that took place in the book, requiring students to gather and organize relevant information from the story.
Lesson 10
A Library
Students finish reading the novel and answer comprehension questions, requiring them to recall relevant events and character details from the text. Students identify four cause-and-effect relationships and record causes and effects in a flap book, practicing selection and note-taking of relevant information. Students complete the "Lucy Changes" graphic organizer by describing Lucy at the beginning, explaining how she changes, and describing her at the end, which asks them to summarize character development and the causes of change in writing.
Final Project
Persuasive Essay
Students are directed to use what they learned from the novel and their research on the California Gold Rush to write the essay, indicating instruction to gather information from print or research sources. Students are asked to 'read an example' essay and to 'refer to your pre-writing organizer' and 'use evidence and examples to support your reasons,' and the organizer pages include sections labeled 'Supporting Evidence' where students can record details. The activities require students to brainstorm reasons, complete graphic organizers for each paragraph, and refer to their organizers when writing body paragraphs, showing explicit practice in collecting and organizing information.
4: Systems
Unit 1: A Wrinkle in Time
Lesson 1
A Unique Family
Students read Chapter 1 and answer explicit comprehension questions (Q1–Q4), which requires recalling relevant information from the text. In Activity 2 students are instructed to record elements of science fiction and to fill an elements chart with evidence from A Wrinkle in Time, which has them gather and note specific information from a print source. Vocabulary activities ask students to look up word meanings in a dictionary and record the actual meanings, which requires gathering information from a print reference and recording it.
Lesson 2
Calvin
Students read Chapter 2 and answer comprehension questions that require recalling specific facts (e.g., Meg's father's job, reasons for Meg's poor school performance, Calvin's motive for going to the haunted house). Students complete a "Characterizing Meg" graphic organizer in which they write three character traits and provide three examples or pieces of evidence from the book to support each trait, gathering relevant information from the print source. The Skills section also directs students to use prewriting strategies such as graphic organizers, notes, and logs to organize knowledge and generate ideas.
Lesson 3
Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which
Students read Chapter 3 of the novel and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., Questions 2–4 ask for details about what the government told Meg's mom, the names of the three women, and the functions of family members), which requires recalling relevant information from a print source. In Activity 1 students record and describe two ideas or theories 'beyond human comprehension' and then share their descriptions with someone, practicing putting complex ideas into their own words and explaining them. In Activity 3 students write three plot ideas for science fiction short stories, producing short finished pieces that summarize beginning/middle/end elements.
Lesson 4
Tesser
Students read Chapter 4 of the novel and answer specific factual questions (e.g., where the children appeared, what "tesser" means), which requires recalling relevant information from a print source. Students are invited to add information to an "Elements of Science Fiction" page and to complete a Story Map and Protagonist pages, which require recording and organizing plot and character information (notes). Students practice rewriting sentences using transitional words and phrases, which has them paraphrase and recombine ideas in their own words.
Lesson 5
The Thing
Students read Chapter 5 of the novel and answer direct comprehension questions, which requires recalling relevant information from the text (e.g., questions about tessering, two-dimensional planets, and Earth). In Activity 2 students are asked to reread the section on dimensions and explain the five dimensions in their own words in a journal and to describe them to a sibling or parent, which asks them to summarize/paraphrase information for notes and oral explanation. In Activity 3 students brainstorm additional historical figures who fought the Dark Thing and explain why they chose each, which involves gathering relevant information and explaining connections to the text or historical periods.
Lesson 6
Camazotz
Students read Chapter 6 and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., what did the children learn about Mrs. Whatsit; what talismans were given), which requires recalling relevant information from the text. The Skills section names using notes, graphic organizers, and logs to generate ideas, and Activity 3 directs students to record antagonist information on a Story Map and a graphic organizer. Activity 1 asks students to rewrite simple sentences while keeping original meaning, which requires restating content in new words.
Lesson 7
Man with the Red Eyes
Students read Chapter 7 and answer specific comprehension questions that require recalling details (e.g., questions about how characters felt and what events occurred). In Activity 2 students read a provided summary of Chapter 7, are reminded that a summary contains the main idea and significant details, and circle transitional words and phrases within that summary. In Activity 3 students edit and rewrite a paragraph for correct verb tenses and transitions, practicing revising written work for clarity and coherence.
Lesson 8
Father
Students read Chapters 8 and 9 and answer specific comprehension questions, which requires recalling relevant information from the text and adding to their "Elements of Science Fiction" page. Students are instructed to "read about the parts of the brain online or in another reference source," label diagrams, and include a few words describing each part's function, which requires gathering information from print or digital sources and paraphrasing it into labels. Students write the time and place for their science fiction story and describe the setting on a story map, which asks them to summarize setting details in their notes and finished story plan.
Lesson 9
The Beasts
Students read Chapters 10 and 11 and answer specific comprehension questions, which requires recalling relevant information from the text (e.g., how Meg's father ended up on Camazotz and how the beasts helped Meg). Students complete a Theme graphic organizer and story map by recording events, characters' words/actions, and author's descriptions as evidence supporting a theme, which requires gathering and organizing information from the book. In Activity 1 students write descriptions of items (mother, IT, the ocean, Aunt Beast) without visual details, which asks them to paraphrase or rephrase attributes in non-visual terms.
Lesson 10
Love
Students read Chapter 12 and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., why Meg had to go, what Meg had that IT did not have), which requires recalling relevant information from a print source. Students are asked to "jot down" their problem and solution on a story map and to "review the information you recorded," which requires recording and organizing information in notes. The Verb Tense and other activity pages ask students to write sentences and elaborate, showing students produce finished written work based on prompts and reading.
Final Project
Science Fiction Short Story
Students are asked to refer back to A Wrinkle in Time and to "find evidence of each element" of science fiction, and to use the Elements of Science Fiction sheet to provide examples for each element. Students are directed to use their story map and brainstorming pages as they write, indicating they will recall and gather relevant ideas and textual examples from prior reading and planning. Activity 4 tells students to "look back at A Wrinkle in Time" to consider how the author used description and dialogue, which students use as models when drafting.
Unit 2: Lincoln
Lesson 1
Who Was He?
Students are asked to gather information from the photobiography by reading chapters and recording new information in the L column of a KWL chart. Students locate vocabulary in the text, copy the sentence containing each word, and look up and record definitions, which requires extracting relevant print information. Students record events and dates on a timeline (including calculating years), which requires collecting and noting factual information from the book.
Lesson 2
Childhood
Students read Chapter 2 and answer specific comprehension questions, which requires them to recall relevant information from a printed source. In Activity 3, students are instructed to gather at least eight examples of expository writing from around the house and explain how each is expository, which has students collect relevant print (and experiential) sources. In Activity 1, students list ways the author fulfills elements of a biography, which asks them to extract and restate evidence from the text.
Lesson 3
A Lawyer and Politician
Students read Chapter 3 and answer comprehension questions that require recalling relevant information (e.g., who Stephen A. Douglas was, differences between Whigs and Democrats, and how Mary's family felt about Lincoln). Students are asked in Activity 1 to identify offices in their state government and use a Venn diagram to compare state and federal government systems, which requires gathering or recalling information and summarizing similarities and differences in a finished product. The Parent Plan suggests locating a website with information about a state's government, indicating an expectation that students may consult print or digital sources to complete the comparison.
Lesson 4
Slavery
Students read Chapter 4 and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., why Lincoln feared forced abolition, the Dred Scott case, Douglas's views), which requires recalling relevant information from a print text. Students are asked to write a speech that must state a position and provide three supporting reasons, and the instructions require supporting each point with statistics, experiences, or quotations, prompting them to gather or use relevant information. The parent plan directs students to gather materials they can reference to support their position.
Lesson 5
Emancipation
Students read print sources (Chapter 5 and an excerpt of the Emancipation Proclamation) and are asked to underline three important sentences, copy them into a journal, and explain their significance. Students are instructed to read A Picture Book of Frederick Douglass and to use note cards to record important events from his life. Students use the information on their note cards to fill in a Frederick Douglass biopoem and to create a Venn diagram comparing Lincoln and Douglass, producing finished written work that synthesizes information from the texts.
Lesson 6
Civil War
Students read Chapter 6 and are instructed to use ideas found in the text and from other books to list reasons for and against the Civil War (Activity 1), showing gathering from print sources. Students listen to political speeches and write down opinions, facts, promises, and flattery (Activity 4), demonstrating gathering from audio/digital sources and note-taking. Students plan and conduct an interview, take notes or record responses, and then rewrite each question with a summary of the interview answers (Activities 5–7), demonstrating summarizing/paraphrasing in notes and finished work.
Lesson 7
Assassination
Students read the final chapter and are instructed to "read a couple of newspaper articles on current events" before writing. Students complete a 5 W's chart to gather facts and take notes about Lincoln's assassination. Students write a short newspaper report (a finished product) based on those notes, which requires summarizing the event for readers.
Lesson 8
Words and Memories
Students locate a website for a Lincoln-related historic site and create a small flyer that highlights what a visitor will find, using information gathered from a digital source. Students refer to an existing timeline and select six important events in Lincoln's life, writing dates and describing each event on train-car notes, which requires recalling relevant information from print timelines or prior work. Students copy quotes from a print photobiography and record phrases, explain meaning, and reflect on insights about Lincoln, working directly with print source material.
Final Project
Lincoln Showcase
Students gather and assemble all products they created during the unit (speech, newspaper article, interview Q&A, biopoem, letter, timeline), which shows recall of information from their prior work. The instructions tell students to print pictures from the Internet and paste them next to products (e.g., a picture of a slave, a picture of Frederick Douglass), which shows gathering relevant information from digital sources. The Parent Plan skills list explicitly names "Paraphrase and summarize text to recall, inform, and organize ideas," indicating an expectation that students have practiced summarizing or paraphrasing.
Unit 3: Independent Study
Lesson 1
What Is Independent Study?
Students are instructed to "Find sources of information to help you answer your questions" (Step 3) and to "Take notes (record information you discover about your topic)" (Step 4). Students are required to "Write a report about your topic" (Step 5) and to develop a product to share their findings (Step 6). The Independent Study Rubric explicitly checks "using a variety of sources, note-taking, and creating a bibliography," and parents are told children will need time at the library to locate sources.
Lesson 2
Select a Topic
Students are directed to brainstorm topics using nonfiction books or magazines (Activity 1), which prompts them to gather relevant information from print sources. Students record prior knowledge, questions, and new learning in a KWL chart (Activity 4), which requires them to recall experiences and note information they learn. On the "My Topic" page students complete the prompt "I may be able to find more information about my topic by:" and are given numbered lines to list sources or methods for gathering information.
Lesson 3
Developing Questions
Activity 3 directs students to copy each big question to the top of a research chart, put subtopics in columns, and use the columns to record notes as they do research. The research-chart example includes a left-hand "Bibliography" column and an explicit note that the first column is for listing the source of each piece of information. Activity 2 has students write three big questions and list three supporting details beneath each, which guides students in identifying what information to gather.
Lesson 4
Finding Information
Students identify and select multiple source types on the "Where Do I Look?" page and are required to gather at least four sources (two print, one website, one non-print) in Activity 3. Students practice extracting relevant information by underlining paragraphs in the lemur article, adding key facts to a graphic organizer, and are given explicit note-taking guidelines that say not to copy exact wording and to use their own words (Activity 4). Students record sources as they work (Activity 5) and create a formal bibliography using the provided citation instructions, sample bibliography, and bibliography template (Activity 7).
Lesson 5
Writing Your Report
Students are directed to gather information on "Research Chart" pages and to use that information to build the three body paragraphs (Activity 1 and The Body Paragraphs). The lesson tells students to avoid copying chart entries verbatim and instructs them that "If you use a direct quote... put it in quotation marks" and to "use interesting sentences to build the paragraphs," which teaches paraphrasing. The Parent Plan explicitly tells students to "draw from more than one source of information" when writing a report.
Lesson 6
Developing a Product
Students are told they have completed a research report, implying prior gathering of information, and are asked to choose a product to share what they learned. In Activity 2 students make a list of the factual information they will include and create a checklist of steps to complete the product. In Activity 5 students practice presenting, read or explain their product to an audience, and are asked to discuss why the information is important.