Fourth Grade - ELA
1: Interdependence
Unit 1: Little House in the Big Woods
Lesson 1
Introducing the Story
The lesson asks the child to share prior knowledge and participate in discussions about pioneers and Laura Ingalls Wilder (Getting Started; Introduction). The Skills section explicitly lists using oral language to "discuss and sustain conversation on a topic, share information and ideas," supporting spoken exchange. Activity 3 prompts the child to compare Wisconsin to their home state and to explain whether they would want to live there, and the Wrapping Up section asks the child to describe what they learned about the author and the state.
Lesson 2
Little House in the Big Woods
The lesson directs students to answer two to four chapter questions in a journal and use the remaining questions as oral discussion prompts, which requires them to speak about text ideas. It asks students to share ways that Laura's family depended on natural resources and to discuss how pioneers found resources, providing opportunities for verbal exchange and explanation. The Natural Resources and Survival activity asks students to list resources and describe how each aided survival, which can be reported and discussed aloud.
Lesson 3
Winter Days and Winter Nights
Students are directed to answer two questions in a discussion (e.g., comparing winters, describing reactions to the panther story), and to discuss the division of labor on the homestead and how chores compare to their own family. The lesson asks students to discuss how Laura's family's chores are similar to and different from their own and to describe what life was like for Laura in winter during a wrap-up. Activities include partner/parent-led discussion prompts and follow-up comparison tasks that require students to state and explain their ideas aloud.
Lesson 4
The Long Rifle
Students are asked to retell the story aloud (Question #2), which requires them to review the key ideas and plot points expressed in the text. In the Wrapping Up and discussion prompts, students are asked to explain why storytelling is important and to explain ways family members depend on one another, requiring them to state their own ideas in response to discussion. The Storytelling activity has students share an oral story with the family and practice storytelling techniques, which asks them to articulate and explain their own ideas to listeners.
Lesson 5
Christmas
Students are prompted to write three questions before reading and then check whether those questions are answered, which asks them to revisit and review key ideas. The lesson includes direct discussion prompts (e.g., "Do you think this is true? Why or why not?", "How do the gifts Laura's family members shared on Christmas reflect the environment?", and "How were the family's gifts different from the gifts people receive today?") that require students to explain their own ideas. Activity 1 asks students to record one thing they learned about life in the woods versus life today, requiring a brief summary of key ideas.
Lesson 6
Sundays and Two Big Bears
Students answer specific comprehension questions that require them to state key ideas (e.g., why Laura and Mary disliked Sundays, the moral of Pa's story) and compare events (e.g., comparing Pa's and Ma's experiences). Students discuss the difference between fact and opinion and are asked to make factual and opinion statements and to locate examples in the text. Students discuss which day they dislike, write a five-senses poem reflecting that discussion, record one thing they learned comparing life in the Big Woods to life today, and read their poem aloud.
Lesson 7
The Sugar Snow
Students are prompted to answer comprehension questions (QUESTION #1–#5) after reading the chapter, which requires them to state their ideas about the text. The Skills section explicitly lists using oral language to 'discuss and sustain conversation on a topic' and to 'share information and ideas.' The Wrapping Up and Getting Started prompts ask students to summarize what happened in the chapter and to state what they learned about pioneers and trees, and the Life Application section directs students to 'discuss how maple sugar farming has changed.'
Lesson 8
Dance at Grandpa's
The lesson repeatedly asks students to discuss and describe ideas (e.g., describe what the family does for fun, discuss how life in the Big Woods differs, and explain the role of the extended family). Activities ask students to record what they learned (Activity 1), listen to songs and record how each song made them feel and then create a dance reflecting that feeling (Activity 2), and answer open-ended questions about why Laura enjoyed visits and what role music plays in their own family (Reading Questions and Wrapping Up). The Student Activity Page and square dance activity require students to perform and explain dance steps, supporting spoken description and explanation of actions.
Lesson 9
Going to Town
Students are asked to describe differences between Laura and Mary, state which character they are more similar to, and explain why, including giving examples to support their answer. Activity 1 asks students to record one thing they learned about how life in the woods differs from life today, which requires summarizing a key idea. Reading questions (for example, Q2 and Q3) prompt students to compare experiences and justify their responses in writing or discussion.
Lesson 10
Summertime and Harvest
The lesson repeatedly prompts spoken discussion: students are asked to "describe the seasons" and "Discuss how the seasons affect the environment," and to "ask your child what she knows about honeybees" and "discuss how flowers and bees are interdependent." Students are prompted to compare stories by answering "how the stories are similar and how they are different," and to "read her paragraphs aloud," which requires explaining ideas verbally. The "Wrapping Up" prompt asks the student to "describe what she learned about summertime and fall," asking for a spoken summary of learning.
Lesson 11
Finishing the Book
Students are asked reflective questions after reading (e.g., what they enjoyed, what they learned about pioneer life) and answer specific comprehension questions about the chapters. Students read "A Letter from the Author" and are asked whether the author's letter is formal or informal and to explain why, requiring them to review the author's key choices and state their own reasoning. Students revise their own letters using rubric-based feedback from an adult and then read their final letter aloud to family, which provides an opportunity to explain their ideas to others.
Final Project
Pioneer Family Night
Students are asked to read aloud favorite sections and explain why they are favorites, explain how pioneers used natural resources during the craft activity, and explain the importance of music, dance, and storytelling to pioneers. The checklist and activity pages prompt students to lead family activities, invite other family members to tell stories, and provide space for notes and explanations about each event. The wrapping-up prompt asks the child to reflect on what she enjoyed and what she would have done differently.
Unit 2: The Sign of the Beaver
Lesson 1
Background Information
The lesson prompts a one-on-one discussion where students are asked to explain why Native Americans and settlers might have been upset with one another and to discuss setting, climate, and historical context. Students are asked to write a paragraph describing whether they would have wanted to be a settler or a Native American, which requires them to explain their own perspective after the discussion. The lesson also prompts students to state whether they think they will enjoy the story and to justify why or why not.
Lesson 2
Alone
The lesson directs students to use a subset of chapter questions as discussion questions and to discuss predictions about the main character's upcoming challenge, which prompts verbal exchange. It instructs parents to "take this opportunity to discuss" the historical use and connotations of the word "savage," asking the child to think critically about language. The wrapping-up prompts ask the child to discuss whether they will enjoy the book and to compare Matt's responsibilities to their own, encouraging spoken comparison and explanation.
Lesson 3
A Stranger
Students are prompted to answer and discuss specific comprehension questions (Questions #1–#5) about character actions and events, which requires them to state ideas and explanations. Students are asked to explain how Saknis helped heal Matt's bee stings and to discuss natural remedies, which asks them to articulate their understanding. The Wrapping Up prompt asks students to explain why it might be unusual for an Indian to help a white settler, and the Character Timelines activity asks students to record words or phrases describing Matt's feelings and attitudes after reading those chapters.
Lesson 4
A Treaty
Students are asked to discuss remaining comprehension questions with a parent and to describe what happened to Matt and who saved him, which prompts review of key ideas expressed. In Activity 3 students discuss interdependence, answer specific questions about how they give and take in a relationship, and are prompted to think of ways Matt could help Attean, requiring them to explain their understanding in light of that discussion. The wrapping up prompt asks students to describe the treaty Matt and Saknis made, which requires summarizing and restating main ideas from the discussion.
Lesson 5
A Story
Students are asked to answer some questions in a journal and answer remaining questions in a discussion with an adult, which requires verbal exchange about Chapters 7–9. Activity 3 asks students to write about how Matt and Attean see the story differently and then to have a conversation about how personal experiences influence understanding, prompting reflection on others' perspectives. The Skills list explicitly includes summarizing main ideas from spoken texts, which supports reviewing content during discussion.
Lesson 6
The Beaver
Students are asked to answer the provided comprehension questions both in a journal and orally in a discussion, which requires them to state ideas about Attean, Matt, and the 'sign of the beaver.' The Wrapping Up prompt asks students to explain what Matt learned from Attean, encouraging students to articulate their understanding after discussion. Activities direct students to compare stories using a Venn diagram and to discuss beaver research and what people could learn from beavers and Indian markings, which asks students to explain ideas in discussion.
Lesson 7
Real Life Learning
Students are prompted to answer comprehension questions orally in a discussion or in their journal after reading Chapters 12 and 13, which asks them to describe events (e.g., how Attean taught Matt to make a bow). The Character Timelines activity directs students to record descriptions of what they learned about Matt and Attean, and the Rules of the Forest activity asks students to list and illustrate rules based on what Matt is learning from Attean. The Wrapping Up prompts ask students to state whether they have more book smarts or common sense and to explain why, inviting verbal explanation of their understanding.
Lesson 8
The Bear
Students are prompted to engage in discussion through journal and discussion questions for Chapters 14–16, including prompts about the bear, the feast, and the dance. Activities instruct students to "discuss" how dance reflects music and to "discuss what makes someone a good storyteller," and they are asked to practice and share a story at a family pow-wow. Activity 4 has students compare the Bible's Noah's ark story and Attean's flood story using a double-bubble map, and the wrapping-up prompt asks students to state what they are learning and identify another cause-and-effect pattern.
Lesson 9
Attean's Past
Students are asked to summarize previous chapters and to answer selected comprehension questions in a journal, which requires them to review key ideas expressed in the text. Students engage in guided discussion questions (e.g., why Attean did not go hunting; how the village is described) and a closing discussion about what the book teaches about stereotypes, prompting review of main points. In Activity 3 and on the Student Activity Page, students explain how stereotypes were broken and describe a stereotype they have observed or held, requiring them to state their own ideas in relation to the discussion.
Lesson 10
Manitou
Students are asked to discuss chapter questions (the teacher is told to "use the remaining questions as discussion questions"), which requires verbal exchange about the text. In the Values activity, students record three values for Matt and Attean, circle the most important shared value, and describe how they demonstrate that value in their own life. The Wrap-Up prompts students to explain how Native American culture differs from their own and what they would like or find difficult about living in that culture.
Lesson 11
A Choice
Students are prompted to discuss and journal about Chapters 21–22 using specific questions that ask them to explain reasons (e.g., Why would Matt not go with Attean? Would you have gone with Attean and his grandfather? Why or why not?). The skills list explicitly includes supporting interpretations or conclusions with examples from text, and Activity 3 asks students to develop and answer interview questions, encouraging them to explain character motivations. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to discuss which character they feel most similar to and why, requiring them to state and explain their own ideas.
Lesson 13
The Return
Students are prompted to discuss the novel using several of the provided questions and to explain whether they would recommend the book and why. Students are asked to "review the different story elements" and to fill in a Story Elements page (setting, theme, characters, problem, resolution). The Wrapping Up prompts ask students to discuss what they enjoyed, their feelings about the main characters, and whether they can think of a better ending. The Solving Problems activity asks students to describe how Matt solved problems from the book and to propose their own solutions.
Final Project
The Sign of the Beaver Movie
Students are asked to write a rough draft of a movie synopsis, use a Movie Synopsis Rubric to evaluate it, and make corrections as they read through it. An adult conference is required where students receive suggestions and revise their synopsis based on that feedback. At the end, students are prompted to discuss whether people would want to see the movie and to explain why audiences would enjoy it.
Unit 3: Native American Animal Stories
Lesson 1
Myths, Legends, and Folktales
Students are asked to listen to a storyteller, then retell the story (Activity 2), which requires them to review and summarize key events and ideas. The parent asks the child why they protested when the story was paused and which parts were entertaining, prompting the child to explain their own reactions and understanding. Activity 3 asks students to reread a myth and identify cultural elements and to discuss why Native American stories emphasize nature, prompting explanation of understanding in relation to the prior discussion. The Wrapping Up prompts ask students to define myth/legend/folktale and explain why cultures have stories and what can be learned from them.
Lesson 2
People and Animal Stories
Students are asked to discuss story questions and use remaining questions for discussion after reading each story, and parents are prompted to compare family beliefs with Native American beliefs. Students are asked to compare and contrast stories (e.g., Woman Who Married a Frog vs The Frog Prince, Eagle Boy vs Salmon Boy) and to discuss which story is their favorite and why. Students are directed to write in a journal the names of stories, the animals, why the animals were important, and lessons learned from each animal, which requires summarizing ideas from the readings and discussions.
Lesson 3
The Natural World
Students are asked to compare the mythical and scientific explanations for how the fawn got its spots and to say which explanation they prefer and why (Activity 6). Students retell the butterfly story to someone else using props and add ingredients as they narrate, which requires reviewing sequence and key ideas (Activity 3). Students record titles, problems, and solutions of each myth in a journal and fill out an Elements of Culture chart, which requires summarizing and reviewing the key ideas expressed in the stories (Activities 5 and 7).
Lesson 4
Survival Stories
Students answer comprehension questions in their journals after reading each story and use remaining questions for discussion with an adult. The materials instruct students to write sentences about why the Indians hunted and where people get food today, and to reflect on learning and identify areas for further study. Multiple prompts ask students to discuss causes and effects (e.g., why overhunting is harmful, events leading to buffalo near-extinction) and to explain animals' roles in survival stories on the 'Ecosystems' page.
Lesson 5
Legends from Other Cultures
Students are prompted to discuss story questions using the remaining questions after answering some in their journals, providing spoken discussion opportunities. Students are asked to summarize the Brazilian story and to complete a double-bubble map comparing Pan Gu and a Native American creation story, which requires reviewing and organizing key ideas from two texts. The wrapping-up prompts ask students to state what they learned about different cultures and to discuss the role that nature played in folklore, encouraging oral explanation of understanding.
2: Force and Power
Unit 1: Ben and Me
Lesson 1
Ben Franklin and the Colonies
The lesson includes multiple prompts for student-parent discussion: students are asked to discuss questions such as "How do people use power in negative ways?" and "What does the word 'freedom' mean to you?" Students are asked to list their "instead of" ideas in a journal when discussing how people lived without modern conveniences and to record ideas about Ben Franklin on an activity page. The Wrapping Up step explicitly tells the adult to ask the child what he has learned about Ben Franklin and life in the 1700s, prompting the student to articulate understanding.
Lesson 2
Setting the Record Straight
The lesson directs the adult to use the remaining comprehension questions as discussion questions and to "Ask your child what she learned about Ben and Amos from the chapters she read today," which prompts verbal sharing. Students are asked to answer three or four questions in a journal and to use other questions for discussion, providing opportunities to state their ideas aloud. The "Fact and Fiction" sheet asks students to record factual and fictional events after discussion and/or further research, encouraging articulation of chapter ideas.
Lesson 3
Swimming
The lesson directs the teacher to "use the remaining questions to facilitate a discussion on the chapters," and it asks the child "what he learned about Ben Franklin" and whether Ben would have been fun to be around and why. The lesson has students respond to three or four questions as journal questions, recording answers and factual/fictional events, which requires them to state ideas in writing. The activities also ask students to list modern inventions and to create and describe a new invention, prompting them to explain their own ideas in writing or in a scripted commercial.
Lesson 4
Electricity
Students are prompted to discuss Chapters 5 and 6 using assigned journal questions and the remaining questions are to be used to facilitate a discussion on the chapters. The lesson explicitly tells students to "Discuss what a printing press is" and poses several discussion questions about the power of words and vision. The Skills section lists "Retell a spoken message by summarizing," and the Wrapping Up directs students to verbally summarize the events they read.
Lesson 5
Electrifying
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 and use teacher/parent-led questions to guide discussion, with remaining questions used to facilitate a discussion on the chapters. Students answer journal questions and record factual and fictional events from each chapter, providing written reflections. Students are asked in Wrapping Up to discuss how Franklin exerted power over Amos, whether that was fair, and what Franklin learned about electricity, and to write a first-person account describing what happened and their feelings and ideas.
Lesson 6
War
Students are asked to read Chapters 9 and 10, answer two or three chapter questions in a journal, and use remaining questions to facilitate a discussion on the chapters. The Wrapping Up section directs the child to explain why the colonists went to war and to discuss the problems the colonists had. Several activities require students to state facts and opinions and to record their responses (e.g., Fact and Opinion page and journal answers).
Lesson 7
France
Students are asked to answer three chapter questions in a journal and to use the remaining questions in a discussion, which requires talking through key events and ideas from Chapters 11 and 12. The Wrapping Up step asks students to summarize what happened in the chapters, an activity that reviews the main ideas. Activity 2 asks students to devise a step-by-step rescue plan, explain when force and power should be used, and then compare how their plan was similar to and different from Amos's plan.
Lesson 8
Amos's Account
Students are prompted to "discuss use of transitional words" when organizing the sequence of events, and they participate in a writing conference where an adult consults with them and provides suggestions for improvement. Students read the rubric and check whether their writing meets criteria, then make changes during the editing phase. Finally, students are asked to read Amos's account to their family or another audience.
Lesson 9
The Rescue
Students are asked to use three of the provided questions in a discussion, which creates an opportunity to talk through key events and ideas from Chapters 13 and 14. The wrapping-up prompt asks the child to give a summary of what happened and to explain how Amos and Ben felt after the rescue, prompting review of main ideas. During the "Ben and Amos Bags" activity students place items in bags, have items pulled out, and are asked to state the significance of each item and how it relates to the character, prompting them to explain their understanding aloud.
Lesson 10
Back Home
Students are asked to summarize what they have learned from the book and to describe some of the main events, which requires reviewing key ideas. Discussion questions (e.g., whether Amos should stay with Ben, what the mice gave Ben, and whether Amos shows vision) ask students to explain and justify their views. In the Ben's Maxims activity, students locate each maxim in context, provide their own interpretation, interview adults for their interpretations, and then write their own maxim, which requires explaining their ideas in light of others' responses. The Elements of Historical Fiction page asks students to provide examples from the book that support each element, further prompting review of the text's key ideas.
Final Project
An Interview or Party for Ben
Students write ten interview questions and answer them in character as Ben Franklin, which requires them to state and explain ideas about his life, inventions, and influence. Students write two of Ben's maxims and explain why each maxim is important, practicing explanation of their own interpretations. Students practice and present the interview to an audience, speaking their answers aloud and responding to a reader of the questions. The wrapping-up prompts ask students what they enjoyed and what they would have done differently, inviting personal reflection on their project.
Unit 2: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Lesson 2
Edmund Discovers Narnia
Students are asked to answer selected chapter questions in a journal and to use the remaining questions for discussion, which prompts them to express their ideas about events (e.g., how Edmund treated Lucy, the White Witch's intentions). Students are prompted to discuss how the White Witch would tempt them with food and to write a paragraph either describing the taste or the witch's persuasive language, which requires explaining their own ideas. Students record examples of the struggle between good and evil for each chapter on a chart and illustrate those examples, which requires them to identify and summarize key ideas from the text.
Lesson 3
Always Winter and Never Christmas
Students are assigned Chapters 5 and 6 and given specific discussion questions to talk about (e.g., why Edmund lied, what happened to Mr. Tumnus) and some questions are to be answered in a journal. Wrapping Up prompts ask students to state what the children discover in Narnia and to explain what can be assumed about the witch based on the chapters. Activity 2 (Narnia Logic) has students read sets of statements and decide whether conclusions are logical, requiring them to evaluate and justify conclusions drawn from given information.
Lesson 4
The Lion
Students are asked to discuss background ideas (e.g., what they know about lions and beavers) and to answer guided comprehension questions for Chapters 7 and 8, with some questions designated for discussion and others for journal responses. The lesson directs students to identify the questions that will be used in discussion and to answer some in their journal, and the wrapping-up prompt asks students to state what they learned about Aslan and the Beavers. In Activity 2 students record descriptive words/phrases about a lion story and use a Venn diagram to compare that lion to Aslan, which requires them to articulate and contrast ideas.
Lesson 5
A Disappointment
Students are asked to summarize what the children learned from Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and to recall events about Edmund, which requires them to review key plot ideas. The teacher is instructed to select questions to facilitate a discussion and to assign three or four questions for the child to answer in a journal, so students practice speaking about the text and then writing their responses. In Activity 2 students discuss the White Witch, record descriptive phrases, and write a sentence describing how she uses her power, which asks students to state their own understanding after discussion.
Lesson 7
Spring
Students are prompted to discuss Chapters 11 and 12 using teacher/parent-led questions and to answer three or four questions in a journal. Students discuss what makes Aslan a hero and are asked to think of a real-life hero and answer specific reflective questions in their journal. Students may present an award or write a letter to the hero and explain why they chose that person, and they are asked at the end to describe how Narnia and Edmund are changing.
Lesson 8
Deep Magic
Students are prompted to participate in teacher-led or guided discussions using the provided journal questions (e.g., "Use the remaining questions to aid in a discussion about the text"). Students are asked to describe and explain events and motivations (e.g., the wrapping-up prompt: describe what Aslan had to endure and why he willingly allowed it). In activities students decide which character they are most similar to and explain why, and in Activity 4 they research a real leader and decide whether that leader was more similar to Aslan or the White Witch and answer related questions.
Lesson 9
Back to Life
Students are asked to summarize what Lucy and Susan observed, answer selected comprehension questions in a journal, and use remaining questions for a discussion, which requires recalling and talking about key ideas. Students are prompted to "discuss these examples" of Christ-like figures and to "describe three ways that Aslan resembles a Christ-like figure," requiring them to state and explain their ideas. The wrapping-up prompts ask students to say what they think about Aslan and his sacrifice, encouraging verbal explanation of understanding.
Final Project
Narnia Think-Tac-Toe
Students are instructed to finish three projects and then share their projects with family and other interested people, and before presenting they are to summarize the book for their audience. The lesson's skills list includes "Share written and oral products" and "Use oral and written language to share information and ideas," indicating students will speak about their work. After presentations, students engage in a discussion where family members provide feedback and suggestions for improvements.
Unit 3: The BFG
Lesson 3
The BFG
Students answer assigned comprehension and opinion questions in a journal (e.g., Q1–Q7 and Q5 asks for a reasoned opinion). Students engage in teacher-led or partner discussions using the remaining questions and Wrapping Up prompts (e.g., explain how the BFG is different and why he did not exert power). Students identify and record the most important or meaningful quote from each chapter on the "Quotable Quotes" page, which asks them to select key ideas from the text.
Lesson 4
Ears and Snozzcumbers
Ask your child what Sophie learned from the BFG and how the BFG is different from the other giants prompts students to review key ideas Sophie expressed in her discussions. The reading task directs students to answer selected questions in a journal and to use the other questions as discussion prompts, requiring students to discuss and then record their responses. Activity 3 has students discuss how the giant uses his hearing to help others, reflect after a focused listening walk, and then write a paragraph describing how they would use that power to help others. Wrapping Up asks the child to describe the BFG and state what she would enjoy most, prompting synthesis of discussion points into a personal explanation.
Lesson 5
Time with the BFG
Students are asked to summarize what happened in previous chapters and to predict and then check their predictions, which requires restating key ideas. Students answer selected questions in a journal and use remaining items as discussion prompts, giving them opportunities to state and explain their ideas aloud. In Activity 2 students compare the BFG and the Bloodbottler across appearance, personality, and power and discuss differences in how each uses power, which prompts them to articulate and contrast key ideas from the text.
Lesson 6
Catching People and Dreams
Students are asked to answer three or four selected questions in a journal and to use the remaining questions as discussion prompts, which requires them to state opinions and reasons (for example questions #2 and #7 ask for personal reactions and justification). The Quotable Quotes activity has students identify character quotes, which asks them to locate and record key ideas expressed by characters. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to describe how the BFG captures dreams, prompting them to restate important content after reading and discussion.
Lesson 7
A Nightmare for Fleshlumpeater
Students are asked to answer selected questions in a journal and to use other questions as discussion prompts, which requires them to state opinions and reasons (e.g., whether it was right for the BFG to blow the nightmare, and what Sophie and the BFG could learn). Students discuss tangible vs. intangible concepts and are asked to explain examples that would demonstrate intangible things, prompting them to justify and articulate their thinking aloud. Students compare the two stories (The BFG and Jack and the Beanstalk) verbally or in writing and identify similarities and differences, and they record quotes from characters, which requires recounting and citing key ideas from the texts.
Lesson 8
A Dreamy Plan
Students are prompted to discuss how the BFG and Sophie could stop the giants and to answer three assigned questions in journal while using the remaining three for discussion, providing structured talk opportunities. Students are asked to describe Sophie's plan (Question #3) and to give opinions about its likely success, and to debate ethical aspects (Question #6), which requires explaining their ideas. Students complete Activity 2 comparing the Queen and the President and are asked in Wrapping Up to describe similarities and differences, prompting verbal comparison and explanation.
Lesson 9
The Palace
Students are instructed to answer three chapter questions in their journal and to discuss the other three questions aloud, which requires them to state ideas during a group/teacher-led discussion. Students are asked to summarize the events of the chapters and to predict what will happen next, which has them restate key story ideas. The lesson also directs students to discuss cause-and-effect relationships and how characters' decisions produce outcomes, prompting students to explain ideas about characters' actions.
Lesson 10
A Breakfast Fit for a Queen
Students are asked to answer three chapter questions in a journal and use three other questions to guide a discussion, giving opportunities to state and explain their ideas aloud. Activity 2 instructs students to discuss the butler's use of a 1:4 ratio and to explain how he could have come to that conclusion, prompting students to articulate reasoning in discussion. Activity 3 has students brainstorm adjectives to describe the queen, select five, and support each with textual examples, and then act out responses as the queen, which requires students to explain their interpretations and apply them in a spoken format. The Wrapping Up prompts ask students to describe how the queen received Sophie and the Giant and to explain whether that response was believable and why, encouraging students to state their understanding after discussion.
Lesson 11
Fighting Giants
The lesson directs students to answer selected comprehension questions in a journal and use the remaining questions in a discussion, which asks them to explain reasons (e.g., Why do countries have armed forces?). Activity 2 asks students to research the four branches, take notes, and then state which branch they find most interesting and why, requiring them to explain their thinking. The Wrapping Up prompts ask students to state the role of the armed forces and how they use power to help people, encouraging spoken summary of ideas after discussion.
Lesson 12
Snozzcumbers
Students are prompted to discuss three of the comprehension questions with an adult (for example, asking what they enjoyed most and whether they would recommend the book). Students are asked to explain reasons in the "Directing the BFG" activity by choosing actors and explaining why they selected each person. Students respond in writing to three questions in a journal and answer wrap-up prompts about favorite, scariest, and most exciting parts, which elicit personal explanations.
3: Similarities and Differences
Unit 1: Stories from Africa and Asia
Lesson 1
Meerkats in Botswana
The introduction prompts an adult-student discussion where the child looks at the cover and illustrations and makes predictions about the book, and the directions tell the child to 'discuss the fact that the African continent has many amazing animals.' Activity 1 directs the student to record notes in a graphic organizer about Botswana (land, language, animals, people), which requires summarizing key information. The Wrapping Up section asks the child to state what he learned about Botswana and the meerkat, prompting the student to explain his understanding aloud.
Lesson 2
Meeting Precious
The plan directs students to read chapters and answer some comprehension questions in their journal, then to use the remaining questions in a discussion, which requires verbal exchange about text ideas. The "Precious and Me" activity asks students to record one way Precious is like and one way she is different from the student for each chapter, prompting students to articulate their own ideas about the text. The Wrapping Up prompts ask students to describe Precious's family and home and explain similarities and differences with their own family and home, encouraging verbal explanation and comparison.
Lesson 3
The Surprise
The lesson directs the student to answer selected questions in a journal and use the remaining questions for a discussion (Questions #1–#6), requiring students to discuss their responses to the text. Wrapping Up asks the student to summarize what happened in the two chapters, prompting a review of key events and ideas. Activity 4 (Authorial Intrusion) and the Life Application ask the student to discuss why an author uses a device and to compare meerkats in a film with the book, prompting students to explain their understanding and reasoning.
Lesson 4
A Missing Cow
Students answer comprehension questions in a journal and use the remaining questions in a discussion with a partner (parent). The lesson asks students to discuss which type of conflict is in the book and to "discuss how they were similar to and different" when comparing The Mystery of Meerkat Hill to other books. Students complete a "Precious and Me" chart (comparing themselves to a character) and write a script to act out a scene, which requires expressing their own ideas aloud.
Lesson 5
A Good Idea
Students are asked to answer several comprehension questions in their journal and to respond to the remaining questions orally in a discussion, requiring them to speak about key events and ideas from the chapters. Activity 2 directs students to discuss how the children solved the problem with the herd, share personal challenging experiences, and then write a paragraph about their experience, including a follow-up discussion about what others could learn. The listed skills include connecting experiences and ideas with others through speaking and listening and sustaining conversation on a topic, indicating opportunities for oral exchange and reflection.
Lesson 6
African Bush Diorama
The Step 2 Editing section directs a conference in which the child reads her draft and the parent "reviews the rubric with her," encouraging changes to improve content, grammar, and organization. The Organizing the Report step has the child discuss the main idea of each paragraph using the provided organizer pages. The Wrapping Up section instructs the parent to review the rubric with the child and ask reflective questions about what she did well, what was challenging, and what she would do differently.
Lesson 7
Japan
Students are asked orally to answer specific comprehension and content questions after reading (e.g., climate, food, traditions, similarities and differences) which requires them to explain their understanding. Students complete a Venn diagram and are prompted to "describe ways that Japan and America are similar and different," using words and pictures to organize their thoughts. Students are prompted to "discuss how America's relationship with Japan is improving," "review some of the negative outcomes of the war," and "explain why Japan and America were at war," which asks them to state and review key ideas verbally.
Lesson 8
Peace Day
Students are asked to answer three or four comprehension questions in a journal and then use the remaining questions in a discussion, which requires them to bring up and talk through key ideas from the chapters. Activity 2 and its prompts explicitly ask students to discuss why the Japanese celebrate Peace Day and what activities they engage in, and Option 1 asks students to compare Peace Day to an American holiday, requiring them to explain similarities and differences. The Wrapping Up prompts students to describe Sadako's family and to describe what they learned about Japanese culture, which asks students to restate key ideas from the reading and discussion.
Lesson 9
The Secret is Out
Students are asked to answer three or four questions in a journal and to use the remaining questions in a discussion, prompting verbal exchange about the chapters. The lesson directs students to explain Sadako's secret and discuss reasons why she may have kept it, and to discuss cultural elements, gifts, and information about cancer. Several activities ask students to talk with others (for example, teaching a gift to another child or discussing family gifts), which requires them to state and explain their ideas aloud.
Lesson 10
Kenji
Students answer three text-based questions in a journal and then use the remaining questions in a guided discussion, which requires them to revisit and talk about key plot points. They are encouraged to develop two of their own questions to bring into the discussion, prompting them to articulate and probe ideas. Students are asked to summarize the events of the chapters and to reflect on Sadako's situation and her family's feelings, tasks that prompt reviewing key ideas and explaining personal understanding.
Lesson 11
O Bon
Students read two chapters and are asked to answer three comprehension questions in a journal while using the remaining questions in a discussion, requiring them to state and discuss key ideas. Students discuss how families remember deceased relatives and compare O Bon with American practices, then select a reflective product (journal entry or song) to explain both an American and a Japanese perspective. Students are prompted in the wrap-up to state what they learned about Japanese culture and to discuss how Sadako's health changed, which asks them to review key ideas from the text and conversation.
Lesson 12
Racing the Wind
After reading, students are asked to answer one or two questions in a journal and to use the remaining questions in a discussion, so students both write responses and speak about the text. The Wrapping Up section asks students how they feel about Sadako's story and to discuss why it is important, prompting verbal explanation of their ideas. In the Haiku activity, students read poems, discuss their meanings, write their own haiku, and read them aloud, practicing articulating understanding of themes and images.
Lesson 13
Precious and Sadako
The lesson asks the student to explain three or four important events from each story and to state how Precious and Sadako were similar and different, prompting review of key ideas from the texts. It directs the student to discuss what he could do to help each character, brainstorm and journal responses, and to write an eight-sentence first-person letter describing an important event and feelings, which requires explaining his understanding. The wrap-up questions ask the student to say what he learned from each character and how he could apply those lessons to his own life.
Unit 2: Holes
Lesson 1
Texas and Desert Biomes
Students are prompted to brainstorm ideas, people, and places about Texas and to discuss different habitats with a parent or teacher. Students are asked to use vocabulary words aloud in sentences and to describe what they learned about Texas and the desert during a wrap-up. Students record and write about desert animals, plants, and adaptations and may orally report or describe those findings when prompted.
Lesson 2
Camp Green Lake
Students are directed to use some chapter questions as discussion questions and to answer others in a journal, which creates opportunities to talk about key plot points (e.g., why Stanley was sent to Camp Green Lake). Activity prompts ask students to explain reasoning aloud (e.g., "Ask your child why she thinks each of these is important for an inventor" and "Ask your child why that idea is so important" about being 'innocent until proven guilty'). The Wrapping Up section asks students to describe what they learned and what they think about the main character, prompting verbal review of chapter ideas.
Lesson 3
Digging
The lesson instructs students to answer selected chapter questions in a journal and to use other questions for discussion, prompting students to recount events (e.g., what Stanley did, feelings after digging). The Wrapping Up prompt asks students to state what they learned about Stanley and Camp Green Lake, requiring students to review key ideas from the reading. Journal prompts for nicknames ask students to record their own nickname, describe why they have it, and explain whether they like it, requiring students to articulate their own ideas in writing. Several activities (discussion of soil layers, matching nicknames) ask students to discuss and explain characteristics or relationships aloud or in writing.
Lesson 4
Caveman
Students are assigned four questions to answer in their journal and the remaining questions are to be used in a discussion, which requires verbal exchange about the text. The lesson includes prompts to discuss specific topics (e.g., whether digging holes is a good idea) and asks students to report what they learned about the boys and staff after reading. Activity 3 asks students to write a response to a discussion-style prompt (what they want to do with their life) and to explain their answer in writing.
Lesson 5
KB
Students are asked to answer questions in a journal and "discuss some of the questions with you," which prompts oral exchange about the text. Students make a prediction before reading and then check whether it was correct, requiring them to reflect on their prior idea after reading. Wrapping up directions ask students to "review situational and verbal irony" and "share examples of both," and to "describe the rules of possessives" and write possessive statements, encouraging them to state and explain their thinking aloud.
Lesson 6
Sunflower Seeds
Students are asked to answer half of the chapter questions in their journal and then share their answers to the remaining questions verbally, providing an opportunity for spoken exchange. Students are prompted to describe how Camp Green Lake is changing Stanley and to discuss the irony, which invites them to explain their understanding aloud. The lesson asks students to read their shape poem aloud and pay attention to devices like alliteration, giving further practice in expressing ideas verbally.
Lesson 7
Zero
Students are asked to answer four journal questions and "discuss the remaining questions" with an adult after reading Chapters 21-24, which requires them to revisit and talk through key ideas from the text. Activity 3 asks students to find the author's description of Green Lake, draw the past and present scenes, and "discuss the similarities and differences and possible explanations," prompting them to review textual ideas and explain interpretations. The Wrapping Up prompt asks students to "explain what he learned about the history of Green Lake and the people who lived there," directing students to state their understanding in light of the prior discussion.
Lesson 8
Sam the Onion Man
Students are instructed to answer four or five questions in their journal and to use the remaining questions in a discussion, which creates a spoken exchange about the text. Wrapping up directs students to summarize the story and to discuss that the book has two simultaneous plots, prompting verbal review of story ideas. Activity 1 asks students to imagine a historical response and then write a speech or poem explaining why racism is wrong, asking students to articulate and defend their ideas. Several open-response questions (e.g., "Do you feel sorry for Kate Barlow? Why or why not?" and "Were the people of Green Lake good citizens? Why or why not?") require students to explain their thinking.
Lesson 12
Treasure and Lizards
Students are asked to answer three or four questions in their journal and share their remaining answers orally, which requires speaking about their ideas. The Wrapping Up section prompts students to describe what happened, say which conflict is most interesting and why, and give examples of homophones, providing opportunities for verbal explanation. Activity instructions allow siblings to join discussions (Homophone Bingo) so students can engage with peers orally.
Lesson 13
Innocent
The lesson asks students to answer comprehension questions orally or in a journal, prompting them to explain events and motives (e.g., why the Warden did not shoot Stanley). It instructs parents to "encourage him to think about how the movie and book were similar and different" and to "discuss" reasons why films change books, which asks students to state and compare ideas. The activities also prompt discussion about letter types and whether the student enjoyed the book or movie, creating opportunities for students to express their own opinions aloud.
Final Project
Welcome to Camp
The lesson asks students to brainstorm camp ideas with an adult and to "discuss how effective each idea would," which has students listen to and evaluate suggested ideas. Students are instructed to write two paragraphs describing the camp after the discussion and to present their ideas to the family, explaining differences between their camp and Camp Green Lake. Activities such as the "New Camp vs. Camp Green Lake" page require students to list and describe five differences, which asks them to articulate and justify their thinking.
Unit 3: Stories from Europe
Lesson 1
Tradition Stories
Students discuss the definitions of fable, folktale, fairy tale, myth, and legend during Activity 1 and watch a video and answer questions, which requires recalling and summarizing key ideas. In Activity 2 students brainstorm stories, sort them into categories based on those definitions, and justify their sorting when the parent reviews the list. The Student Activity Page includes reflection prompts (Which type did you hear/read the most? Which is your favorite? Why? Is there a type you don't enjoy? Why or why not?) and the Wrapping Up step explicitly tells the parent to review the different types and ask the child which type he prefers and why.
Lesson 2
Fiona's Luck
Students are asked to give a verbal summary of Fiona's Luck and to name and describe story elements, which requires them to review key ideas from the text. The lesson prompts discussion (e.g., Ask your child what she learned about Ireland's culture and geography; discuss who the hero is and how magic is involved) and directs students to record three factual details and three fantasy elements, prompting them to explain their choices. Day 2 includes open-response questions that ask students to explain preferences and new learning (e.g., "Do you prefer to learn about a place... Why?"), requiring students to state and explain their own ideas.
Lesson 3
The Sea King's Daughter
The lesson asks students to answer reflective questions such as "Do you think Sadko made the right decision… Why or why not?" which requires students to state and justify their own ideas. It asks students to tell what they learned about Russia's culture and geography from the story, prompting them to explain their understanding. The Wrapping Up step asks students to verbally summarize The Sea King's Daughter and review its story elements, which asks for a review of key ideas expressed in the text.
Lesson 4
The Snow Queen
Students are asked to discuss Hans Christian Andersen's life using the text as a reference and to describe differences between formal and informal speech, answering questions such as why Andersen wrote his tales as he did. Students are prompted to compare Frozen with The Snow Queen, identify similarities and differences, and explain why screenwriters might have changed the story. Students are asked to report what they learned about Denmark and to explain whether they would recommend The Snow Queen and why.
Lesson 5
Comparing and Contrasting Stories
Students are asked to briefly summarize each story and to identify which story was their favorite and explain why, which requires them to review key ideas from the texts. Students are prompted to discuss how first- and third-person points of view differ and to retell selected events from a story in first person, then explain what difference the new point of view makes. Students complete a Comparing Story Elements page where they list three similarities and three differences between stories and explain which stories are most similar or different and why. The wrap-up questions ask students to state which story they think is best and to explain how analyzing story elements informed that decision.
Final Project
Writing Your Own Story
Students are prompted to brainstorm story ideas and then discuss two or three of their best ideas with an adult, thinking about characters, setting, and theme. The lesson directs students to "discuss" ideas when choosing which story to write and to "go back through" previous story element sheets to look at themes identified in earlier books. The plan also has students read their rough draft with an adult and "discuss errors found along the way," which involves one-on-one conversation about their writing.
4: Exploration and Survival
Unit 1: Abel's Island
Lesson 1
Survival
Students are prompted to discuss predictions about the story ("Ask him what he thinks the story might be about") and to discuss river plants, animals, and adaptations (Activity 2). Students are asked to list how river resources can be used for survival on the "Natural River Resources" chart (Activity 3) and to add items to that chart as they read. In Activity 4 students write a journal listing three things they would miss and then compare their list to what Abel misses, and the Wrapping Up prompts ask students to discuss how river life a hundred years ago would differ from today.
Lesson 2
The Storm
Students are asked to answer reading questions in a journal and to use the remaining questions as discussion prompts, which requires them to explain their interpretations and predictions aloud. The Skills list includes "Show understanding and interpretation of text in discussion and writing," and the Wrapping Up prompts ask the child to state what she learned and what she predicts will happen next. Activity pages (Predictions and Inferences, Using Natural Resources) require students to record ideas and explain how Abel uses resources, which students can share during discussion.
Lesson 3
Where Am I?
Students are asked to answer questions in a journal and to use the remaining questions in a discussion, giving them opportunities to state and discuss ideas aloud. Question #8 explicitly asks students to support interpretations or conclusions with examples drawn from the text, prompting explanation of their ideas. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to summarize what happened to Abel, which has students review key events and ideas from the chapters.
Lesson 4
Who Is Abel?
Students are assigned three to four journal questions from Chapters 5 and 6 and use the remaining questions for discussion, prompting them to answer and talk through key ideas (e.g., how Abel adapts, how his self-view is changing). Activity 2 asks students to provide textual evidence for character traits and to discuss whether they inferred those traits before the author stated them, which requires explaining their own ideas in light of the discussion. The Who Is Abel? activity page requires students to record physical and personality descriptions with corresponding evidence from the text, prompting review of key ideas and justification of their understanding. The Wrapping Up prompt asks students to explain how Abel is changing as he adapts, encouraging reflection after discussion.
Lesson 5
Perseverance
Students are asked to discuss chapters 7 and 8 using guided questions (e.g., explaining Abel's plans, fire making, and dreams) and are prompted to "discuss what this means" and "why Abel had these thoughts." Students engage in one-on-one discussion with a parent about perseverance and brainstorm examples before using a Reflective Writing Organizer to plan three paragraphs. Students are invited to share their writing with family and to use a rubric for revision, indicating they discuss ideas and then articulate them in writing.
Lesson 6
Surprises
The lesson provides discussion and journal questions about Chapters 9 and 10 that students can use to discuss key ideas from the text. Activity 2 asks students to order Abel's routines and then to compare and contrast their own daily schedule with Abel's in their journal, prompting students to explain how they decided on the order. Activity 3 requires students to select five items for a deserted island and then pull out each item to describe why they selected it and how they will use it, which asks students to state and justify their ideas.
Lesson 7
Threats
Students are prompted to answer and discuss specific comprehension questions (Questions #1–#5) about Abel's feelings, actions, and adaptations, which require explaining ideas from the text. Activity 3 asks students to discuss predator/prey threats and to think of three adaptations for Abel, listing and describing how each adaptation aids survival. The Wrapping Up prompt asks students to describe threats Abel faces and how he is adapting and surviving, which asks for a review and explanation of ideas discussed. The vocabulary activities include turn-taking game play with a sibling or parent, providing a simple collaborative setting for discussion.
Lesson 8
The Dead of Winter
Students answer journal and discussion questions about Chapters 13–14 (e.g., questions about Abel's adaptations and feelings), which prompt spoken or written responses. Activity 2 directs students to "Discuss the fact that hibernation is an adaptation" and to research and answer hibernation questions, and Activity 3 has students perform an experiment and then discuss and answer reflection questions about what they learned. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to find information that explains Abel's hibernation/torpor, encouraging them to locate and state relevant ideas from the text.
Lesson 9
The Newcomer
Students are prompted to discuss and journal about Chapters 15 and 16 using explicit questions that require justification (e.g., Q1 and Q4 ask learners to state whether Gower will organize a rescue crew and whether Abel and Gower would have been friends, with reasons). Students create a Venn diagram comparing Gower and Abel, labeling attributes, attitudes, and personalities, and may list personal similarities as an extension. The wrapping-up prompts ask students to describe theatrical terms and to discuss why people need other people, encouraging verbal exchange about relationships.
Lesson 10
Escape
Students are asked to discuss whether Abel will ever get home and to explain why or why not, prompting verbal exchange about the text. Students describe how the island changed Abel by completing the "Abel to Change" page, writing before-and-after descriptions and explaining what caused the change. Students are prompted to discuss the difference between big and little questions and to describe a personal situation that caused change, encouraging them to explain how and why the situation changed them.
Lesson 11
Home at Last
The lesson includes guided journal or discussion questions about Chapters 19–20 that students answer or discuss (e.g., questions about how Abel left the island and character interactions). The Theme Bubble Map activity asks students to identify a story theme and cite evidence from the text, which requires students to review and summarize key ideas. The Wrapping Up and Life Application prompts ask students to discuss what they learned from Abel and how they might apply his strengths, prompting students to explain their own ideas.
Unit 2: Pedro's Journal
Lesson 1
Exploring with Columbus
Students are prompted to discuss what it means to be a hero and brainstorm characteristics, then decide and record whether Columbus was a hero using an organizer that lists positives and negatives. Students are asked to discuss the difference between fact and opinion, read the Author's Note aloud and discuss genre, and to record four or five questions in a journal and check whether those questions are answered as they read. In the Wrapping Up section students are asked to say what they learned that they did not know before and to explain how and if their opinions about Columbus have changed.
Lesson 2
August
The lesson directs that remaining comprehension questions "can be used as discussion questions," offering opportunities for students to talk about the text. Students are asked to discuss crew members' feelings about the ocean and to describe their own feelings and reasons for those feelings. The lesson includes a "Wrapping Up" prompt asking the child to state what she has learned about Columbus and Pedro, and it asks students to answer some questions in a journal.
Lesson 3
September
Students are asked to discuss how Pedro's journey began and to answer specific comprehension questions in their journals, prompting them to restate and explain events and character motivations. Students are asked to summarize what happened to Columbus and the crew for September, and to discuss why meteor sightings frightened sailors and how knowledge changed those fears. Students write journal responses (e.g., what they would do with 10,000 Maravedis) and create their own myth about meteors after reading varied viewpoints on omens.
Lesson 4
October
The lesson provides a set of discussion and journal questions for students to answer (e.g., why Pedro enjoys the night watch, why men think Columbus is crazy, how the book portrays the native people), which students can discuss or write about. Activity 2 asks students to record words or phrases the crew might use to describe the natives and vice versa, requiring students to compare perspectives and articulate ideas. The Wrapping Up section asks students to describe how the book portrays the native people and explain why Pedro is uncomfortable, prompting students to state and justify their own understanding.
Lesson 5
Journal Writing
Students are asked to identify three events Pedro writes about and three places he records feelings, prompting them to review key ideas from the text. Students answer guided questions about why an event would make a good journal entry and list facts, feelings, and quotes in the pre-writing organizer, requiring them to explain and justify their choice. Students are prompted to read their journal entry and determine whether they communicated the importance of the event and their feelings, which requires them to reflect on and explain their understanding after discussion.
Lesson 6
November
Students are asked to explain the interactions between the crew and the natives and to answer open-ended journal/discussion questions (e.g., why Columbus wanted to take natives to Spain; how Pedro felt), which requires them to state and justify their ideas. Students complete the "Surviving Life at Sea, Surviving Life on Land" organizer and decide "I would rather be ___ because ___," which asks them to review details from Pedro's perspective and explain a personal conclusion. The Wrapping Up and Life Application prompts ask students to state what Pedro is learning about the natives and Columbus and to reflect on how being with someone who is unkind made them feel, prompting explanation of their own understanding in discussion.
Lesson 7
December
Students are prompted to "answer relevant questions and make contributions in small or large group discussions," and the teacher notes to "use the other questions in a discussion about the novel," which asks students to discuss story events (e.g., encounters on December 3rd, treasures found). Students are assigned three or four questions to answer in their journals, and the wrapping up prompts students to "explain the difference between the treasures Columbus and the crew hoped to find and those they found."
Lesson 8
The Island of the Skog
Students are prompted to discuss the book aloud using specific questions that ask them to explain motivations, threats, and outcomes (Questions #1-#7). Activity 2 asks students to write three ways the mice showed prejudice and three ways Columbus showed prejudice and then to discuss a personal experience, prompting students to explain their own ideas. Activity 1 has students complete a graphic organizer comparing two texts, which requires identifying and discussing key ideas and similarities by referencing the texts. The Wrapping Up section asks students what they learned and to discuss recommendations, which elicits explanation of their understanding.
Lesson 9
January
The lesson provides specific journal and discussion questions (QUESTION #1–#5) that students are prompted to answer and discuss, including an open-response item (Q4) asking why the natives became less friendly. Activity 3 asks students to "Discuss the idea that, through exploration, people were able to learn more" and to discuss the manatee ecosystem and threats to its survival, which requires students to explain observations and ideas. The "Instead of 'Said'" activity asks students to write a five-line dialogue between Pedro and Columbus, prompting students to express their own ideas in written discussion form.
Lesson 10
February
Students are prompted to participate in a discussion using the remaining comprehension questions after finishing Pedro's Journey, and wrapping-up prompts ask the child to discuss recommendation and whether the story had a happy ending. Students are asked to write a firsthand report as Pedro that explains the crew's survival, discoveries, and what it was like to sail, and to deliver that report to an audience, using notes from their "The Journey" pages to remind them of what they have learned.
Final Project
Story Blocks
Students create eight story cubes that require them to identify and record key ideas (setting, characters, vocabulary, survival factors, similes, quotes, historical facts, and exploration impacts). Students are directed to discuss the story with other people using the blocks and to explain the information on each block as they place it on a story tower. Several cube tasks (e.g., Quotes Cube, Historical Fiction Cube, Survival Cube) require students to select and write down important sentences or facts from the text.
Unit 3: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Lesson 1
Sickness
The lesson instructs the adult to select several comprehension questions for the child to answer in a journal and to use the remaining questions in a discussion, so students speak about story details (e.g., Mrs. Frisby, Timothy's sickness, environment). Activity 1 directs students to "discuss the elements" of fantasy and to identify and record fantasy elements from a favorite novel, which requires students to state and explain their ideas. The Wrapping Up section asks the child to say whether they will enjoy the story, explain why, describe characters, and to "review the elements of the fantasy genre," prompting verbal reflection.
Lesson 2
Spring is Coming
The lesson directs the student to use remaining comprehension questions for discussion and to discuss how Mrs. Frisby faces a unique threat now that spring is coming, asking the child to explain this threat. Activity 2 asks the child to describe and illustrate the setting and then to describe how the family's survival is threatened. The wrapping up prompts ask the child to state a preference (mouse or rat) and explain why, which requires the student to express their own ideas aloud.
Lesson 3
A Visit to an Owl
Students are prompted to discuss and journal about the chapters using specific comprehension questions (Questions 1–6), including an open-ended question that asks them to give reasons for their opinion about Mrs. Frisby's choice. Students are asked to "describe what happened" and to "fill out the Plot Flowchart," which requires them to review and summarize key events from the chapters. The materials identify activities as discussion opportunities ("journal and discussion questions") and include oral prompts (Ask your child what Mrs. Frisby's problem is; Ask your child to describe what happened).
Lesson 4
Rats in the Rosebush
Students are asked to use remaining comprehension questions in a discussion, responding orally to questions about plot and character (e.g., why Mrs. Frisby explored the rosebush and what the owl advised). Students discuss how they would describe Mrs. Frisby and list five ways she showed bravery in a bubble map, and they are asked to describe what is threatening Timothy's survival during a wrap-up prompt. The life-application prompt asks students to explain a time when they were brave and to describe how they felt before and after, which requires them to articulate and explain personal ideas.
Lesson 5
Meeting the Rats
Students answer guided comprehension questions in a journal and use some of those questions as prompts for discussion, allowing them to state and explain ideas about characters and events. Students make predictions about the rats and then reflect on whether those predictions were correct after reading. Students list examples on the "Beyond Needs" page and discuss how the rats function similarly to humans and how machines and inventions make life easier.
Lesson 6
A Plan for Mrs. Frisby
Students answer targeted comprehension questions in a journal and then use some of those questions as discussion prompts, which requires them to articulate their understanding aloud. Students create a Plot Flowchart describing important events from both chapters, which has them summarize key ideas. Students are asked in Wrapping Up to describe the rats' plan and in Activity 3 to devise and present a plan for moving the house, which asks them to explain their solutions and reasoning.
Lesson 7
The Capture
Students are prompted to answer comprehension questions in a journal and to use the remaining questions in a discussion, which asks them to recount events (Questions #1–#6) and give evidence-based responses (#7–#8). Activity 2 directs students to make a list of important events and then write a summary of Nicodemus' story, requiring them to identify and restate key ideas. The Wrapping Up section asks students to explain how the rats were captured, why scientists would want rats, and to take a position on whether testing on rats is right or wrong, prompting explanation of their own ideas.
Lesson 8
Life at NIMH
Students are prompted to answer comprehension and opinion questions in a journal and then use some of those questions for group or parent-led discussion (e.g., reasons scientists use animals, what scientists could learn that might apply to humans). The introduction and wrapping-up prompts ask students to describe life at NIMH and to state whether the scientists were doing a good or bad thing and why, requiring students to explain their own ideas. The lesson repeatedly directs students to discuss and share responses aloud during guided questioning.
Lesson 9
The Escape
Students are asked to discuss comprehension questions aloud and to answer some in a journal, for example explaining why the rats did not escape immediately and what they learned while exploring the building. In Activity 2 students discuss why the mice would leave NIMH, list needs beyond water/food/shelter, and write examples of how Nicodemus changed, connecting discussion to written explanations. The simulation (Finding Your Way) and Wrapping Up prompts require students to reflect on feelings and to describe how the mice escaped and what they did at Boniface Estates.
Lesson 10
Amazing Rats
Students answer comprehension questions in a journal and use other questions to discuss what they read, providing opportunities to revisit key events and ideas from the chapters. Students record an important event from each chapter on a Plot Flowchart, which has them identify and review main ideas. Students list what the rats learned, then write a paragraph describing how their opinion about rats changed and support that opinion with reasons and linking words, which asks them to explain their understanding.
Lesson 11
The Plan
The lesson directs students to discuss chapter questions ("The other questions can be used to discuss what he read") and to describe and discuss the rats' new home during Wrapping Up. In Activity 3, students read arguments online, interview people, record arguments for and against on a chart, and then write a speech stating their opinion with three reasons. The speech task instructs students to use transitional phrases and to include a conclusion that refers back to their opinions and reasons.
Lesson 12
Working in the Night
Students are prompted to summarize what they learned from prior chapters and to answer guided discussion and journal questions about the chapters read (e.g., questions about Jenner, the rats, and how Mrs. Frisby was rescued). Students are asked to discuss and give examples from the text (e.g., "discuss ways the rats were inventive and resourceful, using examples from the text"). Students complete activities that require verbal or written responses (plot flowchart, drawing and labeling the invention, and answering comprehension questions) that can be used in discussion.
Lesson 13
A New Home
Students are given discussion and journal questions (e.g., Q2 and Q6 ask for reasons and personal judgments) that prompt them to state and explain their own ideas. Students are directed to review their Plot Flowchart and complete a Plot Diagram, which requires them to look back over key events and summarize the problem, rising action, climax, falling action, and solution. The life-application activity asks students to discuss similarities and differences between the book and movie, prompting them to explain their understanding in a comparative discussion.
Final Project
The Next Chapter or Book Float
The lesson prompts parent-child discussion during planning with directions such as "Discuss how the rats were hoping to live in Thorn Valley" and asks students to consider characters and setting while outlining the chapter. Students are instructed to review the rubric, write an outline and a chapter summary, and to incorporate character behavior and themes in their planning. Students are asked to read their finished chapter aloud to a parent and to receive feedback, with an explicit prompt to "discuss if the characters acted in ways that were true to the characters in the book."