Reading Instructional Focus for Grade 5 Marking Period 1
What is the instructional focus for this marking period?
During marking period 1, students read and analyze adventure stories, tall tales, multimedia
presentations, and informational text aligned with science and social studies. Students demonstrate
flexibility as they adapt ideas, questions and strategies during the reading process. Students collaborate
to create rules for respectful group discussions through consensus.
Early in the marking period, students examine the characteristics of adventure stories and describe the
impact of a narrator’s point of view. They accurately quote text when drawing inferences and use details
to determine the theme of a story. Students analyze how a multimedia representation contribute to the
meaning of an adventure story. During collaborative discussions students pose and respond to specific
questions and establish routines and ground rules.
Students focus on reading traditional stories, specifically tall tales and legends. Students examine the
characteristics of tall tales and the use of figurative language, specifically hyperbole, to recount the story.
Key details are synthesized to determine theme. Students analyze elements of plot, with emphasis on the
rising action, climax, and falling action, and look at how the narrator’s point of view influences events.
Students will read and compare different legends to summarize the speaker’s points with reasons and
evidence.
Later in the marking period, students use the text analysis technique of close reading to summarize two
or more main ideas and make inferences. Students develop background knowledge and build essential
vocabulary about the American Revolution. Multiple texts on the American Revolution are read to analyze
roles and viewpoints of individuals in order to integrate information across texts. Students listen to a
speech and summarize points a speaker makes supported by reasons and evidence. Students read
biographical information about people related to scientific concepts, compare text structure, draw from
multiple sources to locate information, and participate in collaborative conversations. Students also
summarize information presented in multi-media format.
The majority of reading instruction is provided during small-group instruction. Guided reading provides an
opportunity for students to develop skills and strategies while reading instructional level text. Sample
learning tasks may be used or modified for small group instruction.
Why will students learn this?
Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions
Applying phonics and word analysis skills supports reading fluency and comprehension.
 How does decoding multisyllabic words support reading fluency?
 How does understanding roots and affixes help you understand the meaning of new words?
 How does reading prose and poetry, fluently help you understand increasingly challenging text?
Using the structures of literary and informational text facilitates and extends comprehension.
 How do using text evidence, explicitly stated reasons, and interpreting information lead to
inferring an author’s message?
 How does examining the theme or main idea of literary and informational text determine the
author’s message?
 How does the determining the theme and analyzing multiple accounts in a text clarify information
about a plot or topic?
 How does making connections among the characters, setting, plot, theme, and the overall
structure of a story, drama, or poem enhance understanding of narrative text?
Reading Instructional Focus for Grade 5 Marking Period 1
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How does explaining the relationships and interactions among a series of events, ideas,
concepts, or technical procedures using academic and domain-specific words and phrases
demonstrate understanding of two or more text?
How does comparing a narrator or speaker’s point of view deepen text interpretation?
How does the use of language structures contribute to the meaning of text?
Collaborative discussions enhance understanding of oral and written text.
 How does using formal English change based on context and task?
 How do paraphrasing and expressing ideas orally or through other media demonstrate
understanding of main idea or themes?
Flexible use of strategies promotes vocabulary development of grade-appropriate and content-specific
words and phrases.
 How can using and employing a range of strategies clarify the meaning of unknown and multiplemeaning words and phrases?
 How does understanding figurative language, word relationships, and nuances deepen reading
comprehension?
 How does comparing varieties of English dialects and registers in stories, dramas, or poems
formulate reader/listener interest and style?