Day
Read Aloud
“The Declaration of
Independence”
7
Key Idea In 1776, delegates from each colony gathered to discuss whether to
declare independence from Great Britain.
Learning Focus
RI.3.1*
Students listen closely to ask and answer questions about key details in a text, referring to what
is explicitly stated and using details to support inferences.
3 minutes
Previewing the Text
Today I’m going to read a text aloud to you. Listen as I read the title and then read the first two
paragraphs. Who can tell us what this text is about so far?
The Declaration of Independence
Think about the hottest summer day ever. Now think about what it would be like without air
conditioning. That’s what the summer was like in 1776.
Delegates for each of the colonies gathered in a hot room in the Pennsylvania State House in
Philadelphia trying to figure out what to do next. Previously, delegates had written to the king of
England explaining the grievances, or complaints, that the colonists had. They expected the king
would change something. Instead, he sent more troops. Colonists called for rebellion. In April,
British troops fired on colonial militiamen.
Close Listening to the Text
7 minutes
When I read an informational text like this, I stop and ask myself questions about it. I might ask
myself a question because I’m confused, curious, or because I want to make sure I understand
what I’ve read. Then I read on and look for the answers. This helps me to read more closely.
Listen as I read the next section, and see if you come up with any questions. Listen for the
answers in the text.
On May 15, delegates debated a vote on a radical idea. John Adams, from Massachusetts,
wrote that the king’s government in the colonies should be overthrown. Not everyone in the room
agreed. This was a problem. All the colonies needed to agree to separate, not just some of them.
Between May 15 and the end of June, delegates fiercely debated a Declaration of
Independence based on Adams’s idea. The summer heat raged and tempers flared. Delegates
went home to their states to get each state’s approval.
Mondo Bookshop Grade 3 • Theme 1 1
As I read this section, I asked myself, “What was the radical idea the delegates were
debating?” As I continued reading, I saw that the answer to my question was that John Adams
thought the King’s government should be overthrown. Who else had a question as you listened
to this part?
Who has an answer for that question?
It doesn’t say that in the text, but we can sometimes use other details to make an inference
about the answer to a question we have.
Who has another question?
Let’s keep reading. Listen closely to see if you can find an answer to that question. Keep
thinking about other questions you have and listen closely for answers or details you can use to
make an inference.
Meanwhile, on June 11, five men were asked to write an official Declaration of Independence.
These men were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman of Connecticut,
Robert R. Livingston of New York, and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. Jefferson wrote the draft. The
committee showed it to Congress on June 28, 1776.
It looks like we don’t know yet if they came to an agreement. Listen as I read the rest of the
text. Let’s see what we find out.
On July 1, delegates carefully edited Jefferson’s draft and then voted on it. Each colony got
only one vote, and the first vote was not unanimous, so the vote was postponed to the next day.
On July 2, Congress voted for independence. The Declaration of Independence was officially
approved and published on July 4, 1776. The colonies had separated from Great Britain.
Discussing the Text
10 minutes
As we talk about this text today, remember to think about our discussion rules. We want to
make sure we’re listening carefully to what our classmates have to say. Let’s not interrupt each
other. We’ll wait for a speaker to finish and then make our own comments. Who heard the
answer to the question about what the delegates decided to do?
When reading an informational text like this, thinking of questions before we read and pausing
to notice answers and think of other questions gives us a purpose for reading. It’s a good way
to remember and understand what we read.
2 How America Began
Day
Read Aloud
“The Declaration of
Independence”
8
LEARNING FOCUSES
RI.3.1*, RI.3.6*
Students listen closely to describe the overall structure of the text to establish how chronology
contributes to an understanding of key concepts. They continue to ask and answer questions
about key details, referring to what is explicitly stated in the text and using details to support
inferences.
3 minutes
Reflecting on the Text
Let’s review the text, “The Declaration of Independence.” Who would like to share what the
text was mostly about?
Now listen closely as I read it again.
7 minutes
Close Listening to the Text
This time as I read the text, think about the chronology, or sequence, of events. Think about
what happened first, what happened next, and so on. When we identify the order of events, it
can often help us better understand an informational text. Let’s talk about the order of events
in this section. Who can tell us what happened first?
The Declaration of Independence
Think about the hottest summer day ever. Now think about what it would be like without air
conditioning. That’s what the summer was like in 1776.
Delegates for each of the colonies gathered in a hot room in the Pennsylvania State House in
Philadelphia trying to figure out what to do next. Previously, delegates had written to the king of
England explaining the grievances, or complaints, that the colonists had. They expected the king
would change something. Instead, he sent more troops. Colonists called for rebellion. In April,
British troops fired on colonial militiamen.
That’s right. Even though it says in the text before that that the delegates gathered in
Philadelphia, it says “Previously.” That word tells us about something that happened before.
What happened after that?
And it was after that that the delegates gathered to talk about what to do next.
Mondo Bookshop Grade 3 • Theme 1 1
Let’s go on. Keep thinking about the sequence, or order, of events in the text.
On May 15, delegates debated a vote on a radical idea. John Adams, from Massachusetts,
wrote that the king’s government in the colonies should be overthrown. Not everyone in the room
agreed. This was a problem. All the colonies needed to agree to separate, not just some of them.
I noticed that it was May 15 when the delegates began to debate the issue of
independence. The author includes several months and dates to help us understand when
the events in the text took place. It said earlier that the British troops fired on colonial
militiamen in April, and then on May 15 the delegates began to debate. They debated until
the end of June.
Let’s read more. Remember to ask yourself questions about the text and to listen for answers
or details you can use to make inferences. If you notice something about the order of events,
keep it in your head, and we’ll talk about it when we finish this next section. Let’s stop here.
Who has something to share?
Between May 15 and the end of June, delegates fiercely debated a Declaration of
Independence based on Adams’s idea. The summer heat raged and tempers flared. Delegates
went home to their states to get each state’s approval.
Meanwhile, on June 11, five men were asked to write an official Declaration of Independence.
That’s a good observation. Words like meanwhile definitely help us understand when the events
in the text happened. Listen to the end of the text again.
These men were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman of
Connecticut, Robert R. Livingston of New York, and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. Jefferson wrote
the draft. The committee showed it to Congress on June 28, 1776.
On July 1, delegates carefully edited Jefferson’s draft and then voted on it. Each colony got
only one vote, and the first vote was not unanimous, so the vote was postponed to the next day.
On July 2, Congress voted for independence. The Declaration of Independence was officially
approved and published on July 4, 1776. The colonies had separated from Great Britain.
Discussing the Text
10 minutes
Remember, asking ourselves questions and finding answers in the text is a good way to make
sure we understand it. Who can share a question you had?
Who noticed the answer in the text?
2 How America Began