eDay Lessons
3rd Grade
Reading/Writing
Unit Theme: Famous African Americans
eDay Lessons
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Standards
Reading Informational Text
RI.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate
understanding of key details in a text.
RI.2.2 Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within
the text.
RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or
steps in technical procedures in a text.
RI.2.6 Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or
describe.
RI.2.9 Compare and contrast the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic.
Expectations for Learning
Students will read and comprehend third grade informational and fictional texts through writing and
through responses to texts.
Materials:
Famous African American passages
Pencil
Tasks
Day One:
Read the Harriet Tubman selection.
Choose 3 of the Tic*Tac*Toe board questions to answer (down, across, or diagonal). Write
answers on Harriet Tubman Response Sheet.
Complete the Famous African Americans Writing Connection.
Day Two:
Read the Muhammad Ali selection.
Choose 3 of the Tic*Tac*Toe board questions to answer (down, across, or diagonal). Write
answers on Muhammad Ali Response Sheet.
Complete the Muhammad Ali Writing Connection.
Day Three:
Read the Martin Luther King, Jr. selection.
Choose 3 of the Tic*Tac*Toe board questions to answer (down, across, or diagonal). Write
answers on Martin Luther King Jr. Response Sheet.
Complete the Martin Luther King, Jr. Writing Connection.
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Columbus City Schools
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Day 1
eDay Lessons
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Famous African Americans
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Harriet Tubman was known as “Moses.” She lived during a time when it was
illegal to help slaves escape to freedom. Moses is an important figure in the
Bible. He led the Jews out of slavery in Egypt. Tubman, in a similar way, led
African Americans out of slavery in the American South. She became the most
well-known leader of the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was
a system of secret routes1 that helped slaves escape to free states.
Harriet Tubman was born a slave. She escaped slavery and made a promise to
help others do the same. She made a total of 19 rescue trips back down south.
She never lost one of the 300 slaves she saved. She was skillful2 and brave. She
even led her parents to freedom in 1857.
Harriet Tubman continued to help other African-American people. She was a
nurse and a spy during the Civil War. In her later years, Tubman established3 a
house for elderly African Americans who needed help. She was a true blessing
to the African-American community and to the United States.
1
route: path; road; way to get somewhere
2
skillful: good at what she did
3
establish: to bring into existence
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Columbus City Schools
Page 3 of 15
Day 1
eDay Lessons
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Harriet Tubman Tic*TAC*Toe
Moses
Author’s Purpose
Harriet Tubman’s Roles
How was Harriet Tubman
most like Moses?
What does the author
describe in the passage?
Harriet Tubman helped
African Americans in more
ways than just her role in
the
Underground Railroad.
What evidence from the
passage supports this
conclusion?
1
3
2
Escape!
The Underground Railroad
What kind of person?
Based on the passage, why
did Harriet Tubman most
likely want to help other
slaves escape?
What was the Underground
Railroad?
List a character trait that
describes Harriet Tubman.
Use evidence from the
selection to support your
choice.
5
6
4
Who, What, When, Why
A True Blessing
New Title
Based on the passage, why
was Harriet Tubman a “true
blessing” to the African
American community and
the United States?
What is another good title
for the passage? What key
details support the
selection of this title?
7
8
Based on this selection,
write a summary which
includes the following:
•Who was Harriet Tubman?
•What did she do?
•When did she do it?
•Why did she do it?
9
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Columbus City Schools
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Day 1
eDay Lessons
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Harriet Tubman Response Sheet
Harriet Tubman- Prompt #_____
Harriet Tubman- Prompt #_____
Harriet Tubman- Prompt #_____
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Columbus City Schools
Page 5 of 15
Day 1
eDay Lessons
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Harriet Tubman
Writing Connection
If you could interview Harriet Tubman, what would you ask her?
Create 2 questions and write how you think Ms. Tubman would respond.
Question 1
Answer 1
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Question 2
Answer 2
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Columbus City Schools
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eDay Lessons
Day 2
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Famous African Americans
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
In 1942, Cassius Clay was born in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1960, during the
Summer Olympics, Clay won a gold medal in boxing. Four years later, in 1964,
he won his first world heavyweight title.1 The same year, Clay joined the
Muslim faith. He changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
Ali was the greatest boxer of his time—and he knew it. In fact, he called
himself “The Greatest.” In the 1970s, Ali became one of the most famous
people in the world. He was known not just for his faith and his fighting. His
courage, his way of speaking, and his desire to help others also made him
famous.
Today, Ali suffers from Parkinson’s disease2. It affects his brain. The disease
makes it difficult for him to speak or use his body. After the terrorist attacks of
September 11, 2001, he put these difficulties aside. Ali addressed3 the nation
as a Muslim. He talked about his faith. He urged America not to look down on
Muslim people because of the attacks. He thought it was important to speak
out. Others admired his courage. In 2005, Ali was honored with the
Presidential Medal of Freedom for his role in working for equality and civil
rights.
1
world heavyweight title: the winner of the international boxing prize in the division of boxers who weigh
the most
2
Parkinson’s disease: a disease that tends to get steadily worse and is marked especially by stiff and
trembling muscles, slowness of movement, and a shuffling way of walking
3
addressed: delivered a formal speech to
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Day 2
eDay Lessons
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Muhammad Ali Tic*TAC*Toe
September 11
Main Idea
What and How?
Based on the passage,
explain why people
might have listened to
Muhammad
Ali when he spoke out after
the September 11
attacks?
What is the main idea of
this passage?
What is Parkinson’s Disease
and how does it affect
Muhammad Ali?
Name Change
When and Why?
Why did he change his
name from Cassius
Clay to Muhammad Ali?
3
2
1
What kind of person?
When and why did
Muhammad Ali address
the nation?
List a character trait that
describes Muhammad
Ali. Use evidence from
the selection to support
your choice.
5
6
4
Heavyweight Champion
The Greatest
Who, What, When, Why
When did Muhammad Ali
win his first heavyweight
boxing title?
Explain why Muhammad Ali
was called “The
Greatest.”
Based on this selection,
write a summary which
includes the following:
•Who was Muhammad Ali?
•What did he do?
•When did he do it?
•Why did he do it?
7
8
9
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Columbus City Schools
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eDay Lessons
Day 2
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Muhammad Ali Response Sheet
Muhammad Ali- Prompt #_____
Muhammad Ali- Prompt #_____
Muhammad Ali- Prompt #_____
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Columbus City Schools
Page 9 of 15
Day 2
eDay Lessons
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Muhammad Ali
Writing Connection
Write at least 3 facts you learned about Muhammad Ali. Write an opinion
about Mr. Ali.
Fact 1
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Fact 2
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Fact 3
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Opinion
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Columbus City Schools
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eDay Lessons
Day 3
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Honoring King
Americans pay tribute to a leader’s legacy
For many Americans, Martin Luther King Jr. Day isn’t just a "day off” from school
or work. They will make it a "day on" and participate in community service
projects in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
A Great Leader
King (1929-1968) was a famous civil rights1 leader. When King was growing up,
the South was segregated2 or separated by race. Black people did not have the
same rights as white people. Under the law, they were not allowed to attend
the same schools as white people and had to sit in the back seats of buses.
Black people also had to use separate restrooms and drinking fountains. When
King was older, he worked to change those unjust laws. During the 1950s and
1960s, he gave speeches and organized peaceful marches and protests.
Beginning in 1955, King led the famous Montgomery bus boycott. For 381 days,
African Americans boycotted, or refused to use, public buses in the Alabama
city. A year later, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation on buses was
illegal. King gained national attention from the boycott and, in 1963, delivered
his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. He told a crowd of more than 200,000
people in Washington, D.C., that his dream was for all people to be treated
fairly and equally under the law. As a result of his work, civil rights laws were
passed. Those laws protect the rights of all Americans.
1civil rights: entitlement of citizens to be treated equally and fairly by law
2 segregated: kept apart from other groups
3 boycott: protest by not using the services of a particular company or business
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Columbus City Schools
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Day 3
eDay Lessons
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
A Day of Service
Many people celebrate King’s legacy4 on Martin Luther King Jr. Day with
parades and other events. The legacy of a leader is something he or she has
accomplished which will benefit future generations. For King, that meant making
the world a better place. Thousands more will honor King by cleaning parks,
volunteering at homeless shelters, and participating in other community service
projects. "Everybody can be great because everybody can serve," King once
said. By taking part in community service projects, Americans are able to keep
this leader’s dream alive.
4 legacy: something valuable left by a person when he or she dies
© 2012 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.
Article: Copyright © 2007 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
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Page 12 of 15
Day 3
eDay Lessons
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Martin Luther King, Jr. Tic*TAC*Toe
Interesting Facts
What I learned
1. Write down the most
interesting thing you have
learned.
2. Write down why it stood out.
3. Be sure to specifically reference
the text.
1. Write down two new pieces of
information that you learned.
2. Write down why these were
important pieces of information.
1
Opinion
2
1. Write an opinion about the
article.
2. Did you like it? Why or why
not?
3. Are there any moral issues
present in the article and how do
you feel about these issues?
3
Main Idea
Vocabulary
Details
1. What is the main idea of the
text?
2. Write a 2-3 sentence summary
in your own words.
3. Include a topic sentence.
1. Find 3 words that are either
new to you or are important to
the main idea of the text.
2. Define and draw a quick
picture for each word.
1. Find 3 details that support the
main idea of the article.
2. List the details, using examples
from the text.
3. Explain why these details are
important.
6
4
5
Questions
Visual Images
Summary
1. Write three questions that you
have after reading the text.
2. These questions can be
clarifying questions (questions to
help you better understand what
you are reading) or “I wonder”
questions (things you are simply
curious about).
7
1. Create a diagram, map, chart,
graph, or image based on the
text. Explain its significance to
the text.
2. Draw a picture that shows the
main idea of the text.
In complete sentences, tell the
following about the text:
1. Who or what is it about?
2. Where did it happen?
3. When did it happen?
4. Why did it happen?
9
8
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Columbus City Schools
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eDay Lessons
Day 3
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Martin Luther King, Jr. Response Sheet
Martin Luther King, Jr.- Prompt #_____
Martin Luther King, Jr.- Prompt #_____
Martin Luther King, Jr.- Prompt #_____
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Columbus City Schools
Page 14 of 15
Day 3
eDay Lessons
rd
3 Grade Reading and Writing
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Writing Connection
_________________
Evidence from the
selection
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Evidence from the
selection
Character Trait 2
Character Trait 1
Based on the selection, what type of person was Martin Luther King, Jr.? Choose 2
character traits (courageous, talkative, moody, etc.) to describe him and use
evidence from the selection to support your choices.
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