Grade Level: 5th
Topic/Content: ELA
Unit/Theme: 1 “Finding a Way” /Lessons 1, 2,
and 5
Time Frame: 2 and ½ weeks
Essential Framework Standards (EFS):
12.3 - Identify and analyze the elements of setting, characterization, and plot.
4.13- Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues.
19.14-Write stories or scripts containing the basic elements of fiction.
22.7- Use additional knowledge of sentence structure.
Additional Framework Standards Used:
3.4- Give oral presentations about experiences or interests using eye contact, proper pace, adequate
volume, and clear enunciation (T72, T146, T290-T299).
3.5- Make informational presentations that have a recognizable organization (T146).
4.11- Identify the meaning of common idioms and figurative language (T42, T122).
4.17- Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using definition or example context clues. (T36,
T113,T288)
5.6- Identify all eight parts of speech (declarative and interrogative sentences. (T68, T142, T282).
8.6- Make predictions about what will happen next in the story, and explain whether they were
confirmed or disconfirmed and why. (T39, T117, T136)
8.1- Make predictions about the content of the text using prior knowledge and text features (T39,
T117, T136, T287, T288).
8.2- Retell important facts from a text heard or read (T38-50, T117-T129, T290-299).
8.3- Ask questions about the important characters, setting and events (T38-50, T117-T129, T290299).
8.6- Make predictions about what will happen next in the story, and explain whether they were
confirmed or discontinues and why (T38, T117, T136, T286).
8.7- Retell a story’s beginning, middle and end (T38-52, T117-129, T290-299).
8.12- Identify sensory details and figurative language (T41, T119).
8.12- Make judgments about setting, characters, and events and support them with evidence from the
text (T38-52, T117-T129).
8.13-Identify the speaker of a poem or story. (T44, T131).
8.16- Summarize main ideas and supporting details (T53, T117-T129, T290-299).
8.17- Identify and analyze sensory details and figurative language (T119, T122, T124, T131)
8.18- Identify and analyze the author’s use of dialogue and description (T38-T52, T117-129, T290299).
9.3- Identify similarities and differences between the characters or events in a literary work (T132,
T290-299).
10.3- Identify and analyze the characteristics of various genres (realistic fiction T38, T116, T286).
12.2- Identify and analyze the elements of plot, character and setting in the stories they read and
write (Lesson 1, 2, and 5).
12.3-Identify and analyze the elements of setting, characterization, and plot (including conflict. EFS)
14.1- Identify a regular beat and similarities of sounds in words responding to rhythm and rhyme in
poetry (T131 & poetry below).
14.2- Identify rhyme and rhythm, repetition, similes, and visual and auditory images poems that are
read aloud, and use these techniques in their writing (T131 and poetry below).
14.3- Respond to and analyze the effects of sound, figurative language, and graphics in order to
uncover meaning in poetry, and use these techniques in their own poems: (onomatopoeia) (T124,
T131 and poetry below).
15.3- Identify imagery, figurative language, rhythm, or flow when responding to literature, and then
choose words for these purposes in their own writing (T144).
18.1-Rehearse and perform stories for an audience using eye contact, volume, and clear enunciation
appropriate to the selection (T291-T299).
18.2- Plan and perform readings of selected texts for an audience using clear diction and voice
quality appropriate to the selection, and use teacher-developed assessment criteria as they prepare
their presentations (T291-299).
18.3-Develop characters through the use of basic acting skills and describe the artistic choices in
their development (T291-299).
20.3- Use appropriate language for different audiences (Pre-K to 4 Standard) (T43, T44, T47, T144,
(T291-299).
22.3- Write legibly in cursive
22.4- Use knowledge of correct mechanics (hyphens). (T49).
Writing- (T53, T82-T93, T143-T145)
(Write a summary of the story, personal narrative, or autobiography, revise and publish)
22.5- Use knowledge of word parts, syllabication, and word segmentation to monitor and correct
spelling.
22.6- Spell most commonly used homophones correctly in their writing.
22.7- Use additional knowledge of correct mechanics, correct sentence structure, and correct
standard English spelling.
23.1- Arrange events in order when writing or dictating.
23.2- Arrange ideas in a way that makes sense.
23.2- Organize plot events in an order that leads to a climax in their stories.
23.3- Organize ideas for a brief response to a reading.
23.4- Organize ideas for an account of personal experience in a way that makes sense.
23.6- Group related ideas together and place them in logical order when writing summaries or
reports.
23.7- Organize information about a topic into a coherent paragraph with a topic sentence, sufficient
supporting detail, and a concluding sentence.
Essential Questions: What questions point to the identified themes, skills and understandings?
What questions provide a broader intellectual focus to the work?
What are the characteristics and motivations of people who overcome challenges to accomplish great
things?
How does recognizing plot events, conflict, and resolution in a story deepen comprehension?
How does using story structure to identify key events help develop understanding of a story?
Focus Skills
Plot: Conflict and Resolution (T30-T31,
T38-T52, T58-T59, T108-T109, T116T128, T134-T135, T308).
Focus Strategies
Use Story Structure (T32-T33, T41, T45, T49, T110T111, T119, T121, T125, T302-T305)
Instructional Techniques that further content understanding, interpretation, application, and
perception. What should small group instruction look like in this theme/unit? Small group
instruction should take place once to twice per week, at a minimum.
Whole Group – Build Background (T34, T112), Listening Comprehension or Poetry Selection (T28,
T106-T107), Question of the Day (T20, T98), Comprehension (See focus skill and strategy),
Vocabulary (T35, T113, T115, T133, T139).
Small Group – Differentiated Instruction (T22-T23, T100-101, T142-T143), Leveled Readers (T24,
T102).
Whole Group – Spelling (T66-T67, T140-T141), Grammar (T68-T69, T142-T143).
Six Traits Emphasis – Which components of Six Traits (from both the ELA program and the Six
Traits kits) should be emphasized in this unit? One lesson from the Six Traits student workbook
should be taught every week.
Reference 6 Traits Student Trait Book (STB), Unit 1-Ideas.
Briefly discuss voice through the story (figurative language) - (T70-T71, T144-T145), STB-Unit 3.
Writing Form (Rubric-T171)
Suggestions:
Story summary
Character description paragraph
Autobiographical Composition
Revise and Publish
Grammar Emphasis
Complete declarative and interrogative sentences.
Imperative and Exclamatory sentences; Interjections.
Assessment: What evidence will show that the students understand the Essential Questions?
Describe how students will be assessed to demonstrate understanding of the key theme, skills
and strategies in this unit.
Weekly test, observation, and choose one previous writing assignment and publish using rubric.
Relevant Trade books
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story by Paula Yoo.
Ida B. by Katherine Hannigan
Thimbleberry Stories by Cynthia Rylant
Eleanor by Barbara Cooney
Interdisciplinary Connections
Physical Fitness-Health (T55)
Fine Art Connection (T15)
Science (Word Bank T45)
Science (Heart Rate T125)
Technology Options
www.thinkcentral.com
www.harcourtschool.com/storytown
Poetry Options
1. Farris, H. (1957). Favorite poems old and new; Selected for boys and girls. Doubleday &
Co., Inc. Garden City, N.Y.
2. Prelutsky, J. (1983). Random house book of poetry for children. Random House. New York,
N.Y.
3. Silverstein, S. (1974). Where the sidewalk ends. Harper Collins. New York, N.Y.
Poetry Suggestions:
Ninth Inning (T130)
Every Time I Climb a Tree
Every time I climb a tree
Every time I climb a tree
Every time I climb a tree
I scrape a leg
Or skin a knee
And every time I climb a tree
I find some ants
Or dodge a bee
And get the ants
All over me
And every time I climb a tree
Where have you been?
They say to me
But don’t they know that I am free
Every time I climb a tree?
I like it best
To spot a nest
That has an egg
or maybe three
And then I skin
The other leg
But every time I climb a tree
I see a lot of things to see
Swallows rooftops and TV
And all the fields and farms there be
Every time I climb a tree
Though climbing may be good for ants
It isn’t awfully good for pants
But still it’s pretty good for me.
By David McCord
Hold Fast Your Dreams
Hold fast your dreams!
Within your heart
Keep one still, secret spot
Where dreams may go,
And sheltered so,
May thrive and growWhere doubt and fear are not.
Oh, keep a place apart
Within your heart,
For little dreams to go.
by Louise Driscoll
Dreams
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
By Langston Hughes
Gr. 3-5 revised 6-24-08