Unit Topic: Heritage

School)

Grade level: First Grade (Lea

Stage 1 Desired Results

Content Standard/Established Goals(s):
English Language Arts:
CC.1.2.1.B
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CC.1.2.1.C
Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of
information in a text.
CC.1.2.1.F
Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and
phrases in a text.
CC.1.2.1.G
Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
CC.1.3.1.A
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their
central message or lesson.
CC.1.3.1.B
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CC.1.3.1.C
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
CC.1.3.1.G
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe characters, settings, or events.
CC.1.4.1.B
Identify and write about one specific topic.
CC.1.4.1.C
Develop the topic with two or more facts.
CC.1.4.1.D
Group information and provide some sense of closure.
CC.1.4.1.E
Choose words and phrases for effect.
CC.1.4.1.V
Participate in individual or shared research and writing projects.
CC.1.5.1.A
Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults in small and
larger groups.
Next Generation Science Standards:
Read grade-appropriate texts and use media to obtain scientific information to
determine patterns in the natural world. (1-LS1-2)
The shape and stability of structures of natural and designed objects are related
to their function(s). (1-LS1-1)
All organisms have external parts Plants also have different parts (roots, stems,
leaves, flowers, fruits) that help them survive and grow. (1-LS1-1)

Understanding(s)
Students will understand that:

-On a literal level, roots take in water

and nutrients for plants and keep plants
anchored into the ground. On an
abstract level, our family roots refer to
our familys history.
-Collecting information about and
reflecting on your familys past and how
it shapes its present is a way of staying

Essential Question(s):
-What are roots? Why do we mean

when we talk about our family roots?

What role/purpose do roots serve
(plant and family roots)?
-How can we stay connected to our
own family roots?
-Why is it important to learn about
other peoples family heritage?

connected to your roots.

-Learning about other peoples family
heritage helps us gain a deeper
understanding and appreciation of
others and helps us have richer
interactions and relationships with
them.

Student objectives (outcomes):

Students will know
-family genealogy is often depicted
on trees
-different family relationships
(mother/father/etc.)
-interviews are a way of collecting
new information
-roots keep plants anchored in the
ground, grow underground, absorb
water and nutrients for plants
-families come in different forms

Beginning

Students will be able to

-Place family members names on a
family tree
-take detailed observations of roots
-conduct an interview of an adult
family member
-comprehend and respond to read
alouds
-make text to self/text/world
connections
-build a terrarium
-compare and contrast

Stage 2 Assessment Evidence

Performance Task(s):
Other Evidence:
-Students will write and present
-Students will come up with
about their family roots based on
interview questions to ask a family
what they learned from an interview member that show students are
with a family member.
seeking to learn more about their
-Students will respond to
family roots
classmates presentations with
-reflection: Why do you think its
questions/comments
important to learn about your
-class discussion/chart shows
family roots?
students knowledge of roots is
-Class discussion- How are families
evolving
like trees? What do the roots
represent?
-Turn & talk with partner- are
students engaged in discussion
about their family roots?
Stage 3 Learning Plan
Learning Activity
Objectives/Goals
Formative
Assessment
106 classroom talk
Students will
Written interview
show: students will get
understand how
questions- thoughtfully
to interview me and
questions can be
written to get rich
Ms. Labolito about
phrased in ways to
responses and gain
where were from and
elicit different kinds of
new information about
what our lives were like responses.
family members past
growing up
Students will
understand that
questions are research
tools that enable us to
collect new

C
u
l carrot observationsm focus on detailed
i observations
n
a
t
i
n
g
Read aloud- Momma,
Where Are You From?

Venn diagram on two

different kinds of roots
Google Earth activitytrack our geographical
family origins

Read Aloud- Whos Who

In Your Family

My Family Roots
prewriting/drafting/revi
sion
/publishing

information.
Students will
understand why it is
important for scientists
to record detailed
observations of what
they are studying.
Students will build on
their knowledge of the
structure of roots
through careful
observations.
Students will
understand that
parents also had a
childhood that was
similar to/different
from our own.
Students will
understand that where
someone is from is
more than just a
geographical location.
Students will deepen
their understanding of
the structure and
function of roots.
Students will
understand that
classmates families
originated from
different places at
local, national, and
global levels.
Students will
understand that
families have different
compositions.
Students will
understand that our
family roots refers to
our family history.
Students will
understand that the
information they
collected in their
interviews helps them
stay connected to their

observations written in
science notebooks
(show improvement
from the day before)
RAN chart- new
knowledge gained
about roots

whole class
discussion/4 square

additions to RAN chart

Class discussionWhere are we from?

Class discussion- What

do we notice about the
families in our
classroom? Do they all
look the same?
My Family Rootsimprovement
throughout writing
process/has new
information been
collected and reflected
on since preassessment? (reflecion
on- Where is your
family from?)

roots.
Presentations

Students will consider

how their classmates
family roots affects
who they are.
Students will
understand that
everyone comes from
different family roots.

Students responses to
classmates work
(written/oral).