Unit Overview This unit is written for fourth grade students.

The main purpose of this unit is for students to develop the skills of a great reader. Great readers craft insightful inferences and make for excellent literary detectives. In this unit students will be composing a Readers Notebook to create graphic organizers that reflect meaningful applications of the literature read in class. We are studying Patricia Polacco because of her broad subject area in the affective domain that will connect with readers on a deeper level. Polaccos work also reflects history and strong connections with social issues both past and present. The methods and materials used in this unit will vary depending on the text we read that day. Most projects will be completed in the students readers notebooks, as well as include student participation in a literature circle and/or whole group discussions. Lessons will engage students by encouraging students to; act out scenes by creating tableaux, recreate an ending, write a song for the story, and create posters and visuals depicting the elements of fiction found within quality literature. Lessons will include multiple intelligences and learning styles by primarily focusing on whole brain learning research and Howard Gardners Multiple Intelligence theory. Lessons are also geared for multiple levels of thinking according to Blooms Taxonomy. Because of the personal nature of this unit, all lessons can be modified to meet each learners needs.

Common Core Standards

4.RL. 1. Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. 4.RL. 2. Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text. 4.RL. 3. Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a characters thoughts, words, or actions). 4.RL. 6. Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations. 4.RL. 9. Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures. 4.W. 9.a. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text *e.g., a characters thoughts, words, or actions+.).

Goals and Objectives Unit Goals TLW label and define elements in a work of literature. TLW compare and contrast different works of literature by the same author. TLW apply meaning from literature to during, before, and after reading. TLW create visual representations of quality works of literature. TLW make inferences about theme, plot, and key ideas and beliefs within works of quality art and literature. TLW recommend and evaluate quality works of literature.

Unit Objectives TLW create a Readers Notebook to record responses to literature. TLW demonstrate understanding of the elements of fiction by creating graphic organizers and thinking maps. TLW take part in classroom discussions and dramatizations to further real life connections to literature. TLW apply meaning from literature to text-to-life, text-to-world, and text-to-text connections during, before, and after reading. TLW collaborate with other students in literature circles to work on group projects relating to quality literature. TLW appraise works of literature by the same author and rate them as a class on an opinion bar graph. TLW influence their peers to read their favorite book choice by summarizing and highlighting the key points of interest in a work of fiction.