RUNNING HEAD: UNIT PLAN

Unit Plan
Rachel Ritacco
University of New England
EDU 707












UNIT PLAN

Introduction:
At Martin Kellogg Middle School in Newington, CT, I teach English language arts and
social studies to 44 students. It is important to note that one of my students qualifies for ELL
services as she has only been in the country for a month. Of the 44 students, 7 students receive
special education services and 2 are in Scientific Research Based Intervention (SRBI) which is
Connecticuts label for tiered reading intervention. The Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
assessment was administered district wide at the beginning of October. The reading assessment
mirrors the Smarter Balanced assessment that the students will be administered in the spring. As
a result, 25 of my 44 English language arts students RIT scores were at or above the mean of
207 (57%). Therefore, 19 (43%) were below this mean. On the fall District Assessment of
Writing (DAW) students were asked to answer six research questions. These questions were
graded with a 2-point rubric (Common Core Constructed Response Rubric). In classes, 34 of 44
students (77%) performed below the goal of 5 out of 6. Additionally, on the fall DAW writing
task, 37 of 44 students (84%) performed below the goal of 3 out of 4. The writing task was
assessed using the 4-point, Common Core Informational Text rubric. What these assessments
have in common is the need to comprehend, manipulate, and construct informative text. The
data shows that my students have gaps when it comes to informational text. This problem is seen
throughout the district seeing as both the Newington Public Schools District Improvement Plan
and Martin Kellogg Middle Schools School Improvement Plan include a goal for reading
informational text. The Common Core states that by high school, 70% the material that students
will be expected to read is informational text. Seeing as we are collectively responsible for
preparing our students to become college, career and citizenship ready, the gaps with
informational text must be filled.
UNIT PLAN

Currently, the students are in unit 2 of the curriculum. In unit 1, they explored narratives
through identifying narrative elements, summarizing, developing and supporting themes and
finally by constructing their own personal narrative. Additionally, in this unit the students
explored sentence revision. In unit 2, the unit that is currently being taught, students are
investigating biographies. The intention is that students will be able to make a claim whether or
not these people have made a difference and support their stance in opinion writing.
Furthermore, students are studying verb tense, conjunctions and interjections. It is clear that with
the winter DAW and MAP assessment approaching in January, the curriculum should be
modified to reflect the need that the data presents.
The newly developed unit was derived from common core standards that were previously
intended in future units. The unit presented will focus primarily on informational text. The texts
selected will revolve around the central theme Our Changing World. The primary focus is on
natural disasters. This theme was chosen because it is a topic of high interest. Since these
students have been in school, natural disasters (tsunami in Japan, hurricane Katrina, earthquake
in Haiti, Philippian typhoon, etc.) have been in the current events and they have had the
opportunity to participate in activities that contribute to various relief funds. In choosing this
topic, students will have background knowledge to draw from and will find relevance.
As informational text is too broad of a focus, the CCSS have been used to dictate the
scope and sequence in which instruction should be laid out. As a result, this unit has been
developed within a standards based curriculum framework. SMART goals and learning targets
have been included to indicate clear learning path and indicators of success. Frequent, short
assessments have been included as performances of understanding. Open-ended responses will
be graded with the CCSS constructed response rubric. In following the cognitivist theory, all
UNIT PLAN

lessons will start with identifying the learning target, statement of relevance, and indicators of
success. Graphic organizers, mnemonics, acronyms, and systems will be put in place to support
and scaffold learning.















UNIT PLAN

Curriculum Map:
Grade 5 CCSS Matrix
Key
P Priority Standard
SS Support Standard
O Overarching Standard
M Maintained Standard

GRAD
E 5

Reading
Foundations
Key Ideas and Details Craft and Structure

RF3.
a
RF5.
4
RL
1
RI
1 RL2
RI
2 RL3
RI
3
RL
4
RI
4
RL
5
RI
5
RL
6
RI
6

Unit 1 Launching the Year O O SS P P O O SS SS
28
DAYS & Fitting In Story Story
3
Unit 2
People Who Make A
Difference O O SS SS SS O O SS SS
30
Days (include mini research)
5
Unit 3 Exploring your World O O P P P O O P
30
Days
5
Unit 4
Human Interaction
with the Planet O O P M O O SS
30
Days
5
Unit 5 (Poetry and Plays) O O M P P O O P
25
Days
Drama,
Poetry
Dram
a
2

181
-2 opening days
-1 Field Trip
-1 in house field trip
-3 CMT
-1 Field Day
-10 Assessment days
163
UNIT PLAN


GRADE
5
Integration of Knowledge
Text
Complexity
Text Types and Purposes
RL7 RI7 RI8 RL9 RI9 RL10 W1 L1 W2 L2 W3 L3

Unit 1 Launching the Year P O
P/O-
e P P
28
DAYS & Fitting In
2.a,
b, c 3.a
3
Unit 2
People Who Make A
Difference P P SS SS O P P O-e P
30
Days (include mini research)
a, b,
c, d a-e 3.b
5
Unit 3 Exploring your World O M P P
30
Days a-e a-e 2.d
5
Unit 4
Human Interaction with
the Planet P SS P O P O-e
30
Days b,c,d
5
Unit 5 (Poetry and Plays) O O-e
25
Days
2







UNIT PLAN

GRADE
5
Production/Distribution of Writing
Research to
Build/Present
Knowledge
Range of Writing
W4 L4 W5 L5 W6 L6 W7 W8 W9 W10 SL1 SL2 SL3 SL4 SL5 SL6

Unit 1 Launching the Year O O O SS O O O O
28
DAYS & Fitting In 5.a,c
3
Unit 2
People Who Make
A Difference O O O SS P O SS SS SS O O P SS SS O
30
Days
(include mini
research) 5.c b.
5
Unit 3
Exploring your
World O O O

M O P O O

O
30
Days

b.
5
Unit 4
Human Interaction
with the Planet O O O SS M O P P O O P P P O
30
Days 5.a, b, c
5
Unit 5 (Poetry and Plays) O O O P O P O O M M O
25
Days a.,b.,c. a.
2








UNIT PLAN

Unit 3 Lesson Plans/Pacing Guide
Day 1

Introduce
nonfiction text
structures
chronology
(sequence),
comparison,
cause/effect,
problem/solution
Use short examples
of each to model.


Pair Turn and Talk:
Discuss authors
purposes for
choosing
structure(s)

Students evaluate:
1. What specifically
do you gain from the
authors use of this
text structure?
2. Why would you
choose this text
structure over
___________.

Provide students
with Text Structures
Organizer
(notes/handout)

Learning Target:
I can compare and
contrast the overall
structure of events
or ideas in two or
more texts.










RI.5.5
Day 2

Summer of Fire
Harcourt
(Chronological/Sequence
text structure)

Shared reading of this
informational text turn
and talk at various points
to summarize key points



Learning Target(s):
I can use specific quotes
from the text when
drawing inferences and
explaining what the text
says specifically.

I can summarize a piece
of informational text.




























R.I.5.1, R.I.5.2
Day 3

Continue using
Summer of Fire
to discuss overall
structure & features
that aid
comprehension.

Together,
complete the
graphic organizer
(sequence) showing
the relationship of
the main ideas &
key details to the
sequence of events.

Learning Target: I
can determine the
main idea of a text
and explain how it
is supported by
providing key
details.


























R.I.5.2, R.I.5.3
Day 4

Continuing with
Summer of Fire

Provide central
question about the
text and model
how to accurately
quote from the text
to support your
answer.

Central Questions:
1. How did weather
conditions affect the
Yellowstone area
during the summer of
1988?
2. How did the park
policies change over
the course of the
summer of 1988?
3. How did the park
policies change over
the course of the
summer of 1988?

Student pairs will
respond to question
#2. Students will
respond to #3
independently.

Language:
Lesson on the use
of underlining,
using quotation
marks, or italics to
indicate the title of
a work. Connect
this skill to the skill
of quoting a text to
support an answer.

In the article, Summer
of Fire, the author .

Learning Target: I
can respond to
questions citing
evidence from the
text.
R.I.5.1. L.5.2.d
Day 5

Provide shorter,
leveled
cause/effect text
Wildfires and
Fires of Life
articles.

Complete a
cause/effect
graphic organizer
(G.O.) to compare
main ideas & key
details for each
section with
partner.

Homework: Use
cause/effect G.O.
to construct a
summary for one
of the articles.


Learning Target: I
can determine the
main idea of a text
and explain how it
is supported by
providing key
details.

I can summarize a
piece of
informational text.















R.I.5.2
UNIT PLAN


Day 6

Students will
share summaries
within small
groups and
discuss what
belongs in a
summary and
what does not
belong.

As a whole class
create checklist
of what makes a
good
informational
summary.

CFA: Students
will answer a
text based
question about a
short article
quoting
accurately for
support.



Learning Target:
I can determine
what details
should be
included in a
summary of
informational
text.

R.I.5.1, R.I.5.2
Day 7

Compare the overall
structure of Summer
of Fire (sequential) to
the overall structure of
the Wildfire article
(cause/effect)

Discuss how each
structure is related to
the authors purpose
and how the structure
supports
comprehension. Model
comparing/contrasting
overall structure of 2
texts.

Complete G.O. (Tic-
Tac-Toe
compare/contrast
organizer with the
following sections:
Authors Purpose, Text
Structure, Key Points)

Learning Target:
I can compare and
contrast the overall
structure of events or
ideas in two or more
texts.






R.I.5.5
Day 8

Students
independently
read Black
Blizzard article
with cause/effect
structure

Determine main
ideas and key
supporting details

With pairs,
discuss the
authors purpose
in relation to the
cause/effect text
structure. Pairs
will respond to
this question
citing evidence
from the article.

Learning Target:
I can demonstrate
that I can identify
key supporting
details and
determine why
the author chose
to structure the
text the way
he/she did.




R.I.5.2, R.I.5.3,
RI.5.5
Day 9

Read This Time Was
Different (from Options
Level D) -
problem/solution text
structure and complete
Problem/action/solution
G.O. together.

Compare/contrast the
main ideas and text
structure of Black
Blizzard and This
Time Was Different
with partner, using G.O.
modeled on day 7. Share
out with class.

Learning Target:
I can compare and
contrast the overall
structure of events or
ideas in two or more
texts.














R.I.5.2, R.I.5.3, RI.5.5

Day 10

New
problem/solution
text
Thunderstorm:
Take Action

Examine structure
and determine
central ideas and
their relationships

Independently fill
in G.O. and
collaborate with a
partner for feedback

Learning Target: I
can explain the
relationships
between events,
ideas, or procedures
from an
informational text.













RI.5.2, R.I.5.3
RI.5.5





UNIT PLAN

Day 11

Provide various
articles/texts with
varying structures
and have students
within small groups
or with a partner
identify the
different structures
within the texts

Select from variety
of articles provided
for unit

Enriched: Floods
article which has
several structures in
different
paragraphs.

Learning Target: I
can explain the
relationships
between events,
ideas, or procedures
from an
informational text.















RI.5.5..
Day 12

CFA
Using Tsunamis:
Danger from the
Sea (from J ust
Right Reading -
Options Level 4)


Have students
independently read
the text and identify
varying text
structures of
sections

Learning Target: I
can explain the
relationships
between events,
ideas, or procedures
from an
informational text.




















RI.5.5.
Day 13

Reteach/provide
feedback based on
CFA results. Small
group instruction as
needed






































Day 14

Review/Reteach as
needed.

Review work done in
class together.

PRETEST- Identify
Parts of a Question




























Day 15

Review the pretest.
Review the 4-point
CCSS Constructed
Response Rubric.
Highlight the
statement that says
students must
answer all parts of
a question.

Model the
following strategy.
Question Parts
Checkist:
1. Color the words
that depict action
2. Highlight or
underline in color
the different tasks
being asked.
3. Create a check
list (with boxes)
that tell you what
you need to do to
answer the
question.

Use the strategy to
answer a question
about a short
selection. (1-2
paragraphs)
Response should
properly cite
evidence.

Learning Target: I
can use a strategy
to ensure that I
answer all parts of
a question.

R.I.5.1




UNIT PLAN

Day 16

Schema Activator:
Incoming Boomerangs
Question: See if
students can apply the
strategy (check list)
and identify the parts
of the question.
(Maintain this strategy
throughout.)

Review the CCSS
Constructed Response
Rubric

Introduce RAPS
(acronym)

R: Restate the question.
A: Answer the question.
P: Prove your answer
with 2-3 specific
examples cited from the
text.
S: So what? Explain
how your proof supports
the answer.

Students will choose
an article they have
read previously and in
pairs answer one of the
following questions
using RAPS:

*What is the main idea of
this article? What are the
key details that support
the main idea? (RI.5.2)
*What text structure did
the author use to organize
this text. Why do you
think he/she chose this
particular text structure?
(RI.5.5)

Learning Target: I can
use RAPS to ensure
that my open ended
responses meet the
expectations of the
rubric.

R.I.5.1, R.I.5.2,
R.I.5.3
Day 17

Small Group:
Students will
receive 5 open-
ended
exemplars.
They will read
and evaluate
the responses to
determine if
they have all of
the parts of
RAPS. They
will cross
reference these
results to the
CCSS
constructed
Response
Rubric to
determine the
score. Students
will discuss and
support their
claims.

Students will
share with the
whole class
their findings.

Learning
Target: I can
evaluate open-
ended
responses to
determine if
they meet the
standard.











SL.5.1b
Day 18

Students will
choose one of the
responses from Day
17 that did not score
a 4 on the rubric and
did not follow
RAPS. Students will
revise the response.

Group pairs by
selected question.
Pairs will share
responses

Homework: Read an
article and answer 3
questions using
RAPS and the
checklist.

Learning Target: I
can analyze and
revise an open-
ended response so
that it answers the
question and
adequately supports
the answer with
cited text evidence.
Day 19

CFA- Pumpkin
Chucking
Identifying parts of
question, responding
to open-ended
responses

Grade CFA using
CCSS Constructed
Response Rubric

Learning Target: I can
answer open ended
response citing
evidence from the
text.
































R.I.5.1, R.I.5.2,
R.I.5.3
Day 20

Reteach/provide
feedback based on
CFA results. Small
group instruction as
needed



UNIT PLAN


Day 21

Summative
Assessment
Using The
Making of a
Hurricane
from Living
With
Hurricanes
(Harcourt
Leveled reader)

Day 1: Read
informational
article,
determine two
or more main
ideas and
determine how
they are
supported by
key details.

Use a graphic
organizer to
write a
summary.

CFA- build in a
check for the
proper form
for indicating
titles of a work








R.I.5.2
L.5.2.d
Day 22

Summative
Assessment

Day 2:
Using
Controlling
Hurricanes
from Living
With Hurricanes
(Harcourt
Leveled reader)


Read second
informational
article (same
topic/different
structure).
Answer
questions and
support your
answers with
explicit quotes.

Build in
assessment of
correctly
indicating the
title of a work












R.I.5.1. L.5.2.d
Day 23

Summative
assessment

Day 3:
Compare/Contrast
structure within 2
previously read
texts

































RI.5.5
Day 24

Discuss & model how to
select a topic for an
informative/explanatory
writing task.

Model completing a
graphic organizer on a
given topic, outlining
main ideas & supporting
details.

Students will brainstorm
and chose a topic and
begin a graphic
organizer on choice
topic.

Provide opportunity for
students to peer share for
feedback/revisions and
conferring with teacher

HW: complete the G.O.

















W.5.2., W.5.4., W.5.5.,
S.L.5.1.
Day 25

Introduce the
components of the
informative/explanatory
writing task.

Model writing an
introduction on a given
topic.

Students will write an
introduction on self-
selected topic.

Provide opportunity for
students to peer share
for feedback/revisions
and conferring with
teacher.






















W.5.2., W.5.4., W.5.5.,
S.L.5.1.



UNIT PLAN

Day 26

Introduce & model
writing body
paragraph(s) with main
idea, supporting details
and concluding
statement.

Highlight the use of
words, phrases &
clauses to link ideas


Students will construct
body paragraphs self-
selected topic, focusing
on specific
details/facts/information.

Provide opportunity for
students to peer share for
feedback/revisions and
conferring with teacher













W.5.2., W.5.4., W.5.5.,
S.L.5.1
Day 27

Complete body
paragraphs

Provide
opportunity for
students to peer
share for
feedback/revisions
and conferring
with teacher

























W.5.2., W.5.4.,
W.5.5., S.L.5.1.
Day 28

Introduce & model
writing a
concluding
paragraph.

Students will write
a concluding
paragraph on their
self-selected topic.

Provide opportunity
for students to peer
share for
feedback/revisions
and conferring
with teacher

















W.5.2. W.5.2.,
W.5.4., W.5.5.,
S.L.5.1.
Day 29

Summative
Assessment
Day One

Review
criteria
(rubric) for
final draft.

Students will
independently
complete a
final revision
and editing of
their piece

(May begin
typing)


















W.5.2
Day 30

Summative Assessment
Day Two

Students will type
Informative/explanatory
text for final submission






























W.5.2






UNIT PLAN

Grade 5 ELA Unit Planning Guide

Unit 3: Our Changing World (Science focus)
Big Ideas (Enduring Understandings)
Reading
Understanding the texts features, organizational structures, and characteristics can help the
readers ability to make meaning of both fiction and nonfiction text.
Authors write with different styles and purposes.
Understanding informational text helps one develop knowledge, acquire skills, and develop
habits of mind.
Readers make judgments about text to evaluate the effectiveness of an authors presentation
of information.
Quotations from a text can be used to support inferences and judgments
Readers use details from a text to make inferences and draw conclusions.

Writing
Authors support main ideas in a text with strong details.
Good writers explain similarities and differences by using compare/contrast text structure.
The technique of comparing and contrasting can help increase your understanding of two or
more things.
An authors background, experiences, values and beliefs influences their writing.

Essential Questions: (Key concepts, focus)
Reading
How can understanding the text structure help the reader better understand its meaning?
How do authors convey similar themes through the use of different text structures?
Writing
How do writers use and create details to support a main idea?
How can I organize an expository / compare-contrast essay?
How can transitional words and phrases enhance a readers understanding of a compare-
contrast essay?

Pacing/Timeframe: 30 instructional days and 5 re-teach/enrichment days
UNIT PLAN

Overarching Standards (OS)
Reading Foundations
RF.5.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
a) Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and
morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context
and out of context.
RF.5.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a) Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.
b) Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on
successive readings.
c) Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as
necessary.
Reading Standards for Literature
RL.5.10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at
the high end of the grades 45 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Reading Standards for Informational Text
RI.5.4. Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text
relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
Writing Standards
W.5.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.5.5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed
by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
W.5.10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and
shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
Speaking and Listening Standards
SL.5.1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse
partners, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
a) Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that
preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
b) Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
c) Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and
elaborate on the remarks of others.
d) Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge
gained from the discussions.
SL.5.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, using formal English when appropriate to task and
situation.
Language Standards
L.5.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
a) Use punctuation to separate items in a series.
b) Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence.
c) Use a comma to set off the words yes and no (e.g., Yes, thank you), to set off a tag question from
the rest of the sentence (e.g., Its true, isnt it?), and to indicate direct address (e.g., Is that you,
Steve?).
d) Use underlining, quotation marks, or italics to indicate titles of works.
e) Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
UNIT PLAN

L.5.4 Demonstrate or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on
grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a) Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a
word or phrase.
b) Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a
word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis).
c) Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to
find the pronunciations and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

Priority Standards Supporting Standards
RL.5.1. Quote accurately from a text when
explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text.
RI.5.1. Quote accurately from a text when
explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text.
RI.5.2. Determine two or more main ideas of a text
and explain how they are supported by key details;
summarize the text.
RL.5.6. Describe how a narrators or speakers
point of view influences how events are described.
RI.5.3. Explain the relationships or interactions
between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or
concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text
based on specific information in the text.
RL.5.4. Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
RI.5.5. Compare and contrast the overall structure
(e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect,
problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or
information in two or more texts.
L.5.5.c. Use the relationship between particular
words (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, homographs) to
better understand each of the words.
L.5.6. Acquire and use accurately grade-
appropriate general academic and domain-specific
words and phrases, including those that signal
contrast, addition, and other logical relationships
(e.g., however, although, nevertheless, similarly,
moreover, in addition).
W.5.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to
examine a topic and convey ideas and information
clearly.
W.5.9. Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support analysis, reflection,
and research.

SL.5.3. Summarize the points a speaker makes and
explain how each claim is supported by reasons and
evidence.



UNIT PLAN

Skills and Concepts
CONCEPTS
(Students need to know)
SKILLS
(Students need to be able to do)
Reading:

Priority
Quote
Explicit Details
Inferences
Main Idea

Details
Summary
Relationships/Interactions
Characters (Individuals)
Events
Text Structure


Supporting
Quote
Explicit Information
Inferences
Point of View

Words and Phrases

Figurative Language

Reading:
Students will
Priority
Quote accurately from a text in literature.
(RL.5.1)
Explain what the text says explicitly in
literature. (RL.5.1)
Draw inferences from the text in
literature. (RL.5.1)
Determine two or more main ideas of an
informational text. (RI.5.2)
Explain how a main idea is supported by
key details.(RI.5.2)
Summarize an informational text.
(RI.5.2)
Explain the relationships between two or
more individuals, events, ideas, or
concepts in informational texts.(RI.5.3)

Students will compare and contrast the
structure of a text. (RI.5.5)

Supporting
Quote accurately from a text in
informational text. (RI.5.1)
Explain what an informational text says
explicitly. (RI.5.1)
Draw inferences from an informational
text. (RI.5.1)
Describe how a narrators or speakers
point of view influences how events are
described. (RL.5.6)
Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in literature.
(RL.5.4)
Determine the meaning of figurative
language (e.g., metaphors and similes) in
literature. (RL.5.4)
UNIT PLAN


Writing:

Priority
Evidence
Analysis
Reflection
Research

Supporting
Informative/explanatory texts
Topic

Ideas and Information


Language:

Priority
Perfect verb tenses
Verb Tense

Shifts in Verb Tense

Correlative conjunctions
Academic and Domain-
specific Words and Phrases

Supporting
Relationship between words


Writing:
Students will
Priority
Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts. (W.5.9)
Support analysis, reflection, and research
with evidence from text. (W.5.9)

Supporting
Write informative/explanatory texts.
(W.5.2)
Examine a topic while writing
informative/explanatory texts. (W.5.2)
Convey ideas and information clearly in
an informative/explanatory text. (W.5.2)

Students will
Priority
Form and use the perfect verb tense.
(L.5.1.a.)
Use verb tense to convey various times,
sequences, states, and conditions.
(L.5.1.b.)
Recognize inappropriate shifts in verb
tense. (L.5.1.c.)
Correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.
(L.5.1.c.)
Use correlative conjunctions. (L.5.1.d.)
Acquire grade-appropriate words and
phrases. (L.5.6)
Use grade-appropriate words and
phrases. (L.5.6)

Supporting
Use the relationship between particular
words to better understand each of the
words. (L.5.5.c.)

Speaking and Listening:

Priority
Summary
Speaker
Claim
Reasons
Evidence
Students will
Priority
Summarize the points a speaker makes.
(SL.5.3)

Explain how each claim a speaker makes
is supported by reasons and evidence.
(SL.5.3.)


UNIT PLAN

Academic Vocabulary: (vocabulary necessary to achieve the standards)
Inference Evidence Problem/Solution Contrast
Quote Explicit Information Metaphors
Main Idea Sequence Similes
Environment Chronology Evidence
Point of View Cause/Effect Comparison

Instructional Resources and Materials
Texts / Articles

Relevant /
Authentic
Tasks
Anchor Text(s)
Harcourt:
Summer of Fire (P. Lauber Lexile 850)
*Fires of Life (High)
*Wildfires (Low)
Smoke Jumpers
Volcanoes (Harcourt guided group text)
Oceans (Seymour Simon Lexile 990))
Everglades (Jean Craighead George Lexile 660)

Other Text Selections/Options:
Changes that Affect Earth / Changing Planet:
Teaching Students to Read Nonfiction
*Black Blizzard
*This Time was Different
Thunderstorm: Take Action! (Lexile 950)
Just Right Reading
*Tsunamis: Danger from the Sea
Floods (http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-
disasters/floods-profile)
Wildfires by Seymour Simon (Lexile 990) (See Making Meaning Unit 6 Weeks 2
and 3 Making Inferences with Expository Nonfiction; Cause and Effect; Read
and Look for Clues)
Earthquakes (Seymour Simon: Lexile 1010)
Volcanoes (Seymour Simon: Lexile 880)
Hurricanes: Earths Mightiest Storms (P. Lauber: Lexile 930)
A River Ran Wild (Lynne Cherry Lexile 670)
Tsunamis (Michelle Drohan Lexile 870)
Volcano (Lauber Lexile 830)
The Moon (Seymour Simon Lexile 730)
Other Topics in Nature:
Gorillas (Seymour Simon Lexile 960)
Big Cats (Seymour Simon Lexile 1050) See Making Meaning Unit 3 Weeks 1
and 2 Questioning and Nonfiction; Stop and Ask Questions
Life in the Rain Forests (Lucy Baker Lexile 980) See Making Meaning Unit 2,
Week 1 Recognize Text Features
Explain how the
author uses reasons
and evidence in
his/her book to
support particular
points regarding:
- the effect
people have
had on the
Everglades
- peoples effect
on earth
- formation of
volcanoes
- effect of
hurricanes,
tsunamis, etc.
(RI4.8)

Have students
identify the
overall
structure of
ideas, concepts
and
information in
(text) by
(author) and
compare and
contrast that
scheme to the
one employed
by (author) in
UNIT PLAN

The Sun (Seymour Simon Lexile 870)
The Tarantula in My Purse (George Lexile 830)
The Talking Earth (George Lexile 770)
The Maze (Hobbs Lexile 720)
Volcanoes text by Patricia Lauber (From Soar to Success series)
The Lorax (Lexile 560) relates to effect of deforestation on an area
Other nonfiction options (guided readers):
- Marjory Stoneman Douglas: Champion of the Everglades (Lexile 650)
- Alligators and the Everglades (Lexile 660)
- Exploring the Everglades (Lexile 710)
- Yellowstone: Geology at Work (Lexile 750)
- Volcanoes: Destroyers and Creators (Lynch - Lexile 790)
- The Great Barrier Reef (Lexile 850)
- Living with Hurricanes (Lexile 990)
- Secrets Under the Sand and Seas (Lexile 710)
- Heroes in the Flames (Lexile 810)
- Into the Deep: Diving with Dr. Sylvia Earle (Lexile 880)

his/her book
(text). (RI5.5)
Students
determine the
meaning of
domain specific
words or
phrases such as
(selected
vocabulary)
and important
general
academic
words that
appear in
(authors - text)
(RI4.4)
Novel Options:
Everglades Connection/Focus:
The Missing Gator of Gumbo Limbo (Jean Craighead George Lexile 740)
Chomp (Carl Hiaasen - Lexile 800)
Deadly Waters (Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson Lexile 770)
Tangerine (Bloor Lexile 680)
Flush (Hiaasen Lexile 830)
Environmental Connection:
Owl in the Shower (Lexile 670)
Owl in the Family (Mowatt Lexile 980)
Hoot (Carl Hiaasen Lexile 760)


Complete an I-
chart using two
or three
selected text
focus on
similarities and
differences;
compare
contrast writing
Analyze
similarities and
differences
between texts:
genre,
characters,
main ideas, etc


Magazine Sources:
Kids Discover Magazines:
Volcanoes (Lexile 910)
Rainforests (Lexile 950)
Earthquakes (Lexile 970)
Hurricanes (Lexile 870)
Everglades (Lexile 950)
Gorillas (Lexile 1040)
Moon (Lexile 900)
Telescopes (Lexile 1030)


Technology-Based Resources
Smart Notebook Lessons

http://www.seymoursimon.com/index.php/blog/tags/tag/Writing+Wednesday
http://www.teachingbooks.net/crc.cgi?id=14
http://www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/geysers_work.htm (animation of a geyser)

UNIT PLAN


Research-Based
Effective Teaching Strategies
21
st
Century Learning Skills
Check all that are essential in the unit:
Identifying Similarities and Differences
Summarizing and Note Taking
Reinforcing Effort, Providing Recognition
Homework and Practice
Nonlinguistic Representations
Cooperative Learning
Setting Objectives, Providing Feedback
Generating and Testing Hypotheses
Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers
Interdisciplinary Non-Fiction Writing
Check all that are essential in the unit:
Teamwork and Collaboration
Initiative and Leadership
Curiosity and Imagination
Innovation and Creativity
Critical thinking and Problem Solving
Flexibility and Adaptability
Effective Oral and Written Communication
Accessing and Analyzing Information
Other



Assessments
(expectations for learning)
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Formative Summative
Day 6 Day 21-23
Day 12
Day 14
Day 19
Writing Standards
Formative Summative
Informal throughout Day 29-30


UNIT PLAN

Interdisciplinary Connections
Social Studies
Science Read biographical articles on Seymour Simon and Jean Craighead
George how their background influenced their work as writers
Research an environmental issue (current state of the Everglades;
deforestation of rainforests; endangered species)

Health
Math Gather and report on data related to an endangered ecosystem/animal,
volcanic eruptions, wildfires, hurricanes, etc.)
STEM












UNIT PLAN

Assessment:
CFA: Day 6


Fighting a wildfire is like going to
war against a powerful enemy!
In the wildfire wars the infantry consists of 20-person crews
whose main job is to construct fire lines. Using shovels, axes,
and chainsaws, they clear strips of land around the fire, reducing
the amount of burnable materials like plants and dead shrubbery.
Sometimes they light fires between the fire line and the
advancing blaze in order to remove even more potential fuel.
Hotshot crews are specially trained to work in remote areas for
extended periods of time with little logistical support.
Smokejumpers, the airborne troops, parachute from planes into
remote and inaccessible areas to where wildfires often start.
Air support comes in the form of fixed-wing and helicopter tanker
craft that can drop directly onto the flames up to 3,000 gallons
(11,400 liters) of fire-suppressing chemicals per load.
Often, residents of small communities in the path of advancing
fires join in trying to protect their homes. They clear out
underbrush and other burnable materials and keep their property
wetted down.
Sometimes it works.



UNIT PLAN

Name:______________________________ Date:___________
After reading the article, Warriors, answer the following
question, quoting accurately from the article to support your
response.

How are firefighters like warriors?
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
UNIT PLAN

CCSS Constructed Response Rubric
4


Above Standard

A response is above standard if it:
Makes a claim (statement) that answers the question being asked.
Answers all parts of the question (if this applies).
Cites two or more examples of specific and relevant text evidence
to support the claim.
Explains how the evidence chosen supports the claim for all
examples used.
3

Meets
Standard

A response is at standard if it:
Makes a claim (statement) that answers the question being asked.
Answers all parts of the question (if this applies).
Cites two examples of specific and relevant text evidence to
support the claim.
Explains how the evidence chosen supports the claim for some
examples used.
2



Approaching
Standard

A response approaches standard if it:
Makes a claim (statement) that answers the question being asked.
Answers some parts of the question (if this applies).
Cites only one example of specific and relevant text evidence to
support the claim and explains its relevance.
or
Cites two examples of specific and relevant text evidence without
explanation.
Explanation of the text evidence may be unclear or incomplete.
1

Below
Standard

A response is below standard if it:
Makes a claim (statement) that somewhat answers the question
being asked.
Cites only general examples of text evidence to support the claim.
Explanation of the text evidence may be missing, unclear, or
incomplete.
0
Does Not Meet
Standard

A response that does not meet standard is attempted but fails to
demonstrate understanding of the question being asked.





UNIT PLAN

Day 12 CFA RI.5.5 (Lexile 950)

Name __________________ Date______________

Tsunamis: Danger from the Sea
Think about how the author has organized the information in
each section differently, based on what he wants you to know about
tsunamis.

Directions: Read the following article. Each section has been
numbered. After each section is a line. Identify the text structure of
each section and write the letter of the text structure on the line. The
choices are below.

Letter Choice Type of Organization The author wants you
to know
A Cause-Effect
How or why an event
happened:\; what resulted from
the event
B Chronology/Sequence
The order of events / steps in a
process

C Compare/Contrast
How two or more things are
alike/different

D Problem-Solution
Whats wrong and how to fix it


UNIT PLAN

Tsunamis: Danger from the Sea
(Adapted from Just Right Reading, Options D )
1. Most waves splash on the shore and go
quietly back to sea, but some waves are
much larger. Unlike the gentle waves that lap our coast most days, tsunami
(tsoo-NAH-mee) waves are huge and fierce. They can smash buildings, pull
trees out by their roots, and wash away cars, trucks, and even homes, as if
they were toys.
_______________

2. Tsunamis are also called tidal waves, but the tides do not cause them. In
most cases, earthquakes under the ocean floor cause these huge waves.
During an earthquake, part of the Earth shakes violently. These vibrations
of the Earth send out waves in all directions, like ripples that spread over a
pond when you throw a rock.
________________

3. On a very windy day, waves caused by the wind can be as high as ten feet
in some places. A dangerous hurricane with powerful winds can make
some waves more than 45 feet high. Tsunami waves are much higher than
wind waves. They are gigantic, reaching as high as 100 feet, or as tall as an
eight-story building. Unlike wind waves, which usually come to shore about
ten seconds apart, tsunami waves may arrive up to an hour apart. This
doesnt mean they are slower than wind waves; just farther apart. Far out
in the ocean, wind waves average about 500 feet apart, a little longer than
one-and-a-half football fields. Tsunami waves, on the other hand, can be
more than 60 miles apart, or about as far as you could travel in a car on the
highway in an hour!
_________________
UNIT PLAN

4. Follow the course of one terrible tsunami that struck in 1960. First it
struck Chile in South America. Then it raced across the Pacific Ocean for
fourteen hours until it smashed into Hawaii. Eight hours later, it crashed
into Japan. It travelled nearly half way across the world and killed over
2,000 people in its path.
___________________


5. These enormous waves are very destructive. They wash away buildings,
roads, and bridges. They pull up trees, kill animals and plants, and change
the shape of the land. Many people lose their lives in a tsunami. Because
tsunamis are a series of waves, the danger can continue for several hours.
Even bigger waves can follow the first one. Tsunamis can crumble steel and
concrete buildings as if they were sand castles. The waves cause millions of
dollars in damage and cause a huge loss of life.
___________________


6. Tsunamis move so fast and with such force that only early warning can
save lives. The more time people have to get out of the deadly path, the
more survivors there are. Luckily, scientists have found ways to predict
tsunamis and alert people. In 1946, a warning system was set up in Hawaii.
The system picks up vibrations of earthquakes under the ocean. Scientists
figure out where a tsunami is likely to hit, and they send out a warning.
Since then, the warning system has expanded. Scientists from 26 countries
use the expanded system to search for earthquakes that could cause
tsunamis anywhere in the Pacific Ocean. Because eight out of ten tsunamis
occur in the Pacific Ocean, the system helps protect many people.
Tsunamis cant be prevented, but this early warning system saves many
lives.
___________________


UNIT PLAN

Answer Key

1. C
2. A
3. C
4. B
5. A
6. D














UNIT PLAN

Day 15 Pretest
Name: Date:
Identifying the Parts of a Multi-Part Open-Ended Question: Pretest
Read each question carefully. Decide how many parts each question has and circle each part.

1. Think about what this story says about people in general. In what ways does it remind you of
people you have read about? Support your answer with evidence from the story


2. Which part of the story do you think was most important? Use information from the story and
your own life experience to explain why you chose that part.


3. Which attraction would you like to know more about and why?


4. Using information from the travel journal, write a brief paragraph telling why you would or
would not have enjoyed this vacation to Costa Rica. Use information from the travel journal to
support your answer.


5. Explain why a variety of sports and skilled instruction would be two reasons to choose
Brightons camp above other camps. Use details from the advertisement and your own
experience to support your answer.


6. What is the authors purpose for writing this passage? Use details from the passage to support
your opinion.
UNIT PLAN

Day 19 CFA
Pumpkin-chucking
events popular for fall


Team "PumpkinHammer" watch their trebuchet as it fires in the
2006 World Championship Punkin Chunkin contest in Delaware.

(AP) -- What can you do with pumpkins? The list is
not all that long. You can make pumpkin pies and
breads, carve jack-o'-lanterns or use them to decorate
your front porch.
Or you can send them hurling into the autumn sky at
400 mph with a 30,000-pound cannon.
It's pumpkin-chucking season!
The World Championship Punkin Chunkin contest --
http://www.punkinchunkin.com/main.htm -- takes
place November 2-4 in Bridgeville, Delaware, about
30 miles from Lewes and 90 miles from Washington.
The event began in 1986 and bills itself as the oldest
and largest competition of its type. Last year over
50,000 spectators turned out to watch 100 teams
compete, organizers said.
Launching machines at the Delaware event will
include air compressors, catapults, centrifugal
machines that spin the pumpkins before hurling them,
and trebuchets. (The trebuchet design dates to the
Middle Ages, using a counterweight to power its
missile.) There is also a "theatrical" category in which
the rules state that "distance is not the goal; ability to
ham it up is the goal."
"People start out thinking they have to see some idiot
who's built a machine to throw a pumpkin a mile," said
Frank Shade, president of the World Championship
Punkin Chunkin Association. "Then, after spending a
weekend grilling and cooking out with 70,000 of their
newest best friends, they find out this is really a good
time."
The contest's record for distance was set in 2003,
when a pumpkin went 4,434 feet.
Another well-known event, the Morton Punkin
Chuckin' contest, takes place October 20-21 in
Morton, Illinois, where 85 percent of the world's
canned pumpkin is manufactured.
The contest was nearly canceled this year when the
town's Chamber of Commerce withdrew sponsorship,
saying that there are now so many fling-and-smash
events that Morton was no longer attracting the big air
cannons and monster catapults needed to draw
crowds.
But the Morton event got a reprieve when five
organizations -- the local Jaycees, Kiwanis and
Knights of Columbus, along with the Morton
Hospitality Association and the Morton Business
Association -- agreed to staff the event.
Over the years several of Morton's winners have
landed on late-night television with David Letterman
and Jay Leno. Morton's Punkin Chuckin' began in
1996 and typically attracts a few thousand visitors.
The Morton contest is held at the Uhlman family farm
UNIT PLAN

on the corner of Springfield and Allentown roads,
about 10 miles southeast of Peoria. Details at
http://www.morton-il.gov. For those lacking the
engineering skills to build a mighty pumpkin-throwing
machine, there are also hand-tossing contests.
Other contests are held at pumpkin farms and fall
festivals around the country. A few take place early in
the season but many are held the weekends before
and after Halloween. They include:
Pumpkin Chuckin in Moab, Utah, October
27, http://www.youthgardenproject.org, on
Old Airport Runway, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Bristol Pumpkin Festival, Bristol,
Connecticut, October 28, noon-2 p.m., at
Roberts Orchards on Hill Street.;
http://www.bristolpumpkinfestival.com.
Contestants are invited to power their
pumpkins with "springs, rubber bands, air,
muscle, centrifugal force, brute strength,
power architecture and bicycles."
Pumpkin-chucking weekend, November 3-4,
in Ellicott City, Maryland, at Clark's Elioak
Farm, 10500 Clarksville Pike,
http://www.clarklandfarm.com. Pumpkin
Chuck, November 3, in Cincinnati's Stanbery
Park on Oxford Avenue, noon-5 p.m. Buy a
pumpkin on site or bring one from home for
the "Two Buck Chuck," where for $2 you can
launch your gourd sky-high from a trebuchet.

Devin Selby aims his slingshot called the "Pumpkin Shooter" at
the Morton, Illinois, Punkin Chuckin' contest in 2006.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights
reserved.This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.








UNIT PLAN



1. What was the authors purpose for including the 4
th
paragraph? Explain your
answer and give examples from the text. (R.I.5.3)

________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What could be another title for this article? Use details from the story to
support your answer. (R.I.5.2)

________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________




UNIT PLAN

3. Choose one of the following judgments and argue that it is true. You must
provide evidence from the article to support your answer. (R.I.5.1)

A. Pumpkin-chucking has become very popular.
B. Children shouldnt operate machinery for pumpkin chucking.

________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Using information from the story and your own experience, explain whether or
not you would want to go pumpkin-chucking. (R.I.5.1)

________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

UNIT PLAN

Summative Assessment
Excerpted from Living With Hurricanes by Patricia West: Harcourt Books for All Learners
The Making of a Hurricane
Hurricanes last an average of three to fourteen days. In the Atlantic
Ocean they are most common during the summer and early fall. During
the life of a hurricane, it may wander as much as four thousand miles,
traveling over the ocean at five to twenty miles per hour.
A hurricanes high winds can cause great damage. They can uproot
trees, rip apart buildings, and carry debris for miles. The most visible
damage is usually from the wind.
Potentially even more destructive than the winds are the storm surges,
or huge waves that can accompany super-hurricanes. Storm surges
develop when the shape of the coastline and the slope of the ocean
floor near the coast build up the water that comes ashore, and they
may bulge the ocean level ten to twenty feet higher than normal.
These monster waves can hit the coastline with tremendous force,
swallowing up entire buildings. If the coastline along an inlet is low-
lying and heavily populated, the loss of life can be high. For example, in
1900, the storm surge associated with a Texas storm killed about eight
thousand people. Seventy years later, two hundred thousand people
died in a storm surge that hit East Pakistan, where the water off-shore
is shallow.
Coastal areas are the normal targets of hurricanes. These huge
windstorms start to die when they hit land. That is because they no
longer get energy and moisture from the warm tropical waters.
UNIT PLAN

However, heavy rain can continue even after the winds have died
down. Devastating flooding and mud slides can result, especially in hilly
areas.
Complete the following graphic organizer to represent two main ideas
put forth in this article and key details that support them.

Main Idea #1 Supporting Details












Main Idea # 2 Supporting Details













UNIT PLAN

Use the information in the graphic organizer to write a summary of the
article. Begin with the title of the article, using proper form. Write
your summary on the paper supplied by your teacher.

UNIT PLAN

Summary
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
UNIT PLAN

Excerpted from Living With Hurricanes by Patricia West: Harcourt Books for All Learners

Controlling Hurricanes
In the 1960s, having seen the terrible destructive power of hurricanes,
some scientists had an idea. After all, they thought, we have developed
the atomic bomb and radar. Why cant we find a way to control
hurricanes? Maybe we can stop hurricanes, or at least weaken them.
These meteorologists, or weather scientists, banded together to form
Project Stormfury. First, they concentrated on the highest winds in a
hurricane, which are at the inner edge of a hurricanes eye. They
reasoned that causing the spiraling air to spread farther from the
center of the hurricane could make the storm slow down, just as a
twirling ice skater slows down when she extends her arms.
To test their idea, they dropped silver iodide from an airplane into the
wall of clouds around the eye of three hurricanes. At first, the results
seemed encouraging. However, other scientists pointed out that there
was so way to know if the hurricanes might have weakened on their
own. A more serious doubt was raised: What if the experiments made
the damage even worse by changing a hurricanes force or direction?
Scientists turned to other ideas for controlling hurricanes. Someone
even suggested dropping a bomb into a hurricane. This idea was
quickly discarded because, in comparison to a hurricane, even the
largest nuclear bomb would be like a butterfly trying to stop a charging
bull.
Since the heat of the ocean is the source of hurricane energy, a scientist
devised a theory to try to cool the ocean with icebergs or dry ice. This
UNIT PLAN

approach was quickly dismissed because there is not enough ice or dry
ice in the world to cool the water in the hundreds of thousands of
square miles of ocean.
Another discarded plan was to spread some kind of liquid over the
ocean to limit evaporation. That plan might cut off the supply of humid
air from which a hurricane draws its power. Scientists realized that
even if that plan worked, it could be harmful. The special liquid could
kill sea life, pollute rainfall, and change the weather in harmful ways.
Eventually, all the efforts to weaken hurricanes were stopped.
Scientists came to the conclusion that their knowledge and tools were
no match for the tremendous force of the hurricanes. Even the head of
Project Stormfury realized that the money spent for the project could
have been better spent to construct stronger buildings in hurricane-
prone areas or to find better ways to study hurricanes.

UNIT PLAN

Answer the following questions and support your answers with direct quotes from
the article. Use the name of the article in your response using proper form.

1. What was one of the main concerns that caused scientists to stop the work
of Project Fury?
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________

2. Do you think the author believes that scientists were foolish to spend time
trying to stop the hurricanes? Why do you think that?
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________

UNIT PLAN

Using the graphic organizer below, compare the purpose, structure,
and key ideas of the two articles about hurricanes.

The Making of a
Hurricane
Controlling Hurricanes

Authors Purpose
(What the author
wants you to know)





Text Structure
(Organization)






Key Points
(Main ideas)


















UNIT PLAN

Smarter Balanced Informative-Explanatory Writing Rubric grades 3-5
Score Statement of Purpose/Focus and
Organization
Development: Language and
Elaboration of Evidence

Conventions
Statement of
Purpose/Focus

Organization

Elaboration of
Evidence
Language &
Vocabulary
4
The response is fully
sustained and
consistently and
purposefully
focused:
--controlling idea or
main idea of a topic
is focused, clearly
stated, and strongly
maintained
--controlling idea or
main idea of a topic
is introduced and
communicated
clearly within the
context

The response has a
clear and effective
organizational
structure creating
unity and
completeness:
--use of a variety of
transitional strategies
--logical progression
of ideas from
beginning to end
--effective
introduction and
conclusion for
audience and purpose




The response provides
thorough and
convincing
support/evidence for
the controlling idea or
main idea that includes
the effective use of
sources, facts, and
details:
--use of evidence from
sources is smoothly
integrated,
comprehensive, and
relevant
--effective use of a
variety of elaborative
techniques

The response
clearly and
effectively
expresses ideas,
using precise
language:
--use of academic
and domain-
specific
vocabulary is
clearly
appropriate for
the audience and
purpose




The response
demonstrates a
strong command of
conventions:
--few, if any, errors
are present in
usage and sentence
formation
--effective and
consistent use of
punctuation,
capitalization, and
spelling



3
The response is
adequately
sustained and
generally focused:
--focus is clear and
for the most part
maintained, though
some loosely
related material
may be present
--some context for
the controlling idea
or main idea of the
topic is adequate

The response has an
evident organizational
structure and a sense
of completeness,
though there may be
minor flaws and some
ideas may be loosely
connected:
--adequate use of
transitional strategies
with some variety
--adequate
progression of ideas
from beginning to end
--adequate
introduction and
conclusion


The response provides
adequate
support/evidence for
the controlling idea or
main idea that includes
the use of sources,
facts, and details:
--some evidence from
sources is integrated,
though citations may
be general or imprecise
--adequate use of some
elaborative techniques


The response
adequately
expresses ideas,
employing a mix
of precise with
more general
language
--use of domain-
specific
vocabulary is
generally
appropriate for
the audience and
purpose



The response
demonstrates an
adequate
command of
conventions:
--some errors in
usage and sentence
formation may be
present, but no
systematic pattern
of errors is
displayed
--adequate use of
punctuation,
capitalization, and
spelling

2
The response is
somewhat
sustained and may
have a minor drift in
focus:
--may be clearly
focused on the
The response has an
inconsistent
organizational
structure, and flaws
are evident:
--inconsistent use of
transitional strategies
The response provides
uneven, cursory
support/evidence for
the controlling idea or
main idea that includes
partial or uneven use of
sources, facts, and
The response
expresses ideas
unevenly, using
simplistic
language:
--use of domain-
specific
The response
demonstrates a
partial command of
conventions:
--frequent errors in
usage may obscure
meaning
UNIT PLAN

controlling or main
idea, but is
insufficiently
sustained
--controlling idea or
main idea may be
unclear and
somewhat
unfocused


with little variety
--uneven progression
of ideas from
beginning to end
--conclusion and
introduction, if
present, are weak


details:
--evidence from sources
is weakly integrated,
and citations, if
present, are uneven
--weak or uneven use of
elaborative techniques

vocabulary that
may at times be
inappropriate for
the audience and
purpose




--inconsistent use
of punctuation,
capitalization, and
spelling



1
The response may
be related to the
topic but may
provide little or no
focus:
--may be very brief
--may have a major
drift
--focus may be
confusing or
ambiguous

The response has little
or no discernible
organizational
structure:
--few or no
transitional strategies
are evident
--frequent extraneous
ideas may intrude



The response provides
minimal
support/evidence for
the controlling idea or
main idea that includes
little or no use of
sources, facts, and
details:
--use of evidence from
the source material is
minimal, absent, in
error, or irrelevant

The response
expression of
ideas is vague,
lacks clarity, or is
confusing:
--uses limited
language or
domain-specific
vocabulary
--may have little
sense of audience
and purpose

The response
demonstrates a
lack of command of
conventions:
--errors are
frequent and
severe and
meaning is often
obscure


0
A response gets no credit if it provides no evidence of the ability to [fill in with key language from the intended target].










UNIT PLAN

Professional Development and Support:
The adage says that it takes a village to raise a child. With education, this sentiment can
be applied to numerous aspects. Districts are continuing to adopt the notion of shared
responsibility for student achievement. District and School Improvement Plans are designed with
this in mind. Teachers must no longer teach in isolation, but rather rely on tapping the unique
skillset that their colleagues possess. Therefore, professional development and collaboration is
essential for any successful unit.
In the Newington, CT district, we have several opportunities to collaborate with our own
districts cultivated experts. Fifth grade, English language arts teachers and the reading
consultant/instructional coach meet weekly for 45 minutes to discuss the curriculum.
(Unfortunately, we are building the plane while we fly this year, so often this meeting consists
of writing/designing assessments/gathering resources for the unit we are currently teaching.)
Following this time we meet for Instructional Data Team. It is during this time that we discuss
student data, determine a problem of practice, set SMART goals, and brainstorm instructional
approaches to meet the needs of our students. Additionally, we meet as a whole professional
learning community during Community of Practice (COP). During COP, we discuss a variety of
district initiatives (learning targets, instructional vocabulary strategies, CCSS, etc) and are given
time to consult with district curriculum supervisors. This time is somewhat adaptable to meet the
needs of the department.
Professional development in the district is in transition. The district has purchased PD360
to help monitor our new teacher evaluation program and provide instructional resources. This
tool is currently being underutilized. In the 2014-2015 calendar year, the board of education has
UNIT PLAN

agreed to a model that will allow professional development every other week with an early
release day. The Professional Learning Committee (PLC) has produced a professional learning
system last year and is slowly putting the pieces together this year with the intention for a full
roll-out in the fall of 2014. This time would allow teachers to have small group and
individualized professional development that is pinpointed to an area of concern or need.
Although this year is still in transition, the PLC has administered surveys to determine the best
use of our professional development days throughout this year. As long as people participate in
the survey, their need is registered.