Unit Outline
Aquinas College School Of Education
Candidate Name: Brook Esquivel & Mary Campbell
Part I OVERVIEW
Unit Topic/Theme: The Phantom Tollbooth
Summary of Unit:
In this unit, our 6th grade class will be reading
Norton Justers The Phantom Tollbooth and
looking at both ELA and Mathematics.
Through an ELA lens, students will be
analyzing the language of the text and then
concluding the unit with writing a five-
paragraph essay about the roles of Rhyme
and Reason in todays world. Through a
Mathematics lens, students will explore the
concept of variables, and build up to writing
and solving equations. Furthermore, they will
work to understand the order of operations
and why it is essential to mathematicians.
3 Essential Questions
ELA
Is Rhyme (thinking about language) or
Reason (thinking about mathematics) more
important in our world today?
Why do writers use figurative language in
their writing?
How do different connotations contribute to
the overall tone of a story?
Mathematics
What strategies can be used to solve for
unknowns in algebraic equations?
How do we translate verbal ideas to the
language of mathematics?
How does the standard Order of Operations
unite mathematicians?
Learning Outcomes:
(What will students be able to do?)
ELA
Unit Title: Rhyme and Reason
Core Curriculum areas: ELA & Mathematics
Big Ideas (bulleted list):
Theme: Rhyme or Reason
Figurative Language
Connotations and Word Choice
Variables
Writing & Solving Equations
Order of operations
Standards Addressed:
6.EE.6 Use variables to represent numbers
and write expressions when solving a real-
world or mathematical problem;
understanding that a variable can represent
an unknown number, or, depending on the
purpose at hand, any number in a specified
set.
6.EE.2c Evaluate expressions at specific
values of their variables. Include expressions
that arise from formulas used in real-world
problems. Perform arithmetic operations,
including those involving whole number
exponents, in the conventional order when
there are no parentheses to specify a
particular order (Order of Operations).
6.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze
the impact of a specific word choice on
meaning and tone.
6.W.1 Write arguments to support claims with
clear reasons and relevant evidence.
Essential skills taught in this unit:
(What skills will be taught in this unit?)
ELA
TLW read a narrative text
TLW recognize and understand different
types of figurative language
TLW analyze connotation and word choice
TLW write an argumentative five paragraph
essay
Mathematics
TLW identify variables in story problems
TLW write equations to represent story
problems
TLW solve equations
TLW solve problems using the standard order
of operations.
Writing an argumentative/persuasive essay
Creating a graphic design using technology
Essential Skills needed to access unit?
(What skills do students need to be
successful?)
ELA
Writing complete sentences
Listening to text read aloud
Participating skills
Reading a novel

Scope & Sequence / Timeline Key Vocabulary:

Day 1: Introduction to The Phantom Tollbooth, ELA:
Pre-reading Activities Connotation
Day 2: Chapters 1-4 and Class Discussion Figurative Language
Day 3: Math Lesson on Chapter 4 (Intro to Rhyme
variables) Reason
Day 4: Math Lesson on Chapter 4 (Writing Word Choice
and Solving Equations) Mathematics:
Day 5: Chapters 5-8 and Class Discussion Variable
Day 6: Chapters 9-12 and Class Discussion Equation
Day 7: Chapters 13-16 and Class Order of Operations
Discussion/Graphic Design Day Parenthesis
(TECHNOLOGY) Exponents
Day 8: Math Lesson on Chapter 15 (Order of Multiplication
Operations) Division
Day 9: Word Market Work Day Addition
Day 10: Word Market Workshop Day Subtraction
Day 11: Chapters 17-20 and Class Operation
Discussion Unit
Day 12: Five Paragraph Essay Structure
Lesson and Begin Writing
Day 13: Writing the Essay and Workshopping
in groups and with teacher
Day 14: Presentation of the Essay
Day 15: Word Market Day
Day 16: Show The Adventures of Milo in The
Phantom Tollbooth as End of Unit
Celebration

PART II: Assessment Formative Assessment:

Initial (baseline) assessment:
ELA
Discussion: What do students know about
figurative language? Connotation?
What is your favorite chapter book? (Have
students read lengthy chapter books?)
ELA
Exit Slips with examples of figurative
language, connotation
As review of the story, students will each say
something that happened in the text the last
time it was read
Math
Activate prior knowledge - Multi-step story
problems, problem solving strategies
Discussion & Questioning
Graphic Design Day (TECHNOLOGY)
Students will create a picture of something
Milo has seen
Math
Exit Slips with practice problems
Teacher recorded notes of observations
during work time

Summative Assessment:
(How will you assess Learning Outcomes?)
ELA
Final Five Paragraph Essay
MATH
Word Market Project
Students will create vendor tables and sell
words to recreate the word market in
Dictionopolis
They will create a system to price each of
their words for sale, and write an equation to
represent that.
They will price out each word using their
equation.
Students will be given coins and will go in
shifts to buy words from other venders (fellow
students). As students visit word tables, the
vendor will explain how their words are
priced, what is the cheapest & most
expensive word they have for sale, and any
other important information about their words
to try to get them to buy their words (themes,
design, etc.)

Sequence, Activities, Assessment

Day 1: Introduction to The Phantom Tollbooth, Pre-reading Activities
Graphic Organizer
Video Clip Intro
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 2: Chapters 1-4 and Class Discussion
Class Discussion - Milos Characteristics
Readers Theatre
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 3: Math Lesson on Chapter 4 (Intro to variables)
Intro to variable through hangman game (lines represent a letter, we need to find the letter)
Transition to symbols as variables
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 4: Math Lesson on Chapter 4 (Writing and Solving Equations)
Reread pgs. 47-50 in The Phantom Tollbooth
Word Market Price activity & lesson
Class discussion
Exit Slip - Find price of your name & explain the strategy used
Day 5: Chapters 5-8 and Class Discussion
Class Discussion - Setting
Readers Theater
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 6: Chapters 9-12 and Class Discussion
Class Discussion - Plot
Kahoot Trivia Activity
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 7: Chapters 13-16 and Class Discussion/Graphic Design Day (TECHNOLOGY)
Class Discussion
Graphic Design Activity
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 8: Math Lesson on Chapter 15 (Order of Operations)
Find written equations in The Phantom Tollbooth
Mini lesson on Order of Operation
What is it?
Why is it important?
Math Centers
Class discussion - Teacher note (summative assessment)
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 9: Word Market Work Day
Hand out rubric for project
Re-introduce project
Work time
Teacher roaming to help students and discuss progress and any questions, taking notes for
summative assessment
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 10: Word Market Workshop Day
Students work in small groups to discuss their projects so far, provide feedback
Sentence stems for feedback
Teacher floating from group to group to monitor & informally assess student progress
Day 11: Chapters 17-20 and Class Discussion
Graphic Organizer - Compare & Contrast Rhyme & Reason
Class Discussion
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 12: Five Paragraph Essay Structure Lesson and Begin Writing
Essay Structure Demonstration
Intro Paragraph and Thesis Modeling/Class Work
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 13: Writing the Essay and Workshopping in groups and with teacher
Students will write the essay in class
Workshop with a partner and teacher
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 14: Continuation of Writing the Essay
Day 2 of writing the essay
Day 2 of workshopping with a partner and teacher
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 15: In-Class Debate: Rhyme or Reason of the Essay
Students will present their main ideas in their essay
Students will have guided debate
Students will turn in draft one of essay (Summative Assessment)
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 16: Word Market Day
Set up time (10-15 minutes)
Students given coins to buy & sell words with
Students have time to sell their words and to wonder the market to see other students vendor
tables
Students evaluated based on rubric
Exit Slip (Formative Assessment)
Day 17: Show The Adventures of Milo in The Phantom Tollbooth as End of Unit Celebration

Part IV: Accommodations and Supports:

What accommodations are available for
students who need options for:
Timing: Pacing of reading, Book on tape,
Extra work time
Setting: More than one room to work on
graphic design project and Word Market
event
Presentation: Reteach in small group or
individually, review lesson one on one,
teacher provided notes of main ideas during
class discussions for those with a visual
preference
Response: Multiple ways to show thinking on
exit slips, allowing students to verbalize
thinking for those with auditory preference

Materials and Resources:

25 copies of The Phantom Tollbooth
25 Chromebooks
Paper
Pencils
Fake Money
Craft Supplies (To create vendor tables for
Word Market Project)
Colored Paper
Scissors
Glue
Poster Board
Markers
Vendor Tables (desks)