ALEX Classroom Resources

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (0) 3 :

3 ) With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story. [RL.K.3]

[ELA2015] (0) 4 :

4 ) Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text. [RL.K.4]

[ELA2015] (0) 6 :

6 ) With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story. [RL.K.6]

[ELA2015] (0) 7 :

7 ) With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts). [RL.K.7]

[ELA2015] (0) 9 :

9 ) Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding. [RL.K.10]

[ELA2015] (1) 10 :

10 ) Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. [RI.1.1]

[ELA2015] (1) 11 :

11 ) Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text. [RI.1.2]

[ELA2015] (1) 13 :

13 ) Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text. [RI.1.4]

[ELA2015] (1) 15 :

15 ) Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and information provided by the words in a text. [RI.1.6]

[ELA2015] (1) 16 :

16 ) Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas. [RI.1.7]

[ELA2015] (1) 17 :

17 ) Identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text (e.g., eating a balanced meal, obeying safety rules, engaging in recycling projects). [RI.1.8]

[ELA2015] (1) 19 :

19 ) With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for Grade 1. [RI.1.10]

[ELA2015] (2) 21 :

21 ) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. [RF.2.4]

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. [RF.2.4a]

b. Read on-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. [RF.2.4b]

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. [RF.2.4c]

[ELA2015] (2) 26 :

26 ) With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers. [W.2.6]

[ELA2015] (2) 28 :

28 ) Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question. [W.2.8]

[ELA2015] (3) 27 :

27 ) With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others. [W.3.6]

[ELA2015] (3) 28 :

28 ) Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic. [W.3.7]

[ELA2015] (3) 29 :

29 ) Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories. [W.3.8]

[ELA2015] (4) 32 :

32 ) Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. [SL.4.1]

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. [SL.4.1a]

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles. [SL.4.1b]

c. Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others. [SL.4.1c]

d. Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. [SL.4.1d]

[ELA2015] (4) 37 :

37 ) Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion); use formal English when appropriate to task and situation. (See Grade 4 Language standards 38 and 40 for specific expectations.) [SL.4.6]

[ELA2015] (4) 40 :

40 ) Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. [L.4.3]

a. Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.* [L.4.3a]

b. Choose punctuation for effect.* [L.4.3b]

c. Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion). [L.4.3c]

[ELA2015] (4) 41 :

41 ) Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on Grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. [L.4.4]

a. Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. [L.4.4a]

b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph). [L.4.4b]

c. Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases. [L.4.4c]

[ELA2015] (4) 43 :

43 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation). [L.4.6]

[ELA2015] (5) 2 :

2 ) Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text. [RL.5.2]

[ELA2015] (5) 7 :

7 ) Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem). [RL.5.7]

Through multimodal activities, students will explore key elements of design such as color, shape, size, texture, density, and layout to understand and appreciate how these elements combine to convey meaning in Little Blue and Little Yellow, by Leo Lionni. Using art and digital media, they will then create their own designs to express meaning for setting, character relationships, and plot. Students will realize how to use design elements to read images and how meaning in picture books is equally conveyed in both words and images.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (2) 1 :

1 ) Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. [RL.2.1]

a. Infer the main idea and supporting details in narrative texts. (Alabama)

[ELA2015] (2) 6 :

6 ) Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud. [RL.2.6]

[ELA2015] (2) 9 :

9 ) By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories and poetry, in the Grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. [RL.2.10]

[ELA2015] (2) 21 :

21 ) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. [RF.2.4]

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. [RF.2.4a]

b. Read on-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. [RF.2.4b]

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. [RF.2.4c]

[ELA2015] (3) 25 :

25 ) With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 22-24 above.) [W.3.4]

[ELA2015] (3) 30 :

30 ) Write routinely over extended time frames, including time for research, reflection, and revision, and shorter time frames such as a single sitting or a day or two for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. [W.3.10]

[ELA2015] (3) 31 :

31 ) Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. [SL.3.1]

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. [SL.3.1a]

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). [SL.3.1b]

c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others. [SL.3.1c]

d. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. [SL.3.1d]

[ELA2015] (4) 43 :

43 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation). [L.4.6]

The goal of this lesson is to introduce the academic vocabulary of economics and financial literacy through children's books. In Babymouse: Cupcake Tycoon, there are a variety of economics and financial literacy vocabulary words embedded in the text, which involve a school fundraiser. Through a think-aloud read-aloud, the lesson will illustrate how to introduce key economic concepts/vocabulary through the story. Students use puppets to conduct interviews about economics vocabulary in the story and then create vocabulary cards. As a final project, they create video posters, using either PowerPoint or Glogster.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (3) 25 :

25 ) With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 22-24 above.) [W.3.4]

[ELA2015] (3) 42 :

42 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them). [L.3.6]

[ELA2015] (4) 23 :

23 ) Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. [W.4.2]

a. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. [W.4.2a]

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. [W.4.2b]

c. Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because). [W.4.2c]

d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. [W.4.2d]

e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. [W.4.2e]

[ELA2015] (4) 30 :

30 ) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. [W.4.9]

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 character's thoughts, words, or actions]"). [W.4.9a]

b. Apply Grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text"). [W.4.9b]

[ELA2015] (4) 33 :

33 ) Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. [SL.4.2]

[ELA2015] (4) 40 :

40 ) Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. [L.4.3]

a. Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.* [L.4.3a]

b. Choose punctuation for effect.* [L.4.3b]

c. Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion). [L.4.3c]

[ELA2015] (4) 43 :

43 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation). [L.4.6]

[ELA2015] (5) 23 :

23 ) Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. [W.5.2]

a. Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. [W.5.2a]

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. [W.5.2b]

c. Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrast, especially). [W.5.2c]

d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. [W.5.2d]

e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. [W.5.2e]

[ELA2015] (5) 30 :

30 ) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. [W.5.9]

a. Apply Grade 5 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or a drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., how characters interact]"). [W.5.9a]

b. Apply Grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point[s]"). [W.5.9b]

[ELA2015] (5) 33 :

33 ) Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. [SL.5.2]

This lesson helps students improve their writing abilities and their attention to details while experiencing a new technology called Descriptive Video. Also known as described programming, Descriptive Video refers to programming with an additional audio track that narrates a film's visual elements. Students watch the opening scene of the standard version of the Disney film The Lion King and write a description of it. They then watch the same opening scene with the descriptions and captions available online at the National Center for Accessible Media. They will write another descriptive summary of this scene. Students share their two writing samples aloud and compare their pre- and post-audio descriptions.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (3) 23 :

23 ) Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. [W.3.2]

a. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension. [W.3.2a]

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. [W.3.2b]

c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information. [W.3.2c]

d. Provide a concluding statement or section. [W.3.2d]

[ELA2015] (3) 25 :

25 ) With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 22-24 above.) [W.3.4]

[ELA2015] (3) 42 :

42 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them). [L.3.6]

[ELA2015] (4) 23 :

23 ) Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. [W.4.2]

a. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. [W.4.2a]

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. [W.4.2b]

c. Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because). [W.4.2c]

d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. [W.4.2d]

e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. [W.4.2e]

[ELA2015] (4) 26 :

26 ) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of the first three Language standards in Grades K-4.) [W.4.5]

[ELA2015] (4) 32 :

32 ) Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. [SL.4.1]

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. [SL.4.1a]

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles. [SL.4.1b]

c. Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others. [SL.4.1c]

d. Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. [SL.4.1d]

[ELA2015] (4) 43 :

43 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation). [L.4.6]

[ELA2015] (5) 23 :

23 ) Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. [W.5.2]

a. Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. [W.5.2a]

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. [W.5.2b]

c. Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrast, especially). [W.5.2c]

d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. [W.5.2d]

e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. [W.5.2e]

[ELA2015] (5) 26 :

26 ) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of the first three Language standards in Grades K-5.) [W.5.5]

[ELA2015] (5) 32 :

32 ) Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. [SL.5.1]

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. [SL.5.1a]

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles. [SL.5.1b]

c. Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. [SL.5.1c]

d. Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge gained from the discussions. [SL.5.1d]

[ELA2015] (5) 43 :

43 ) 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). [L.5.6]

There are many back to school activities that take place to help create a classroom community. It is important for students to feel that they own the space and the learning that takes place in their classroom. Foster such ownership for students by collaboratively writing an owner's manual that describes the classroom's areas and procedures. Students begin by sharing thoughts and feelings about school so far and brainstorming a list of important classroom places, routines, and events. Next, they select an item from the brainstormed list and write a draft description of how their topic “works” in the classroom and after peer-review, make appropriate revisions. Then students use interactive tools to create their piece of the classroom owner's manual. Finally, students share their work and decide as a class how to share the information with others, such as an Open House or when new students join the classroom.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (4) 10 :

10 ) Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. [RI.4.1]

[ELA2015] (4) 11 :

11 ) Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. [RI.4.2]

[ELA2015] (4) 12 :

12 ) Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. [RI.4.3]

[ELA2015] (4) 13 :

13 ) Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a Grade 4 topic or subject area. [RI.4.4]

[ELA2015] (4) 17 :

17 ) Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text. [RI.4.8]

[ELA2015] (4) 19 :

19 ) By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the Grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. [RI.4.10]

[ELA2015] (4) 21 :

21 ) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. [RF.4.4]

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. [RF.4.4a]

b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. [RF.4.4b]

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. [RF.4.4c]

[ELA2015] (4) 23 :

23 ) Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. [W.4.2]

a. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. [W.4.2a]

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. [W.4.2b]

c. Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because). [W.4.2c]

d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. [W.4.2d]

e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. [W.4.2e]

[ELA2015] (4) 25 :

25 ) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 22-24 above.) [W.4.4]

[ELA2015] (4) 26 :

26 ) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of the first three Language standards in Grades K-4.) [W.4.5]

[ELA2015] (4) 30 :

30 ) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. [W.4.9]

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 character's thoughts, words, or actions]"). [W.4.9a]

b. Apply Grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text"). [W.4.9b]

[ELA2015] (4) 31 :

31 ) Write routinely over extended time frames, including time for research, reflection, and revision, and shorter time frames such as a single sitting or a day or two for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. [W.4.10]

[ELA2015] (4) 41 :

41 ) Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on Grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. [L.4.4]

a. Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. [L.4.4a]

b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph). [L.4.4b]

c. Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases. [L.4.4c]

[ELA2015] (4) 43 :

43 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation). [L.4.6]

What do students need to know to succeed in fourth grade (or third or fifth)? What supplies are needed? What rules and steps should be followed? These and many other questions provide the framework for students to write how-to essays for a specific audience—future fourth graders. Although this lesson focuses specifically on the fourth grade, it can be easily adapted for third or fifth graders. Students first learn about the how-to writing genre by reading an assortment of instruction manuals. This also demonstrates how how-to writing relates to their everyday lives. The teacher then models each step of the writing process as the students write about how to be a successful fourth graders. After students publish their writing, the final drafts are saved for the following year's fourth graders to read at the beginning of the next school year.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (3) 3 :

3 ) Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. [RL.3.3]

[ELA2015] (3) 21 :

21 ) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. [RF.3.4]

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. [RF.3.4a]

b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. [RF.3.4b]

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. [RF.3.4c]

[ELA2015] (3) 26 :

26 ) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of the first three Language standards in Grades K-3.) [W.3.5]

[ELA2015] (3) 30 :

30 ) Write routinely over extended time frames, including time for research, reflection, and revision, and shorter time frames such as a single sitting or a day or two for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. [W.3.10]

[ELA2015] (3) 32 :

32 ) Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. [SL.3.2]

[ELA2015] (3) 40 :

40 ) Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on Grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. [L.3.4]

a. Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. [L.3.4a]

b. Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g., agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat). [L.3.4b]

c. Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g., company, companion). [L.3.4c]

d. Use glossaries or beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases. [L.3.4d]

[ELA2015] (3) 42 :

42 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them). [L.3.6]

[ELA2015] (4) 3 :

3 ) Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions). [RL.4.3]

[ELA2015] (4) 9 :

9 ) By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, in the Grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. [RL.4.10]

[ELA2015] (4) 43 :

43 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation). [L.4.6]

[ELA2015] (5) 21 :

21 ) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. [RF.5.4]

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. [RF.5.4a]

b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. [RF.5.4b]

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. [RF.5.4c]

[ELA2015] (5) 43 :

43 ) 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). [L.5.6]

Comprehension requires more than knowledge of the basic facts in a reading. Instead, readers need to actively engage in their readings to move toward critical thinking. After reading a piece of literature, students explore their text, searching for literary elements such as characters, setting, figures of speech, and themes. They use the alphabet to organize their findings. Finally, they publish their work in ABC books, using the Alphabet Organizer student interactive.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (3) 21 :

21 ) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. [RF.3.4]

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. [RF.3.4a]

b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. [RF.3.4b]

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. [RF.3.4c]

[ELA2015] (3) 26 :

26 ) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of the first three Language standards in Grades K-3.) [W.3.5]

[ELA2015] (3) 30 :

30 ) Write routinely over extended time frames, including time for research, reflection, and revision, and shorter time frames such as a single sitting or a day or two for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. [W.3.10]

[ELA2015] (3) 41 :

41 ) Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings. [L.3.5]

a. Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps). [L.3.5a]

b. Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or helpful). [L.3.5b]

c. Distinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered). [L.3.5c]

[ELA2015] (3) 42 :

42 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them). [L.3.6]

[ELA2015] (4) 21 :

21 ) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. [RF.4.4]

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. [RF.4.4a]

b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. [RF.4.4b]

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. [RF.4.4c]

[ELA2015] (4) 26 :

26 ) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of the first three Language standards in Grades K-4.) [W.4.5]

[ELA2015] (4) 31 :

31 ) Write routinely over extended time frames, including time for research, reflection, and revision, and shorter time frames such as a single sitting or a day or two for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. [W.4.10]

[ELA2015] (4) 43 :

43 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation). [L.4.6]

[ELA2015] (5) 21 :

21 ) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. [RF.5.4]

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. [RF.5.4a]

b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. [RF.5.4b]

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. [RF.5.4c]

[ELA2015] (5) 38 :

38 ) Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. [L.5.1]

a. Explain the function of conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections in general and their function in particular sentences. [L.5.1a]

b. Form and use the perfect (e.g., I had walked; I have walked; I will have walked) verb tenses. [L.5.1b]

c. Use verb tense to convey various times, sequences, states, and conditions. [L.5.1c]

d. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.* [L.5.1d]

e. Use correlative conjunctions (e.g., either/or, neither/nor). [L.5.1e]

[ELA2015] (5) 41 :

41 ) Determine 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. [L.5.4]

a. Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. [L.5.4a]

b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis). [L.5.4b]

c. Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases. [L.5.4c]

Think alphabet books are just for kindergarten? Think again! In this lesson, students examine a variety of alphabet books, some with rather complex structures, specifically Mary Elting and Michael Folsom's Q Is for Duck: An Alphabet Guessing Game. Students begin the lesson with a read-aloud of the story in which they guess why the authors chose to represent each letter with a particular word and then summarize the pattern of the book. Using "patterned" or "structured" writing can be very effective with struggling writers, and it also allows advanced students to extend their writing capabilities. Students use the pattern of Q Is for Duck to create their own class alphabet book in which students make clever associations for each letter of the alphabet. This experience will assist even the most reluctant writer in becoming an author.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (3) 2 :

2 ) Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. [RL.3.2]

[ELA2015] (3) 21 :

21 ) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. [RF.3.4]

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. [RF.3.4a]

b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. [RF.3.4b]

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. [RF.3.4c]

[ELA2015] (3) 25 :

25 ) With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 22-24 above.) [W.3.4]

[ELA2015] (3) 28 :

28 ) Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic. [W.3.7]

[ELA2015] (3) 31 :

31 ) Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. [SL.3.1]

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. [SL.3.1a]

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). [SL.3.1b]

c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others. [SL.3.1c]

d. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. [SL.3.1d]

[ELA2015] (4) 28 :

28 ) Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. [W.4.7]

[ELA2015] (4) 43 :

43 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation). [L.4.6]

[ELA2015] (5) 16 :

16 ) Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently. [RI.5.7]

[ELA2015] (5) 18 :

18 ) Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. [RI.5.9]

Diversity is celebrated in this lesson in which students embark on a cultural research project by first reading a variety of alphabet books about world cultures, including D is for Doufu: An Alphabet Book of Chinese Culture by Maywan Shen Krach. They then select a culture to study and work in groups to conduct research into the history and symbols of their selected culture. The unit includes tools for conducting primary interviews and other research techniques. The project culminates with each group writing and illustrating a cultural alphabet book based on their research. Groups share their work with the class and invited guests during a Diversity Celebration.