Antarctic Unit Plan

Classroom Information
Subject: Language Arts
Grade: 4th
Number of students: 20
Allocated time: 9 days (90 minutes per day)

Differentiation
To differentiate to those students at a Tier 1 level, I plan on implementing many instructional strategies, such as close reading, so they can closely
look at the text and gain insights into what it says and the meaning behind it. I will be constantly encouraging these students to stay ahead of the
readings and assignments, be the leaders in their discussion groups, and help those students who fall behind. For the students at a Tier 2 level, I will
provide many visual elements into my lessons, such as many PowerPoints, videos, and word sorts. Furthermore, we will perform a read aloud and
many guided reading mini lessons to assist the students who struggle more with reading. There will also be “write-in readers” that will be given to the
four struggling readers in our class. Write-in readers are worksheets from the unit book that specifically provide extra support for intervention. These
students will work on these with Ms. Berry, the head of our resource room, as she comes in our class every Tuesday and Thursday morning. Lastly,
we will have leveled reader texts that differentiate to the reading level of the class (below level, on level, above level) as well extra instruction built in
for the students who struggle with the vocabulary and spelling words.

Learning Goals/Rationale
The key goals of this unit are for the students to learn how to ask and to respond to inferential questions, describe ideas and text elements, use precise
vocabulary, and understand personal pronouns. The students will be analyzing several informational texts throughout the unit while also improving
their vocabulary, grammar, and spelling skills. This is important because the students will be asked to analyze pieces of written information
throughout their entire lives for their jobs and everyday routines, such as reading a newspaper in the morning. Their spelling, vocabulary, and
grammar skills will also be important as they will most likely be reading, writing, and speaking every day for their future jobs.

Learning Objectives
The learning objectives match the CCSS that are listed under each of the focuses in the chart.

Prior Knowledge
To assess the students’ prior knowledge, I will ask them in the introductory lesson to share what places they envision themselves traveling to in the
future. Also, I will have them share any characteristics that they know beforehand about the Antarctic. In addition, I plan on giving them a
vocabulary and spelling pretest on the words we will be studying for this unit. This will give me a good idea of the students that I know need further
differentiated instruction. Lastly, I will draw on the principles from our last unit regarding words that end in ‘ed’ and ‘ing,’ as well as how to form a
sequence of events.

Formative/Summative Assessments
For the formative assessments of this unit, I will be asking the students comprehension questions during our minilessons on the readings that require
them to closely analyze the text. Also, there will be many handouts, two pre-tests, and observations that will I make to assess the students’ progress
on reaching the learning objectives. For the summative assessments of the unit, there will be a vocabulary and spelling post-test for the students who
did not score at least 80% on the pre-test. The entire class will receive a grammar and comprehension post-quiz towards the end of the unit as well.
Finally, I will be observing the students’ conversations regarding the essential question of the unit and evaluating their responses. A major source for
our summative assessments will be an online tool called Quizizz. It is very similar to Kahoot as it asks the students to answer questions on a
computer or tablet and gives them immediate feedback. It saves grading time for myself, is very interactive, and the students seem to enjoy it more
than always taking paper/pencil assessments.

Materials
The materials are outlined under each day below in the chart along with links to the visual PowerPoints. Here are links to the handouts, word sorts,
and assessments utilized in the unit as well: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/1612de4ed3955ace?projector=1&messagePartId=0.2 &
http://ttsdjourneys4.wikispaces.com/Lesson+13. The general materials needed for most lessons are the computer, projector, whiteboard, paper,
pencils, chromebooks, and the Houghton Mifflin textbook.

Reflection
Some possible challenges and misconceptions that may arise in this unit is the concept of similes and metaphors. Similes and metaphors are very
similar but have subtle differences, so I will have to make sure to make the differences very clear and provide examples so the students are not
confused. Another challenge that may arise is the concept of modal auxiliaries, which includes using words like “may, can, would, could, might,
will” in the correct way. For example, the correct way to ask to go to the bathroom is by saying “May I go to the bathroom?” However, students often
ask “Can I go to the bathroom?” Breaking away from this informal language will be a difficult task for many students and I will have to reiterate the
importance of using formal language in the classroom.

Antarctic Journal ***10th Day is built in as: extra/skipped day/make-up day

Be

Learning Skill Day 1 Day 2 & 3 Day 4 & 5 Day 6 & 7 Day 8 & 9

Hurricane Video Simile/Metaphor

Hook/Engagement YouTube

Oral Language Essential Question: Think through Text: Think through Text: Analyze the Text: Return to Essential
How are the different parts Question:
of an ecosystem connected? Ask and Discuss: Question Ask and Discuss: Ask and Discuss:
Building Knowledge #’s: 1-9 Question #’s: 10-17 Your Turn- pg.390
-Turn & Talk
Turn & Talks -Classroom Conversation
Standard: RI.4.1

Comprehension Reading Strategy: Reading Strategy: Dig Deeper Dig Deeper: Continued Classroom Conversation
Strategies Target Skill: Explain: pg. 388 Explain: pg. 389 Ask and discuss the three
questions as a whole group.
Target Skill:
Sequence of Events Sequence of Events
 ● Sequence of Events Domain Specific Log and record the major
-Standard: RI.4.2 Antarctic Journal points that came from it.
Vocabulary
● Domain-Specific
Vocabulary -
Standard: RI.4.4
Simile and Metaphor
● Simile and Metaphor
-Standard: L.4.5a Target Strategy:
Similes/Metaphors
Summarize
Understanding
of Reading

Target Strategy: Summarize -

Standard: RI.4.5

Reading the Text: Reading the Text: Reading the Text: Reading the Text: Compare Text:

Prepare for Text: First Read: First Read: Second Read: Second Read:
-Teacher Read Aloud: pg.T161 Pages 378-382 Pages 383-387 Pages 378-387 Reread as needed
Anthology/Reading -Read & Comp: pg. 374
-Preview Topic: pg. 375 ***As a group ***As a group ****As a partnership Compare Texts:
-Meet the Author: pg: 376 Choose 1 of 3 connections:
Ask and Discuss: Question Ask and Discuss: ● Text to Text
Define: Narrative Nonfiction Student eBook: #’s: 1-9 Question #’s: 10-17 ● Text to Self
***Listen and follow along ● Text to World
Standards: RI.4.2, RI.4.5, as a whole group: pages 378-
SL.4.1a 387

Vocabulary: Vocabulary Strategies: Vocabulary Usage: Vocabulary Review: Vocabulary Quiz:

Introduce Words: # 1-10

Vocabulary Pgs 372-373 Use PowerPoint to describe Identify and point out Use task cards and practice
better and discuss: vocabulary in the text and the cards to deepen understanding
Words & Strategy Benchmark = < 80%
Pronounce & Read definition context being used
Greek/Latin Vocab Vocab.
Vocabulary
Greek and Latin Word -Give Pretest
Parts
Standards: L.4.4b, L.4.4a,
L.4.6
 Spelling
More words with -ed or -ing
Standard: L.4.2d
*Word sorts and tic tac toe
board choice (if needed)
Grammar &
Vocab. Strategies
Modal Auxiliaries
Standard: L.4.1c
Daily 3 Options
Leveled Readers &
Connected Texts
Standards: RI.4.1, RF.4.4a,
SL.4.1a
Teach the Principle: Practice Spelling: Practice Spelling:
-Give Pretest Word Sorts Re-write Word Sorts
-Model sorting words according
to sounds
None Day 1 of Grammar: Day 2 of Grammar:
Mini-Lesson Mini-Lesson
Independent Practice Independent Practice
Can, Could, May, Might Will, Would, Can, Could
Can & May W.S.
None None Day 4:
● Can, Could, May,
Might
● Can & May W.S.
● MobyMax:
Language
Day 5:
● Will, Would, Can,
Could
● Comprehension
check-in
● 2nd Leveled Reader
Practice Spelling: Spelling Quiz:
Practice Word Sorts w/ a 10 words= Pass/fail
partner
*For all less than 80% of pre-
quiz (16/20)
Day 3 of Grammar: Grammar Quiz:
Mini-Lesson
# 1-10
Independent Practice
Benchmark = < 80%
Day 6: Day 8:
● Simile/Metaphor ● Vocab Quiz/Silent
● Reread anthology & Read own choice
Comprehension Quiz ● Spelling
● Silent Read Own Quiz/Partner Read
Choice Own Choice
*** Write-In Reader ● MobyMax: Social
Studies
*** Write-In Reader
Day 7:
● Vocab. PowerPoint
Check-in Day 9:
● Connected Text: On ● Grammar check-in
Thin Ice ● Grammar Quiz
● MobyMax: ● MobyMax:
Foundational Skills Language
*** Write-In Reader *** Write-In Reader