Color Code: Red: opportunities to write Green: opportunities to read Orange: opportunities to speak and listen Purple: opportunities for grammar

SpringBoard Unit 1 – Changes In Me:
EA 1 Instruction Sequence Recommendations
The first half of the unit exposes students to the concept of change and to the craft of narrative writing. Students begin by reading and writing poetry and selecting an independent reading text as means to explore the concept and genre. Students then analyze the components, organizational structure, and language of a variety of narrative texts. Student will apply their understanding of narrative by engaging in the writing process to craft a personal narrative for Embedded Assessment 1
Content Goals:
  • To understand how change can be significant
  • To analyze key ideas and details in addition to craft and structure in print and non-print texts
  • To use narrative techniques such as sequencing, dialogue, and descriptive language
  • To write narratives to develop real or imagined events
  • To understand pronouns and the conventions of punctuating dialogue

Essential Questions: 1. How can change be significant?2. What makes a good story?
Embedded Assessment 1: Writing a Personal Narrative
Reading Selections
Film: The Lion King directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
Personal Narrative:My Superpowers, by Dan Greenburg
Novel: Excerpt from Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen
Personal Narrative:“The Jacket,” by Gary Soto
Novel: Excerpt from Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata
Approved Supplemental Texts:
Memoir: “All the Place to Love” by Patricia MacLachlan (shared reading plan)
Memoir: “Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson ” by Sharon Robinson (shared reading plan)
Novel: “Who Was King Tut,” by Roberta Edwards (Shared Reading Plan)
Short Story: “THE JACKET,” by Gary Soto (shared reading plan.)
Science Fiction: All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury (shared reading plan)
Elementary Approved Reading List
Independent Reading Link:
The suggested guidelines for independent reading in this unit are as follows:
  • Texts should be an appropriate length for students to read outside of class during the unit. Help students select texts that can be read in four weeks and are engaging enough that students will be motivated to read them.
  • Texts should feature the theme of change and descriptive language
  • Texts may range from memoirs and personal narrative to fictional novels and collections of short stories selected by the student based on interest.
Consider authors such as: Sandra Cisneros, Beverly Cleary, Roald Dahl, Paul Fleishman, Francisco Jimenez, Richard Lewis, Walter Dean Myers, Marjane Satrapi, Gary Soto, Art Spiegelman, Chris Van Allsburg, Wendelin Van Draanen.
You can assist students with selecting an appropriate text by asking them to consider the unit’s Essential Question, “What makes a good story?” Ask students to brainstorm a list of attributes they enjoy in stories (e.g., clever character, descriptive details, quick moving plot) and allow them to share titles and authors they have enjoyed reading.
Throughout the unit, look for Independent Reading Links, which include opportunities for students to connect concepts in the unit to their independent reading. You may want to have students keep a journal of their responses to the reading links in their Reader/Writer Notebooks. When applicable, have students engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions to share what they are learning from their independent reading.

Color Code: Red: opportunities to write Green: opportunities to read Orange: opportunities to speak and listen Purple: opportunities for grammar

Core Curriculum (63 minute session) / Differentiated Work Time
Menu (45 minute session)
Activity 1.1 – Previewing the Unit
Word Wall:Summarize (Academic Vocabulary) (L.6.4b)
  • Latin Root: Summar- “a series of numbers or quantities to be added up”
  • Suffix: -ize “to render, make”
/ Necessary Items:
  • Establishing Routines and Procedures for DWT
  • “Getting to Know You” Ed Tech Integration Task
  • Vocabulary Journal (L.6.4b) – create a vocabulary notebook to be used for acquiring academic vocabulary and literary terms throughout the year

Learning Targets:
  • Preview the big ideas and vocabulary for the unit. (L.6.6)
  • Identify and analyze the skills and knowledge needed to complete Embedded Assessment 1 successfully. (RL.6.2)

Recommended Additional/Clarifying Steps:
  1. Introduce students to the structure and format of the SpringBoard text by doing a “book walk.”
  2. Students will create an “Unpacking the Unit” poster (Time Recommendation: 20 minutes)
  3. Unpacking Unit Document
  4. Unpacking Unit PowerPoint (See example)
  5. Unpack Embedded Assessment 1 (recommend using the bubble map) – teacher models for whole group while students observe. (video)
/ Additional Options:
  • Grammar & Usage (G&U) - Give Parts of Speech Pre-Assessment
  • Students present “Unpacking the Unit” posters to class
  • Zinc Reading Lab (Walk Through for teachers)

Activity 1.2 – Understanding Change
Word Wall:Point of View (Literary Term) (L.6.4b)
  • Punctum visus “position from which a thing is viewed”
/ Necessary Items:
  • Establishing Routines and Procedures for DWT
  • “Getting to Know You” Ed Tech Integration Task

Learning Targets:
  • Define the concept of change. (L.6.6)
  • Write about changes using a graphic organizer and a frame poem (W.6.5)

Recommended Additional/Clarifying Steps:
  1. Before Reading:Model an interpretation of one of the quotes listed and then have students choose
  2. During Reading:Read aloud/discuss poem with focus on point of view.
  3. After Reading: Model/Think aloud the prewrite using an example of personal change.
  4. Students write a frame poem (TR: 15 minutes)
/ Additional Options:
  • Publish frame poem using Word (template)
  • G&U – Semicolonrefer to callout box in the activity
  • Zinc Reading Lab

Assessment Opportunity: Activity 1.2 Short Cycle Quick Check – consider giving as formative assessment after the completion of this activity
Activity 1.3 – Planning for Independent Reading
  • Recommendation to omit due to reduction of ELA instruction minutes
/ NA
Activity 1.4 – What Makes a Good Narrative
Word Wall: Narrative (Literary Term) (L.6.4b)
  • Latin Root: narrate- “to relate, tell, or say”
  • Suffix: -ive (expresses tendency)
Word Wall: Sequence (Academic Vocabulary) (L.6.4b)
  • Latin root: sequ- “to follow”
  • Suffix: -ence (creates an action or state)
/ Necessary Items:
  • Establishing Routines and Procedures for DWT
  • “Getting to Know You” Ed Tech Integration Task
  • G&U – SpringBoard Grammar Activity: Parts of Speech Overview (Teacher Edition) (Student Edition)

Learning Targets:
  • Identify elements of a narrative by recording evidence of setting, characterization, dialogue, and conflict. (RL.6.5)
  • Sequence a text’s events chronologically in an outline. (RL.6.3)
  • Use narrative techniques to develop an imagined experience (W.6.3b)

Recommended Additional/Clarifying Steps:
First Session:
  1. Review elements of a narrative (setting, characterization, dialogue, point of view, sequence of events, conflict, resolution) by using the strategy and using a word map graphic organizer, then have each group share out and provide note taking sheet for audience. (TR: 20 min)
  2. Recommendation is to use the Lion King clips that are available on Blackboard as model for what makes a good narrative, have students listen and take notes using the graphic organizer provided in activity.
Second Session:
  1. In small groups or partners have students discuss and review the pieces of visual text evidence recorded on the graphic organizer from the previous session.
  2. Have students work in partners to put 5 events in sequential order from the observed film clips
  3. Check Your Understanding: students write about a story they he/she knows well using the narrative element vocabulary (TR: 20 min)
  4. Narrative Writing Prompt: students write a narrative from the point of view of either Nala or Simba about the incident from the film clips. This is a formative assessment opportunity
/ Additional Options:
  • Independent Reading Link from the activity
  • Parts of Speech Posters – Have students work in groups, assigning each group a different part of speech (verb, noun, pronoun, adjective adverb…); the groups create charts/posters identifying the part of speech, defining it, and providing examples of it used in sentences. Have students share their charts
  • Additional time to complete the Narrative Writing Prompt from the activity
  • Publish frame poem using Word (template)
  • Zinc Reading Lab

Activity 1.5 – Personal Narrative: Incident – Response – Reflection
Word Wall:Personal Narrative (Literary Term) (L.6.4b)
  • Latin Root: Person- “role”
  • Suffix: -al (a kind of)
  • Latin Root: narrate- “to relate, tell, or say”
  • Suffix: -ive (expresses tendency)
Word Wall:Cause and Effect (Academic Vocabulary) (L.6.4b) / Necessary Items:
  • Establishing Routines and Procedures for DWT
  • “Getting to Know You” Ed Tech Integration Task
  • (G&U) – Commas – refer to the callout box in the activity
  • Word Connection callout box in activity
  • Close Reading Workshop #1(Teacher Edition) (Student Edition)

Learning Target:
  • Identify the incident-response-reflection organizational structure in a personal narrative (RI.6.5)
  • Use the incident-response-reflection organizational structure in a personal narrative (W.6.3b)
/ Additional Options:
  • Cause and Effect practice sheet
  • Independent Reading Link
  • Cause and Effect using text of choice
  • Story Mountain graphic organizer with chosen text
  • Zinc Reading Lab

Recommended Additional/Clarifying Steps:
First Session:
  1. Before Reading: Introduce the incident-response-reflection organizational structure and have students practice identifying the structure by applying it to his/her chosen story from the Check Your Understanding from the previous activity using the Turn and Talk strategy.
  2. During Reading:
  3. Conduct a shared Close Reading of the text (TR: 25 min)
  4. Use the Think-Pair-Share strategy to respond to the Key Ideas & Details (KIDs) questions that are located in the My Notes section in the margin of the Student Edition
Second Session:
  1. Review/clarify the incident-response-reflection organizational structure.
  2. After Reading:
  3. Students will put the events from “My Superpowers” in sequential order, if needed give the students the first and the last event and work with a partner to fill in the events in-between.
  4. Consider having the students to the Cause and Effect Graphic Organizer to identify examples from the text
  5. Narrative Writing Prompt: possible formative assessment opportunity

Activity 1.6 – He Said, She Said: Characterization
Word Wall: Connotation (Literary Terms) (L.6.4b)
  • Medieval Latin Root: Connoptare “Signify in addition to the main meaning”
Word Wall: Denotation (Literary Terms) (L.6.4b)
  • Latin Root: denote- “to mark out”
  • Suffix: -tion (forms a condition, function, or state)
/ Necessary Items:
  • G&U – Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns – refer to the callout box in the activity
  • G&U – Punctuating Dialogue – refer to the callout box in the activity and SpringBoard Grammar Activity (Teacher Edition) (Student Edition)
  • G&U – Sentences and Fragments– refer to the callout box in the activity
  • Close Reading Workshop #1 (Teacher Edition) (Student Edition)

Learning Targets:
  • Make inferences about character and provide textual evidence in a short, written response. (RL.6.1)
  • Practice the use and conventions of pronouns and dialogue. (L.6.1)
/ Additional Options:
  • Cause and Effect PowerPoint and practice sheet
  • Independent Reading Link
  • Cause and Effect graphic organizer using text of choice
  • Story Mountain graphic organizer with chosen text
  • Zinc Reading Lab

Recommended Additional/Clarifying Steps:
First Session:
  1. Before Reading: Use the Collaborative Discussion strategy to discuss point of view. Then have students complete the Quick Write
  2. During Reading: Conduct a shared, guided, or independent close reading of the text depending on the needs of the students. Allow time for annotation of text and responding to the KIDs. (TR: 40 min)
Second Session:
  1. After Reading: Review and record text evidence in the graphic organizer (TR: 15 min)
  2. Language and Writer’s Craft: focus on pronoun case as indicator of point of view (TR: 10 min)
  3. Narrative Writing Prompt: provide guidance as needed through revisiting the brainstorming from Activity 1.2. Possible formative assessment opportunity

Activity 1.7 – Analyzing Narratives
Word Wall:Simile (Literary Term) (L.6.4b)
  • Latin: Similus “Comparison”
Word Wall:Analyze (Academic Vocabulary) (L.6.4b)
  • Latin Root: Analy- “to loosen up”
  • Suffix: -ize “to render or make”
/ Necessary Items:
  • G&U – Vivid Verbs – refer to the callout box in the activity
Close Reading Workshop #1 (Teacher Edition) (Student Edition)
Learning Targets:
  • Analyze the elements of a personal narrative. (RI.6.3)
  • Identify the sequence of events in a narrative (RL.6.3)
  • Compare narratives to analyze effective beginnings and endings (RL.6.9)
/ Additional Options:
  • Story Elementsgraphic organizer with chosen text
  • G&U - Parts of Speech – have students create a flipbook, for the first tab label the outside Verb, on the inside come up with a class definition, examples, and other important information
  • G&U – Punctuating Dialogue – refer to the callout box in the activity and SpringBoard Grammar Activity (Teacher Edition) (Student Edition)
  • Independent Reading Link
  • Incident-Response-Reflection graphic organizer with text of choice
  • Cause and Effect graphic organizer using text of choice
  • Story Mountain graphic organizer with chosen text
  • Zinc Reading Lab

Recommended Additional/Clarifying Steps:
First Session:
  1. Before Reading: have students complete step 1 as a Quick Write (TR: 5 min)
  2. During Reading: Conduct a shared, guided, or independent close reading of the text depending on the needs of the students. Allow time for annotation of text and responding to the KIDs. (TR: 30 min)
  3. After Reading: students work collaboratively to complete the graphic organizer focusing on the IRR structure of a personal narrative.
Second Session:
  1. Set the purpose for the reading of Kira-Kira, students will annotate the text by marking it for the organizational structure (IRR), sequence of events, sensory language, vivid verbs, and descriptive details.
  2. Conduct a shared, guided, or independent close reading of the text depending on the needs of the students. Allow time for annotation of text and responding to the KIDs (TR: 20 min)
  3. After Reading: students will create the sequence of events for Kira-Kira and record the character’s response to those events. (TR: 20 min)
  4. Check Your Understanding: students work collaboratively to create a poster guided by the essential question: What makes a good story? (TR: 15 min)

Assessment Opportunity: Activity 1.5-1.7 Short Cycle Quick Check – consider giving as formative assessment after the completion of this activity
*Disclaimer: Activities 1.8-1.10 are guided practice for writing a complete personal narrative. There are multiple opportunities to provide feedback during these activities in order to prepare the student to independently complete the Embedded Assessment. Students may or may not use chosen incident for Embedded Assessment.
**May also use Writing Workshop #1: Narrative Writing as additional practice if needed
Activity 1.8 – Creating a Narrative
Word Wall:Sensory Language (Literary Term) (L.6.4b)
  • Sensory
  • Latin Root: Sensus “sensation, feeling”
  • Suffix: -ory (characterized by or having the character of)
  • Language
  • Latin Root: Langu- “tongue”
  • Suffix: -age (the outcome of)
Word Wall:Dialogue (Literary Term) (L.6.4b)
  • Prefix: Dia- “throughout”
  • Latin Root : -logue “discourse, either written or spoken”
/ Necessary Items:
  • Close Reading Workshop #1 (Teacher Edition) (Student Edition)

Learning Targets:
  • Visualize a personal incident about change (W.6.3)
  • Identify the sequence of events in a narrative (W.6.3a)
  • Write dialogue and commentary about the incident (W.6.3c)
/ Additional Options:
  • Story Elementsgraphic organizer
  • G&U - Parts of Speech – have students create a flipbook, for the next tab label the outside Pronouns, on the inside come up with a class definition, examples, and other important information
  • G&U – Punctuating Dialogue – refer to the callout box in the activity and SpringBoard Grammar Activity (Teacher Edition) (Student Edition)
  • Incident-Response-Reflection graphic organizer with text of choice
  • Story Mountain graphic organizer with chosen text
  • Zinc Reading Lab
  • Memory Map work time

Recommended Additional/Clarifying Steps:
First Session:
  1. Focus on prewriting skills: brainstorming: choosing a memorable incident; and specific details with sensory language using connotative diction, sensory details, vivid verbs, and dialogue. Use the Incident Response Reflection structure of a personal narrative
Second Session:
  1. Model how to create a Memory Map, including specific details in black, commentary about the importance of the event in another color, a third color for dialogue and drawings to represent each event
  2. Show examples of a Memory Map (Student Sample 1) (Student Sample 2)
  3. Allow students time to begin to create his/her Memory Map, consider giving time to complete as homework

Activity 1.9 – Creating a Narrative: Prewriting and Drafting
Word Wall:Paraphrase (Academic Vocabulary) (L.6.4b)
  • Greek root: -phrase “to tell”
  • Prefix: para- “beside”
Word Wall:Setting (Literary Term) (L.6.4b)
  • Middle English Root: Set- “to put (something or someone) in a particular place”
  • Suffix: -ing (creates an action or condition)
Word Wall: Coherence (Academic Vocabulary) (L.6.4b)
  • Latin root: Cohere- “to stick together”
  • Suffiix: -ence (creates an action or a state)
/ Necessary Items:
Close Reading Workshop #1 (Teacher Edition) (Student Edition)
Learning Targets:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of narrative elements by drafting a narrative (W.6.3b)
  • Apply the writing process while drafting a personal narrative (W.6.5)
/ Additional Options:
  • Story Elementsgraphic organizer with chosen text
  • Incident-Response-Reflection graphic organizer with text of choice
  • Cause and Effect graphic organizer using text of choice
  • Story Mountaingraphic organizer with chosen text
  • Zinc Reading Lab
  • Narrative Writing Prompt: additional time as needed for drafting

Recommended Additional/Clarifying Steps:
First Session:
  1. Prewriting: developing “newspaper” type questions based on the incident the student has chosen (TR: 13 min)
  2. Planning: focus on the cause and effect of the incident, consider using the Cause and Effect Graphic Organizer to give students more space to place their thoughts (TR: 20 min)
  3. Characterization: have studentsfocus on developing themselves as well as others involved in the incident as characters using the graphic organizer provided. (TR: 20 min)
Second Session: