Understanding By Design Unit Template

(Revised & adapted)

Title of Unit / Fables (Review) and Folktales (Focus) / Grade Level / 3rd Grade
Subject / Reading / Time Frame / 9/9/13 – 9/13/13 Reading workshop routines & Fables review
9/16/13 – 9/20/13 – Fables review
9/23/13 – 10/14/13 Instructional Period-focusing on Folktales
10/04/13 – F & P due on reading tracker
10/14/13 – 10/18/13 – Re-teach
Developed By
Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results
Narrative about this Unit of Study: (including the Big Idea)
Big idea: Folktales are stories that increase cultural awareness, remind us of human nature, and solidify our social values.
In this unit students will read and recount Folktales from diverse cultures, they will determine the central message, conveyed in these stories while using details from the story to explain their thinking. Students will be introduced to a variety of strategies to deepen their understanding of characters in the books they are reading. For instance, students will learn how visualizing the story helps to bring the characters to life. When readers are able to visualize the characters and their actions they begin
to have a deeper understanding of the characters and why they act the way they do. Students will also learn how to pay close attention to the details in the story that describe the characters actions. They will think about these actions as choices the character makes, and infer what those actions tell them about the character. Finally, students will deepen their understanding of story structure by explaining how the actions of a character contribute to the series of events (cause/effect).
Learning Outcomes – Identified Primary Standards
What relevant goals will this unit address?
CCSS RL3.2 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.
CCSS RL3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g. their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
CCSS RL3.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
CCLS RL3.5 Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza;
describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections.
CCLS RF 3.3a Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.
CCLS RF 3.4c Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Understandings
What understandings about the big ideas implied in the PLOs are desired? / Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry into the content?
Students will understand that...
Narratives serve as people’s tool to entertain and educate others by sharing real or imagined experiences of the world.
Narratives become meaningful and relevant to them as readers when they engage with the experiences and world (traits, motivations, actions) of the character. / Essential Questions:
What are the characteristics of folktale?
How do the character’s actions affect the outcome of folktales?
How are characters’ actions and consequences similar to or different from ours? What can we learn from them?
Which kinds of details are integral to the development of the central message or theme of a folktale?
Knowledge:
What knowledge will student acquire as a result of this unit? / Skills
What skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?
Students will know...
There are many different kinds of narratives, but they all share common elements: character, setting, plot, problem, solution.
In narrative plots, the tension builds after the problem is introduced, peaks at the climax and is finally resolved.
Fables are short narratives that often involve animal characters and serve the primary function of teaching readers a moral.
Folktales are stories from long ago that were passed on from one storyteller to another by word of mouth that tells a lesson or explains something.
Folktales encompass legends, myths, fables, fairy tales and tall tales.
Actions that demonstrate character traits e.g. (determination/ persistence/ strength of character/ selfishness/ egocentric/ humble/
Vocabulary relevant to the central message. (Protagonist, antagonist, trickster, villain,
determination, persistence, strength of character, selfishness, egocentric, humble etc)
The role of folktales in the history of the world.
Good readers monitor their reading to ensure understanding by asking questions e.g. What might happen? What is happening? What did happen? / Students will be able to…
Identify unique characteristics of the genre: myth, folktale, folklore and fairy tales.
Envision characters and scenes by drawing on details from the text and from personal experiences of the world.
Predict the development of the narrative/fable based on their understanding of narrative elements and the world.
Make inferences about characters based on their actions, thoughts, and dialogue.
Summarize folktales by recounting main events and major points of plot development.
Determine the main message and key details of a narrative.
Identify the similarities among the antagonist/protagonist/villains. (Good guys: white, shiny, bad guys: dark, red)
Record evidence from text as they read by using a range of techniques e.g. T-chart, post-it notes, story map, timeline
Appreciate diverse cultures and traditions through folklore and folktales
Demonstrate understanding of the genre by responding to questions.
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Task
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate the desired understandings, knowledge, and skills?
Brief Written Description of the Performance Task
1st assessment benchmark F &P independent reading level
Formative assessment: Throughout the unit students will listen to folktales and select a folktales for which they recount the key events including plot in order to determine the central message and explain how it is conveyed. They will also explain how the character’s traits and motivation determine the actions they take which affects the events in the story.
Other Evidence
Through what other evidence – student work samples, observations, quizzes, tests, self-assessment or other means – will students demonstrate achievement of the desired results?
-  Student tracking evidence e.g. post it notes, T-chart, timeline, story map of
-  Completion of story elements chart g/o
-  Student conversations
-  Guided Reading assessment
-  Independent Reading – conferring
-  Tracking & Monitoring
Objective(s)
Related to knowledge, skills or both? / Listed Aim or Learning Intention of Each Lesson. / Assessment / Resources
Week 1 Reading Workshop Routines (9/9-9/13)
Day 1: We are all members of a community of readers. Good readers are able to listen and share.
Day 2: How do readers make good book choices?
Day 3: What do good readers do while reading?
Day 4: Good Readers monitor their thinking as they read.
Day 5: Good readers are able to respond to their reading by writing about it using their own words.
Week 2 Review Fables
(9/16-9/20)
Purpose
Sequence
Character motivation
Moral / Setting classroom routines for reading workshop (Students become familiar with the workshop model)
What do good listeners look like?
*Introduce think/pair/share*
Books can be easy “just right” or challenging for a reader. Readers should choose “just right” books most of the time. Readers choose books in many different ways. Introduce Five Finger Rule
Readers become familiar with appropriate reading behaviors.
Readers have many different thoughts as they read. Readers can talk about their thinking.
Readers can share their thinking about reading by writing a letter in a journal.
-Students will brainstorm their knowledge of fables (Chart their understanding)
Identifying the purpose of fable
Character traits/flaws
Character actions/motivations leading to an outcome
Determining the moral of the fable
-Students will be able to identify fables by their component
*(Story is brief, main characters are usually animals, story has a moral, character flaw/problem, characters learn from other characters)
-Identify structure, beginning, middle, and end
-Identify the behaviors of characters, plot and setting
-Synthesize (Usedetails to determine moral)
--Make personal connections to the moral / Students will be able to model appropriate listening techniques and share their ideas about reading
Readers have criteria to judge whether a book is “just right” for independent reading. Students use several different kind of information to help them choose books. Students think carefully about book choices.
Students will learn several different behaviors which are expected of them as the read independently.
Students will learn that as readers we are capable of thinking in many different ways and sharing our thinking with others. (Stop and ask questions: what is the author trying to tell me.) Readers use post-it’s to mark their thinking spots
Students learn to follow procedures for writing letters in response journals
Student responses, conferencing / Chart: What do good listeners look/sound like?
Read Aloud: First Day Jitters by Julie Dannenberg.
Read Aloud: Goldilocks and the Three Libearians
Handout: Amount of Just Right Books
Chart: Reasons for choosing books
*The Five Finger Rule*
Chart: Independent reading rubric
Students practice reading independently.
Chart: Good Reading Behaviors (reactions to books)
Real Reading vs. Fake Reading
Chart: Reading is Thinking.
Post-it’s
Handout: Examples of reading responses. Students can use list for homework as well.
(Fables) Readers and Writers Reading Workshop
Week 3 Genre Immersion (Folktales)
(9/23-9/27)
Recounting (retelling) key events / **teacher reads folktales aloud prior to this lesson**
Students will recount Folktales by telling the key details / Formative assessment:
-Listen as students recount their stories to a partner or class
-Students write in their readers’ notebook what is important to remember about recounting stories. / Chart: “When you recount (retell) a story you should…”
1)  Tell the title and author
2)  Include the most important events
3)  Tell the events in order (first, next, then, after that, finally)
4)  Use expression
5)  Include main characters
6)  Tell the setting
Reading Resources: Diverse Folktales
Week 4
(9/30-10/4)
Character Analysis (traits & motivations) / Students will learn about characters by:
·  What he/she says & does
·  What other character’s think about him/her
·  How he/she feels or thinks
Character’s words: What a character says through dialogue and how he says it (expression) give a clue to his personality/trait. Example: Is the character saying it in an angry or humorous manner
Character’s actions & motivations: how a character acts or behaves (gives insight beyond their words). What causes a character to take action?
Character’s thoughts: What is the character thinking? Author reveals additional information about the character through what he/she says and / Completed graphic organizers
Conferencing
Class discussion
Charted responses / Graphic organizer;
“What made the character act that way?”
Week 5
(10/7-10/11)
Determining Central message / Using the skills acquired in previous weeks-recounting key details, analyzing characters- in a text students will identify the central message of Folktales / Completed graphic organizers
Conferencing
Class discussion
Charted responses / Graphic organizer:
“Problem, Solution, Message”
Chart:
T- Chart
-What lesson(s) do you think the author hopes the reader will take away from the story? Why?
-How do the character’s actions help the reader to understand the message/lesson in the story?
Week 6
(10/14-10/18)
Reteach / Based on the needs of your students, reteach any of the following:
·  Recounting key details
·  Analyzing characters
·  Determining central message / Completed graphic organizers
Conferencing
Class discussion
Charted responses / Any resources previously used but must be modified to close the remaining gap
Universal Design for Learning
REPRESENTATION
The ‘what’ of teaching & learning.. / ACTION & EXPRESSION
The ‘how’ of teaching & learning… / ENGAGEMENT
The ‘why’ of teaching and learning…
What does it look in our classroom?
Visual Representation
Enlarged text and images
Anchor Charts
Tactile Representation
Digital Literacy
Talking texts – BrainPop (writing a paragraph)
Animated texts
Vocabulary
Explicit teaching-pre-teach in context-connect to students experience and/or prior knowledge
FA Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior [Hardcover] (Chinese)
Robert D. San Souci (Author), Jean & Mou-Sein Tseng (Illustrator)
Johnny Appleseed
Robin Hood
John Henry (American)
King Arthur (English) (http://library.thinkquest.org/6148/)
John Brown
Abiyoyo (African)
Technological links for Folktales
http://www.worldoftales.com/ / What scaffolds am I providing?
Gradual release of responsibility
·  Model (shared/read aloud)
·  active engagement,
·  independent reading
·  Small group instruction (guided reading)
Peer Tutoring
Collaborative learning
Ongoing tracking and monitoring- F&P
Read Alouds/Modeled Writing
Shared Reading/Writing
Guided Writing
Independent Reading/Writing
Small Group Instruction
Supporting charts, Graphic Organizers, picture books, illustrations, sentence starters
Technological Links for Legends
http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/dozier2/fairytales/fairytales.htm
http://www.history-for-kids.com/myths-and-legends.html
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CDEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnvhswaiteessentials.wikispaces.com%2Ffile%2Fview%2FMyths%2C%2BFolktales%2C%2BTall%2BTales%2C%2BLegends.ppt&ei=Zn-bUYO0MaWz0QHXzIEQ&usg=AFQjCNFAq0yvaouLubWtUqOGk9x3J_qgwg&sig2=J4ZVcUjzDy5BH8NVCaIe-g / How do I create an engaging/motiving learning environment to foster independent learners?
Reading groups (Self-directed)
Access to library
Listening center
What opportunities do I provide for students to CHOOSE how they demonstrate their understanding in a range of ways
Graphic Organizers
Student Checklist for monitoring goals
·  Small group instructions
·  Question and questioning techniques
·  Modeling
·  Smart board activities
·  One to One Conferencing
Vocabulary
·  Explicit teaching-pre-teaching through content area texts
·  Content word walls

From: Wiggins, Grant and J. McTighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (pbk)

Independent Reading - Elementary : Reading Fables
Teacher Name: Grade 3 PS 105
Student Name: ______
CATEGORY / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Identifies character trait / Student accurately
identifies the character trait / Student accurately identifies the character trait / Student identifies a secondary character trait / Student does not identify relevant character trait
Provides Evidence from the text / Student uses 3 or more appropriate evidence from the text that describes how the character trait was determined / Student uses 2 appropriate evidence from the text that describes how the character trait was determined / Student uses 1 appropriate evidence from the text that describes how the character trait was determined / Student does not provide appropriate evidence