Standard 1: Communicating Through Writing

This is lesson #3 in the text unit series for George Washington by Philip Abraham, focusing on pages 6, and 12-18. In this lesson, students will identify common inflections on targeted words that relate to why George Washington is recognized as an individual that represents the United States. Building upon previous lessons, students will use words that contain inflections that change a word from present tense to past tense to further understand why George Washington is a historical figure that represents the United States.

During this unit, students will use the text, George Washington, to explain how George Washington is an individual that represents our country, how he demonstrated patriotism, and a responsible citizenship. Students will engage in a read aloud spread out over several lessons emphasizing vocabulary, text features, and identifying relevant details the central idea of the text, George Washington. In addition, students will write expository texts that explain why George Washington is recognized as a national symbol/individual and opinion texts identifying characteristics of a responsible citizen.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson #4 in the text unit series for George Washington by Philip Abraham. Students will write an expository text identifying the topic of George Washington as an individual that represents the United States. They will use the text as a source to provide relevant details to support the topic.

During this unit, students will use the text, George Washington, to explain how George Washington is an individual that represents our country, how he demonstrated patriotism, and a responsible citizenship. Students will engage in a read aloud spread out over several lessons emphasizing vocabulary, text features, and identifying relevant details the central idea of the text, George Washington. In addition, students will write expository texts that explain why George Washington is recognized as a national symbol/individual and opinion texts identifying characteristics of a responsible citizen.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson #7 in the text unit series for George Washington by Philip Abraham. After reading, students will use the information from the text about George Washington to recognize him as an individual that represents the United States as a responsible citizen and recognize that as the reason he is on the US dollar bill. They will design a dollar bill of their own and develop an opinion writing piece that argues why George Washington was chosen to be on the US Dollar Bill. Students will then orally present their opinion writing and dollar bill design.

During this unit, students will use the text, George Washington, to explain how George Washington is an individual that represents our country, how he demonstrated patriotism, and a responsible citizenship. Students will engage in a read aloud spread out over several lessons emphasizing vocabulary, text features, and identifying relevant details the central idea of the text, George Washington. In addition, students will write expository texts that explain why George Washington is recognized as a national symbol/individual and opinion texts identifying characteristics of a responsible citizen.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will identify the topic of a text and a relevant detail using a civic-focused text. Students will understand the responsibilities of citizens in the community and be able to identify their responsibilities as a student in the school community.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson #4 in the unit, I Pledge Allegiance by Bill Martin, Jr. In this lesson students will learn to identify the topic of a text and recall relevant details using the text, I Pledge Allegiance. Students then use the information gained to write an expository piece about how to show respect for the flag and our country during the Pledge of Allegiance.

In this unit students will identify or explain rights and responsibilities in their school community, ways to show respect during the Pledge of Allegiance, symbols of the United States, symbols that represent Florida and demonstrate characteristics of responsible decision-making. Students will engage in a read aloud over several days with lessons that emphasize text features, vocabulary, central idea, and similarities and differences between information provided visually and within text. In addition, the teacher will facilitate research, students' presentations, and artwork as activities to help students demonstrate their knowledge of respect for the Pledge of Allegiance.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will explore why Benjamin Franklin is considered an individual who represents the United States, create symbols to represent him, then write to explain how the chosen symbols represent him, in this lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

In lesson 5 of the text unit using A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin students will apply newly learned relevant details about Benjamin Franklin’s life, which includes his contributions to society such as his innovations through science and his printing press, to write facts in the form of a newspaper article.

This unit is focused on identifying Benjamin Franklin as the topic of the text. Civics is integrated through understanding that Benjamin Franklin represents the United States. Students will explore life in the 1700’s to gain background knowledge. Teacher will create an ongoing timeline to document the major events in Ben’s life as key details. Students will solve a real world problem through invention, create a newspaper article to spread news, write both an expository and opinion piece. The assessment for the unit will be a kite that is a graphic organizer for students to identify the topic and relevant details in a text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

In lesson 6 of this unit, the teacher will continue reading A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin. Civics will be integrated throughout as students learn about the purpose of rules and laws in school, home, and community. Students will identify relevant details in order to make a connection with Benjamin Franklin, who stood up against a law that he felt was unfair, by writing their own opinion pieces about a fictitious rule.

This unit is focused on identifying Benjamin Franklin as the topic of the text. Civics is integrated through understanding that Benjamin Franklin represents the United States. Students will explore life in the 1700’s to gain background knowledge. Teacher will create an ongoing timeline to document the major events in Ben’s life as key details. Students will solve a real world problem through invention, create a newspaper article to spread news, write both an expository and opinion piece. The assessment for the unit will be a kite that is a graphic organizer for students to identify the topic and relevant details in a text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson will define patriotism and explain how citizens can demonstrate patriotic behaviors during patriotic holidays, such as Memorial Day. The students will learn that people who display courage and bravery, like soldiers, deserve patriotic appreciation from their country.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will explore why Daniel Webster is considered an individual who represents the United States, create symbols to represent him, then write to explain how the chosen symbols represent him, in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will explore why Martin Luther King Jr. is considered an individual who represents the United States, create symbols to represent him, then write to explain how the chosen symbols represent him, in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will collect, record, and compare data about their favorite way to demonstrate patriotism during a patriotic holiday or observance.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will write about one of their responsibilities as a citizen at their school. In this lesson, students will discuss their role in contributing to a positive school community and create a class list of ways they can actively demonstrate their responsibilities. Students will then write a short explanation of one way that they can be a responsible member of their school community.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will explore why George Washington is considered a symbol of the United States, create symbols to represent George Washington, then write to explain why the chosen symbols represent him, in this lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will read an informational article about the destruction of the Amazon Rainforest. Students will identify and describe the cause/effect structure used throughout the article. Students will write an expository paragraph about events occurring in the Amazon Rainforest.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this reading lesson, students will fall in love with the engaging book Koala Lou by Mem Fox. Through several readings, the students will increase their comprehension of the text by identifying and describing story elements, learning new vocabulary, and thinking about the moral of the story. Students will use their imagination to rewrite the ending of the story wondering what would have happened if Koala Lou she did win the race.

Type: Lesson Plan

Did you know that chickens are amazing animals? You will after reading the book, From Egg to Chicken by Gerald Legg. Students will identify nonfiction text features, answer text-dependent questions, and sequence the life cycle of a chicken. They will then compose an expository piece of writing about what they've learned in during these reading lessons.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will explore different types of habitats and what animals need to live. This lesson begins with a read aloud of the text The Magic School Bus Hops Home: A Book about Animal Habitats and the class will collaboratively make an anchor chart about the diverse habitats we have on earth. Students will choose an animal to research and write an expository writing piece to share their learning. This research project will conclude with students showing their creativity by making a diorama of their habitat out of a shoebox.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this reading lesson, the students will analyze the poem "It Fell in the City" by Eve Merriam. They will read the poem, identify words or phrases that show feelings or appeal to the senses, describe the place in the poem and add drawings to express their feelings. They will also write an opinion paragraph about how the poem made them feel after reading it.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will listen to the poem The Quarrel by Maxine Kumin. They will analyze the story it tells, comparing and contrasting the characters' opinions and recording their findings on graphic organizers. They will write a paragraph retelling the story and explaining the moral or lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

During this reading lesson, students will analyze the text Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. The students will determine the moral or lesson of the story, be exposed to new vocabulary, and demonstrate knowledge about the character, Chrysanthemum. The students will choose one character trait of Chrysanthemum to write about using textual evidence. This writing can be attached to an art project celebrating this wonderful story about friendship and believing in yourself.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this reading lesson, students will work with the teacher and in cooperative groups to read and comprehend Faithful Elephants. Through multiple readings, the students will determine the meaning of words using context clues, discuss questions from the text, and explain the theme of the story by writing an expository paragraph.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will listen to readings of Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns to Listen by Howard Binkow. They will complete a story map, a character analysis, and answer discussion questions. Students will be led to understand the change that the character makes and the lessons learned. Students will write an expository text to respond to a prompt while demonstrating grade-appropriate grammar, conventions, and spelling.

Type: Lesson Plan

Your class will enjoy reading The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant. Through several readings, the students will increase their comprehension of the text by focusing on the story elements, discussion questions, and by composing a personal narrative after making connections to their own lives.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, the teacher will guide the students through two readings of Little Bear's Friend. Students will identify new vocabulary words, practice identifying story elements, and analyze characters in the story. For independent practice, students will write a letter responding to the letter written to Emily in the story.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will enjoy listening to Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino and think deeply about the moral of this story. In addition to participating in a story mapping activity, students will answer discussion questions about the story to gauge their comprehension and expand their vocabulary. This set of lessons will be concluded with students writing an opinion piece about Unlovable’s biggest lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson students will use details from the story It's Mine! by Leo Lionni to describe story elements, determine unknown words, and understand the moral or lesson of the text. This will be done with teacher support, in pairs, and by working independently. The lessons will conclude with a piece of opinion writing to show students’ perspective on the text.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this reading lesson, students will identify and describe story elements and retell the major events in the story Sheila Rae, the Brave by Kevin Henkes. Students will also identify the moral or the lesson learned in the story and write an opinion paragraph about the main characters as they explore the concept of bravery.

Type: Lesson Plan

During these lessons, students will read two stories: The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka. Students will complete a variety of activities to help them identify the story elements and compare and contrast the two main characters of the story. Students will write an opinion piece explaining which version they think is the real version.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will use What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page to identify the main topic and relavant details. Students will complete a 3-2-1 card, a group poster and presentation, and an independent expository writing piece to demonstrate their new learning about some amazing animals.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, the teacher will read the book Katy No-Pocket by Emmy Payne. Through separate readings of the book, students will identify new vocabulary and practice identifying story elements. For independent practice, students will retell the story by writing a narrative that offers a new and different solution to the main character's problem.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will be amazed by the book What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. This book will encourage students to ask questions about interesting animals and learn many new facts. For the summative assessment, students will gather additional information about their selected animal and write an expository paper.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this reading lesson, students will analyze two characters from the same book, Toot and Puddle by Holly Hobbie, and identify their similarities and differences. Students will compare themselves to one of the characters and write a paragraph describing their chosen character and how they are similar.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will be engaged with the adorably illustrated and written children's book, Mr. Duck Means Business. They will discuss the story elements, practice retelling it, and create an expository writing piece about how the main character changed from the beginning to the end of the book.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, the students will listen to the teacher read aloud the fable The Tortoise and the Hare. The students will play a story cube game to record the story elements of the beloved fable, study the main characters, and write an opinion piece on which character they would be friends with and what they would do.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will work with the text Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina. They will identify and describe the characters, settings, and major events using a graphic organizer. The students will then have an opportunity to retell the story by recalling the sequence of events. Finally, the students will write a narrative of the text using their own words to explain what happened first, next, then, and finally to the peddler.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will learn about story elements as they describe the characters, settings, and events from Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin. Students will be dectectives as they use the text to help them learn new vocabulary words and have a chance to get creative as they write a new ending to the original story.

Type: Lesson Plan

After students read the delightful book Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox, they will discuss the story elements and retell this tale. As the teacher guides the class through activities and discussion, students will learn about the significance of memories and the importance of friendship. The students will write an opinion piece about their definition of a memory.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this reading lesson, students will complete activities centered around the text, What Plants Need. Students will identify the topic and multiple details, answer discussion questions, and write an expository paragraph about what they have learned.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, the teacher and students will read the engaging book First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg. They will identify and describe the story elements in the illustrations and text and analyze the author's use of specific words to suggest the main character's feelings. Students will write an opinion paragraph in response to a prompt about the book using text to support their opinion.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will practice identifying and using descriptive words in their writing. Students will use photographs and text to study the concept of using descriptive words in writing.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will participate in multiple readings of the text A Tree Is a Plant by Clyde Robert Bulla, They will complete a K-W-L chart about trees, answer text dependent questions in pairs, and learn about the parts of a paragraph when writing their own expository text. This paragraph will include a topic sentence, supporting details, and a conclusion. This lesson provides great background information and extension activities to support learning in science as well as reading!

Type: Lesson Plan

The teacher will read the stories The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle and Chameleons, Chameleons by Joy Crowley. Students will use the texts as research to answer and discuss the question, “What kind of habitat is good for chameleons?” Students will be assigned to write an expository response about a chameleon’s habitat and draw a habitat for a chameleon.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will be able to identify and use descriptive words and phrases to write about various types of balls and marbles. Students will be able to work independently as well as in cooperative learning groups to transform "good" sentences into "great" descriptive sentences.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will complete a KWL chart about bears with a few bear hunts in between. After they learn about topics and details, they will read a book about bears. Using their knew knowledge they will write a five-sentence paragraph. This paragraph will contain a topic sentence, three facts, and a closing sentence. Students will be given a checklist to assess their work.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will read the story Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes. Students will identify and discuss some of Wemberly's worries and share their opinion about them. The lesson will conclude with the students writing an opinion piece about Wemberly's school experience.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson focuses on using text features to understand nonfiction text, specifically the Scholastic News Nonfiction Reader: Helping Out by Peggy Hock. The students will examine the particular text features found within the text and will organize the information read in a concept map. They will then use the concept map to write an expository paragraph about ways we can protect Earth.

Type: Lesson Plan

This series includes two lessons focused on descriptive writing. Students will recognize the importance of descriptive words in writing by adding their own descriptive words and phrases to a basic sentence in order to enhance meaning and by engaging in a sorting activity containing descriptive and simple sentences. Then students will improve their writing by revising their previously written narrative pieces to include adjectives to add meaning and detail to their writing.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will learn about the important jobs of the community helpers in their city or neighborhood. After reading Whose Tools Are These? and Helpers in Your Neighborhood, they will write an expository paragraph about a helper of their choice.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will engage in questioning activities as they make predictions throughout the story Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel, using text evidence to support their predictions. Students will write an opinion response stating their prediction of what will happen at the end of another teacher-chosen story.

Type: Lesson Plan

This unit focuses on using text features to understand non-fiction text, specifically National Geographic Reader: Frogs! by Elizabeth Carney. The students will participate in a whole group activity where a portion of text will be analyzed for its topic and details and the teacher will write a paragraph about it using shared writing. The students will then apply the skills they learned as they create a topic and detail table and write an expository paragraph.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will identify story elements. The students will also create a story map within a group and then work independently to write their own narrative using the story elements. They will edit and revise their narratives with a partner and after teacher conferencing.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson is designed to teach students about adding description to their writing. They will be exposed to the word adjective as they practice adding descriptive words to enhance nouns in their writing to make it more exciting! Students will play a noun/adjective matching game and also complete descriptive paragraph with partner.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will participate in various sequencing activities using a teacher selected text. With a partner, students will recall events from the text to complete a graphic organizer that outlines the beginning, middle, and end of the story being read. Students will independently sequence pre-selected pictures from the text and write sentences that describe the pictures.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson students will participate in reading the books,  A Mink, a Fink, A Skating Rink, To Root, to Toot, to Parachute, and Hairy, Scary, Ordinary and complete a variety of related activities that allow them to learn about and practice their knowledge of nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Students will contribute to a class generated grammar chart and complete a grammar sort. Students will also publish their own sentence which will include a noun, verb, and adjective, as well as an illustration to provide detail.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will present their opinion through drawing, writing and speaking. Students will enjoy discussing their favorite animals, pizza and cake. Students will learn about self-expression and the different ways to present their opinion.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson students will learn how to make their sentences descriptive and more engaging. They will transform generic sentences into detailed and distinctive statements that allow the reader to visualize what the author wants us to "see." After writing descriptive sentences about an animal, the students will fill out a peer editing form, revise their writing, and play a guessing game.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this resource, students will form an opinion based on facts in a text. The text used is A Picture Book of Helen Keller by David A. Adler. Students will identify facts from the text and form and share opinions about each fact.

Type: Lesson Plan

For this lesson, students will compare and contrast two different animals presented in two separate informational texts on the topic of Grassland Animals. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the similarities and differences in Venn diagram and through a written response.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson students will “read” the wordless book Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie DePaola and complete several activities. Students will create a graph of their favorite breakfast items, discuss the story elements of the text, and help Tomie DePaola out by adding their own words to his story by creating a new class book.

Type: Lesson Plan

Through the use of nonfiction text, students will gather information from the text, create a KEL (Know/Expect to Know/Learned) chart, and participate in small group discussions. Students will use the information learned to create an expository writing piece about shell animals.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will work with two texts, Starfish by Edith Thacher Hurd and Discovering Starfish by Lorijo Metz. As they learn facts about starfish, they will also discuss an important text feature that readers use. Students will write an expository paragraph about starfish to culminate their learning.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will be engaged with the story The City Mouse and the Country Mouse and see what happens when the mice visit each other’s homes. Students will take part in a discussion about the characters, setting, and the major events of the story. They will be asked to take the perspective of the City Mouse and write a letter of complaint about how visiting the countryside was just not a good thing to do. There are also several opportunities in these lessons for students to practice grade appropriate conventions of writing including ending punctuation and capitalization.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson focuses on using text features to understand nonfiction text, specifically the National Geographic Reader: Polar Bears, by Laura Marsh. The students will use a text features anchor chart to support student understanding of how these features contribute to the meaning of a text. Students will read and take notes to answer specific questions about the text and use those notes to write a paragraph about polar bears.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will read two versions of the classic fairy tale, the Three Little Pigs, as they identify and describe the characteristics of the wolf character. They will then complete a Venn Diagram to determine the similarities and differences in the characteristics of the two wolf characters. Students will complete a writing response that describes the wolf characters evidence from the text and providing a sense of closure.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will be introduced to several fables. They will learn the characteristics of a fable and learn that the lesson of a story is called the moral. Students will have the opportunity to idenify the moral of a fable and write an opinion piece about it.

Type: Lesson Plan