Investigating Cause and Effect Through the Lens of the Alamo
This lesson is structured as a gradual release model of cause and effect. Students start by identifying cause and effect within a sentence, then progress to paragraphs, and finally finding cause and effect relationships on a given page in the book. This lesson integrates fourth-grade social studies standards with a text about the Alamo.
Teaming up with Transitions
Students participate in an activity where they must link cause and effect statements using transition words. The lesson is designed with English learners in mind, and it includes instructional strategies designed to provide comprehensible input, such as visuals and collaborative learning.
Increasing Student Agency with Nonfiction Text
Students compare deep reading with an iceberg. Instruction focuses on teaching students’ close reading and annotation skills and increasing agency as students dive into informational text. Students are empowered through conversations, tech tools, and co-creation of criteria to read deeply.
Combining Sentences
Students will manipulate word and punctuation cards from mentor sentences to compose and decompose compound sentences.
Tackling Transitions
In this lesson, students will learn how to effectively use transition words. These will be used to connect ideas and organize the flow of their writing so it is coherent.
The Characteristics of the Mystery Letter "H"
Students will identify and apply characteristics of an alphabetical letter (mystery letter Hh) through various hands-on activities and cooperative group work.
Character Traits
Students will be able to identify characters, their traits, and the reason for their actions.
Reading and Writing to a Prompt (English III Reading and Writing)
You will learn skills necessary for reading and writing to a prompt.
Imagery (English III Reading)
In this lesson, you will be able to identify the imagery in a text and evaluate its effectiveness.
How to Read and Analyze a Poem (English III Reading)
You will be able to read and analyze a poem using your knowledge of literary and poetic devices.
Writing a Topic Proposal (English III Writing)
You will learn how to write a topic proposal that addresses your topic, purpose, and audience.
Gaining Understanding and Information from Introductory Material, Headings, and Other Division Markers in Texts (English III Reading)
You will learn how to look at introductory material, headings, and other subdivisions to gain an understanding and an overview of the text’s organization.
Developing a Thesis and Introduction (English III Writing)
You will learn how to write a thesis statement that explains your position about a topic.
Organizing the Structure of a Paper (English III Writing)
You will learn how to organize your essay with relevant evidence that supports your thesis.
Editing for Proper Voice, Tense, and Syntax (English III Writing and Research)
You will practice checking for proper voice, tense, and syntax.
Annotating to Deepen Understanding (English III Reading)
You will learn how to annotate or mark a text as you read and re-read to gain deeper understanding of the text.
Documenting Sources and Writing a Bibliography/Works Cited (English III Research )
You will learn how to cite your sources in the body of your research paper and write a works cited page according to the Modern Language Association (MLA) style manual.
Fun with First Drafts
The lesson will support students’ writing a first draft of a personal narrative story by providing opportunities to listen to their previously recorded story, review their (graphic organizer) draft web, and add sticky notes with further details to their webs.
Revising Sentences
Students will revise a simple sentence by copying it on a series of sticky notes and adding new words using glitter pens and star-shaped sticky notes.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Vertical Alignment
Click below to learn about the TEKS related to the unit and Research Lesson.
Rhyming with Visuals
The teacher will model how to recognize rhyming words by hearing them, seeing them, reading them, and writing them. Then the students will practice hearing, seeing, reading, and writing “at” word family words.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Related to the Unit
This unit connects to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) by fostering a continuance in the area of phonological awareness as begun in previous lessons and introducing the exploration of nursery rhymes, poetry, and lullabies through literature and language play.
Click below to learn about the TEKS related to this unit.