James Forten

Biography

Big Idea

Essential Question

Target Vocabulary

persuade - to convince someone to do something
apprentice - someone who works with a master craftsman to learn a trade
contributions - improvements or aids toward bringing something about
influential - having the power to make other people do things
aspects - different views that show the parts of a whole
authorities - people, such as government officials, who have the power to enforce laws or command obedience
bondage - bound to work against your will; in slavery
provisions - food and supplies that help you survive
dexterity - flexibility and skillful movement
tentative - uncertain

Comprehension

Target Skill

Sequence of Events - the order in which events take place. Using the sequence of events to summarize will help understand informational text. Authors may organize their information and ideas in chronological order, or time sequence. When signal words such as first, then and finally are not used, it is up to readers to infer sequence. A Flow Chart will help organize events in order.

Target Strategy

Summarize - to briefly restate important parts of a text in your own words. You can summarize paragraphs as you write events into a Flow Chart.

Fluency

Expressions - Reading with expression makes what you read more understandable and enjoyable for your listeners. This includes changing the pitch and volume of your voice, depending on what you are reading, and stressing certain words. Change expression based on what's happening in the text. Words, phrases and punctuation help to read with expression. With practice, you can improve your expression.

Decoding

VV Syllable Pattern - Vowel digraphs are two vowels that together stand for a single sound. Vowel digraphs are never separated into two syllables. Sometimes two vowels together stand for two separate sounds. When that is the case, the vowels are divided into different syllables.

Vocabulary Strategies

Greek and Latin Roots- a word root is part of a word that has meaning but cannot always stand alone. Greek and Latin word roots form the bases of many words in the English language. Word roots can be combined with affixes or other word roots to form words: graphmeans "write," and an autograph is a written signature; meter means "measure," and a thermometer measures temperature; portmeans "carry," and transport means to carry across a distance; ject means "throw," and eject means to throw out. Reading a word in its context is necessary when a word has more than one meaning. Words and sentences around a word that give readers clues to its meaning is context.

Grammar

Active Voice and Passive Voice - tells what the subject does and tells what was done to the subject. Passive verbs usually include a form of be as a helping verb. Writing in the active voice is more direct and often move lively. Writers often revise sentences to change the passive voice to active voice. Not all passive voice sentences can, or should, be changed.

Writing

Write to Persuade

Focus
Trait: Organization - the main points and supporting ideas in a persuasive essay should be presented in a clear, logical order or a way of arranging ideas so that they make sense. The author of "James Forten" organizes ideas in a clear, strong way that is logical and easy to understand.