5th Grade Expeditionary learning units
5th Grade Expeditionary learning units
Stories of human rights
Stories of human rights
What are human rights, and how do real people and fictional characters respond when those rights are threatened? In this module, students develop their ability to read and understand complex text as they consider this question. In Unit 1, students build their close reading skills by reading the novel Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. They read about human rights and apply this learning as one lens through which to interpret the characters and themes in the novel--a complex coming-of-age story set in Mexico and rural California during the early 1930s. In Unit 2, students finish reading Esperanza Rising, focusing on characters' reactions and responses to events when their human rights are threatened. They write a two-voice poem with a partner, as well as a four-paragraph literary essay comparing the response of two characters to a selected event from the novel, describing how each character responds to the event. In Unit 3, students continue to revisit the themes of the UDHR and Esperanza Rising as they plan, write, and ultimately perform monologues based on events from Esperanza Rising where human rights are threatened.
The impact of natural disasters
The impact of natural disasters
In this module, students read literary and informational texts to understand the impact of natural disasters on places and people. In Unit 1, students work in expert groups to research a natural disaster, focusing on answering the question: "How do natural disasters affect the people and places that experience them?" As they research, they think about how authors use reasons and evidence to support particular points. In Unit 2, students read and analyze literary texts about the aftermath of natural disasters, including poems, songs, and Eight Days: A Story of Haiti by Edwidge Danticat, a story about a boy trapped under his house for eight days after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. In Unit 3, students take action to help others prepare for a natural disaster. They research supplies to include in an emergency preparedness kit and write opinion essays on the most important items to include.
Athlete Leaders of Social Change
Athlete Leaders of Social Change
In this module, students consider the factors that contribute to the success of professional athletes as leaders of social change. They read about a number of professional athletes who have been leaders of social change, beginning with Jackie Robinson. In Unit 1, students build background knowledge about Jackie Robinson through reading Promises to Keep, written by Jackie's daughter, Sharon. Students determine the main ideas and identify key details, using these to summarize chapters of the book. They also think about the relationship between people and events in the text as they gather factors that led to Jackie Robinson's success in leading social change. In Unit 2, students continue their study of Jackie Robinson, building on their understanding of factors that led to his success by developing an opinion on which factor(s) were most important in his success. In Unit 3, students read about other athletes who were also leaders of social change, beginning with Jim Abbott. They research and write essays to compare and contrast the factors that contributed to the success of the athletes they study with those of Jackie Robinson. Once students have read about a few athletes, they then consider the common factors that contribute to being an effective leader of social change and work in pairs to create a multimedia presentation highlighting three of those factors.
The American Revolution
The American Revolution
How does one's perspective influence his or her opinion? In this module, students consider the answer to this question through the lens of the American Revolution. In Unit 1, students build background knowledge about the Revolutionary War and the different perspectives of colonists. In the second half of the unit, students read about different groups within the Loyalists and Patriots, reading informational texts to determine the main idea, analyze the overall structure of the text, and summarize the texts. In Unit 2, students read the historical fiction play Divided Loyalties to deepen their understanding of the Patriot and Loyalist perspectives. Drawing on their background knowledge about the Revolutionary War from Unit 1, students read the text closely, focusing on character thoughts, feelings, and actions in response to the different perspectives on the American Revolution. In Unit 3, students synthesize their research on the Revolutionary War from Unit 1 and their analysis of perspectives from Unit 2 to write an opinion piece from the Patriot perspective, outlining reasons colonists should join the Patriot cause, in the form of a broadside. Students write a broadside from the Loyalist perspective for the end of unit assessment.
