A. Engage the Learner - L.6.5c (25 minutes)

• Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as previous lessons to distribute and review the Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 1. Students will also need their affix lists and access to a print or online dictionary. Refer to the Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 1 (example for teacher reference) for possible responses.

• Add the words humorless and chuckle to the academic word wall as students add these words to their vocabulary logs.

• Using a total participation technique, ask:

"How can a character chuckle humorlessly? What might this reveal about the way the character is responding to an event?" (The chuckle may be more sarcastic rather than a response to something truly funny. The character may be laughing in an ironic way or a way that shows he is trying to make light of a more serious situation.)

"Reread the context in which the phrase 'humorless chuckle' is used. What is Possum explaining when he emits a humorless chuckle?" (Possum is talking about the hard labor expected of Challagi students when he gives the humorless chuckle. He is describing how neat and tidy the vast grounds of the school are as a result of the students' work. He is explaining the harsh punishment that will result if students do not complete the difficult chores.)

"Considering the context, how does Possum's reaction with a humorless chuckle reveal something about his character?" (Possum seems to be light-hearted and optimistic. Even when talking about something serious, he has a somewhat positive or playful reaction.)

• Invite students to demonstrate or act out a humorless chuckle.

• Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as the previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students of any learning targets that are similar to or the same as previous lessons. Invite students to choose a habit of character focus for themselves for this lesson.

A. Read Two Roads, Chapters 18 and 20 – RL.6.3 (25 minutes)

• Repeated routine: Read Two Roads through the end of chapter 18 starting on page 194 (“‘You know what that was?’”). Read chapter 20 of the text in its entirety. Use Text Guide: Two Roads (for teacher reference) for comprehension and vocabulary questions as needed. Students who are ready to read independently or in small groups should be released to this independence. Students continue to record the gist on sticky notes, unpack and record unfamiliar vocabulary, and reflect on their reading as they choose. Students continue to identify how characters in the text demonstrate habits of character. Refer to the Gist anchor chart: Two Roads (example for teacher reference) and chapter synopsis as needed, as well as any other appropriate resources.

• Gist of chapter 18: Cal meets Skinny who gives him his school uniforms. Cal is approached by a gang of boys who pick a fight with him. The fight is broken up but they don’t tattle on each other; Cal is accepted into the group.

• Gist of chapter 20: Cal is starting to learn the ways of the school—getting up early, cleaning the latrines, and obeying orders. Cal is invited to join the track team.

• Return to the conclusion of chapter 18, and ask students to retrieve their Analyze Character: Two Roads note-catcher. Focus students on the final scene of the chapter in which Bear Meat and Cal stand off and then are confronted by the disciplinarian. Direct students to complete the row for chapter 18 on their note-catcher using evidence from this scene.

• Using a total participation technique, invite students to share their responses. Refer to the Analyze Character: Two Roads (example for teacher reference) as needed.

• Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.

B. Determine Themes - RL.6.2 (10 minutes)

• Explain that now that we have read a large portion of the text, Two Roads, and have become more familiar with the setting and characters, themes are starting to emerge. Remind students that they were first introduced to the concept of theme in Module 1 when they identified themes present in The Lightning Thief. Refer to the Determine Themes: The Lightning Thief anchor chart, as needed.

• Remind students that, in narrative texts, a theme is different than a topic. A topic is a subject or issue that may come up in the text. The theme is the observation or statement the author is making about that topic.

• Display the Determine Themes: Two Roads anchor chart. Add this distinction between topic and theme to the anchor chart, as well as a brief definition of theme. Refer to the Determine Themes: Two Roads anchor chart (example for teacher reference) as needed.

• Think-Pair-Share:

"What topics, or issues, have come up repeatedly in Two Roads so far?" (Answers will vary, but may include: race, identity, the Great Depression, American Indian boarding schools, friendship, family, the Hobo Code)

• Record significant topics on the Determine Themes: Two Roads anchor chart.

• Direct students to retrieve their Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 14. Think-Pair-Share:

"What messages or lessons about these topics does the author offer the reader through the text?" Refer to the Determine Themes: Two Roads anchor chart (example for teacher reference) for possible responses.

• Point out that topics differ from themes because a topic is a single concept; a theme is a full statement that contains an opinion or insight. Remind students that to test whether the themes they have generated so far are present in Two Roads, they would have to be supported by text evidence.

• Explain that, usually, a theme is not stated outright in a text; most often, the reader has to infer the theme from text details. Create a table on the anchor chart with three sections: topic, emerging theme, and text evidence.

• Remind students that in the early chapters of the text, the author establishes Cal often demonstrates respectful behavior. Point out that respect is a topic, and add this to the table in the topic section on the anchor chart.

• Ask:

"How do we know this is a topic and not a theme?" (It is not a complete statement containing an opinion, only a single word.)

• Instruct students to open Two Roads to page 14. Read aloud as students read silently.

• Read from page 14, "He gestures down the road. . ." to page 16, "I do my best to live by it."

• Think-Pair-Share:

"A theme is revealed through text details. What text-based evidence can we find that addresses the topic respect?" (Answers will vary, but may include: Pop and Cal follow the Hobo's Code, a standard of ethical behavior followed by true knights of the road. Pop and Cal always work for their meals or lodging; they never steal. Cal cleans up before eating; he washes up at the pump and combs his hair. Pop and Cal speak politely, saying "Thank you kindly, ma'am.")

• Add these responses to the text evidence section of the anchor chart.

• Think-Pair-Share:

"What message or lesson about respect does the author convey through these text details?" (Answers will vary, but may include: Respect and good manners will get you farther in life than selfishness.)

• Add these responses to the emerging theme section of the anchor chart.

A. Exit Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 1 – RL.6.2 (5 minutes)

• Distribute Exit Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 1 or Exit Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 1 ▲. Read the directions aloud and clarify any questions.

• Direct students to begin.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS

For an added challenge during Closing and Assessment A, invite students who need lighter support to select a second theme recorded on the Determine Theme: Two Roads anchor chart and locate additional text-based evidence to support that theme on their Exit Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 1.

In the next lesson, students will participate in a Language Dive using a sentence from chapter 21 of Two Roads. Consider providing ELLs with the Language Dive sentence ahead of time. Invite students who need lighter support to choose one of the following tasks to complete in preparation for the Language Dive. Students can then be invited to share their work before the Language Dive.

Paraphrase the sentence using your own words.

Generate three questions that could be asked about the sentence during a Language Dive.

Underline all pronouns, check all nouns, circle all verbs, and star all adjectives. What words do you have left? What are the functions of these words?

• With one minute remaining, refocus students and collect the exit tickets to review later for misconceptions. Refer to Exit Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 1 (example for teacher reference) as needed.

• Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their habit of character focus for this lesson.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS

During Closing and Assessment A, invite students who need heavier support to use the Exit Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 1 ▲. This resource features sentence frames that guide students toward the actions of particular characters in the text, reducing the cognitive demands of the task.

In the next lesson, students will participate in a Language Dive using a sentence from chapter 21 of Two Roads. Consider providing ELLs with the Language Dive sentence ahead of time. Invite students who need heavier support to choose one of the following tasks to complete in preparation for the Language Dive.

Make a guess about what the “chunks” of the sentence might be.

Use a dictionary to look up the word treated and select the best definition for the word as it is used in this sentence.

Write a question to ask Cal about his thoughts in this sentence.