Embedded Files
Unit Overview: Each unit overview provides a description of the content knowledge students will gain through learning and applying literacy skills while engaging with texts. Additional information in the Resources section.
Unit 3 in first grade provides students with the opportunity to practice persuasive writing as they work to convince their imagined school principal to allow them to get a class pet. In kindergarten, students were asked to compose opinion pieces about a topic or book. In first grade, students will expand on these skills through supplying reasons for their opinions and providing a sense of closure in their writing. Students’ language development can be supported using discourse and engagement practices that allow for discussion. All Foundational standards and skills are prioritized as students are participating in activities to support phonics such as knowing the spelling-sound correspondence for common consonant digraphs and reading words with inflectional endings. Students will engage in phonics activities in order to decode unknown words and increase sight recognition.
In order to promote learning for all students, strategies have been incorporated into the day to day lesson design. Intentionally incorporating talk moves and opportunities for discourse will help EL students gain spoken language proficiency. For students with IEPs, scaffolded instruction using diagrams, anchor charts, and a variety of reading strategies will support students with accessing grade-level material. As part of the district’s initiative to promote equity, we will cultivate students who are able to develop critical thinking skills through practicing opinion and persuasive writing for a good cause. Through writing and drawing, students will hone their persuasive writing skills to explain their learning and advocate for shelter animals. This unit may contain text from Wit and Wisdom and/or ReadyGen that are aligned with the content and priority standards.
As designed the unit is paced for 40-45 days. Teachers will use additional time in the quarter for reteaching, reviewing or enrichment activities aligned to the unit’s goals. Additional times may be used to develop the performance tasks and allow for district based assessments.
Big Idea:
Our world is filled with different kinds of animals; pets are animals that are taken care of by humans.
Animals live in habitats which provide everything that they need to survive.
Pets have needs just like humans.
Particular environments are sometimes better suited for certain pets and their needs.
It is important to consider where our pets come from and to support places that help animals.
Essential Questions:
What are the basic needs of animals?
What kind of animal would make a good pet?
How can we take care of our pets?
What pet is right for you, based on your environment and their needs?
Why are animal shelters important?
How can we help to support animals in need?
Where can we get pets and how can we support those places?
Culminating Task:
It is National Pet Week and our pets at the local shelter are looking for loving forever homes, but in the meantime, they need a lot of care! Dr. Ostrich was so impressed by your persuasive letter, he has approved your class pet! He wants you to take your expertise on animals, habitats, and pets and use it to help your community. He has asked your class to help persuade the community to support our local animal shelter. With the help of your teacher, Mr. Flamingo, we’ll need to write a wishlist of supplies the animal shelter needs to care for their animals, using everything we’ve learned about pets and their habitats. We will also write a persuasive statement, convincing the community of why they should contribute to our local animal shelter. Finally, if you have time, let’s illustrate a poster advertising our efforts. We can hang those around the community and share our persuasive writings on video or orally to the class.
Unit Overview: This document provides a unit overview that includes Big Ideas, Essential Questions, Historically Responsive framework, alignments to SEL, CEW, and core resources.
If you encounter non-functional links to books on Epic, exercise your discretion in selecting alternative texts that align with the grade-level recommendations provided in the list of texts distributed to schools. As you make these substitutions, keep in mind the lesson objectives and lesson standards, and ensure that the chosen texts are suitable and academically challenging. Books Purchased By Grade
Lesson Guidance Documents: These documents provide guidance for lesson planning.
Lesson Guidance Documents: These documents provide guidance for lesson planning.
Module 1:
Module 2:
Module 3:
Module 4:
Performance Tasks
Performance Tasks
Practices for Differentiation
Practices for Differentiation
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