Title of Unit

Curriculum Area
Developed By

Animals

Grade Level

Grade 4 & 5

ESL

Time Frame

1 Week / 8 classes / 400 mins

Zachery Kiss-Rusk

Identify Desired Results (Stage 1) Starting at the end

Competencies (From the QEP)
-To Read and Listen to Literary, Popular, and Information Based Texts
-To Write Self-Expressive, Narrative, and Information Based Texts
-To Represent his/her Literacy in Different Media
- To use Language to Communicate Effectively

Understandings

Essential Questions

Overarching Understanding
Students will understand that. (3-5 understandings).
These are core, enduring concepts. They answer the
question students often have Why are we learning this?

Overarching
Understandings turned into key questions. These are
questions that professionals dealing with this area ponder.
These questions do not have one correct answer. They are
meant to engage students in deep thought and are used to
guide the students throughout the unit.

Paragraphs are constructed with a Topic Sentence,

Supporting Sentences, and a Closing Sentence
Verbs have different Future, Present, and Past Tense when
How does my message change depending on my topic
writing and speaking
sentence?
That texts have different meanings depending on the type How does my message change when I speak in a
of information provided

different tense?
Why does the meaning of text change when different
types of information is provided?

Related Misconceptions
What do students typically misunderstand about this
content? It is not what they dont know it is what they
think they know but is incorrect.
Tenses stay the same all the time.
Meaning do not change that much from narrative to
literacy to information based text.

Knowledge

Skills

Students will know

Students will be able to

Factual information with a correct/incorrect answer eg.

Make sure to include transferable skills eg reading with

Dates, terms, vocabulary words. Please be specific (if

listing vocabulary words or dates, provide a few as an
example)
What a Topic Sentence,support sentences, and conclusion
sentence are.
Vocabulary Words in the text that they do not understand
When to use different tenses.
What Information texts are.
How to use Wh-questions.

comprehension and not activities eg. Build a model of the

planets. Each one must be accompanied by an action verb.
Write an informative description of something based on
some information
Use proper Present, Past, Future tense when speaking.
Answer questions when listening to a description of
something.

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2) How will you assess mastery

Performance Task Description (separate sheets)
Role Zoologist studying an animal

Audience

A Conference of Journalists and Academics

Format Informative Paragraph that describes an animal, its habits and its habitat.
1 sentence- Topic sentence
3 sentences - What does it look like?
3 sentences- What does it eat when?
3 sentences- Where does it live
1 sentence- Concluding Sentence
Paragraph will include 3 different tenses.
Topic

The revealing of the study of an animal (real or fake)

Rubric

Paragraph
Structure

Students have
all three
components
(Topic
sentence,
supporting

Students have
2 of the 3
components
and they are
mostly clear.

Students have
1 of the three
components
and they are
somewhat
clear

Students do
not use any
components
and they are
unclear

sentences, and
concluding
sentences)
and their all
clear
Tenses

Students
correctly use
all three
tenses in their
description

Students
correctly use 2
tenses in their
description

Students use 1
tense correctly
in their
description

Students do
not use the
any tenses
correctly in
their
description

Vocabulary

Students
make a 5 or
fewer spelling
mistakes

Students
make between
6 and 10
spelling
mistakes

Students
make between
11 and 15
spelling
mistakes

Students
make more
the 16 spelling
mistakes.

Students struggling with vocab can have the vocabulary part of the rubric removed.

Other Evidence (general ideas for ongoing assessment, selfassessment)

Just provide names of assessments eg 3-2-1
3-2-1
Exit Cards
Bookmarks

Learning Plan (Stage 3) include ongoing assessment ideas (*separate

sheets)
Pre-assessment assess prerequisite
skills as well as the KUD for the
upcoming unit. Should be done a few
weeks before the start of the unit so you
have time to clear up misconceptions or
teach prerequisite skills.
How will you hook students at the
beginning of the unit?
Entry Point To ensure engagement

Class #1
Placement Exam
Correct order of words in a sentence,
WH-questions
Sentence with simple clauses in context
General ideas from reading and speaking
Proper use of Grammar
Class #2
Using Pictures/Videos of Animals to capture their attention
Explain how people study animals to describe how they live to
others and that tenses are important in doing so

from all students, tackle the essential

concept without introducing new terms.
Explain before you name.

Introduce Introduction based texts and Present, Future, Past

Tenses

Recoding all new information

What will you do to ensure recoding
throughout the unit?
In the space provided, add 2-3 ideas.

Re-coding through
Self-Summarization
Graphic Representation
Explaining to someone else

Tiered Activity
Make sure to include the student material for each tier ready to be given to students.

Class # 3 in the unit plan

Students have already mastered the following skills and concepts.
What Information Texts are.
What Present Tenses are and how to write them.
By the end of the lesson students will:
Know:
What a Topic Sentence is.
What the Past Tense looks like
Understanding:
Topic Sentences are the big idea of the paragraph that they are going to write/read/listen to.
The past tense is used to explain something in the past.
Be able to do:
Find a Topic Sentence after reading a Paragraph
Write a paragraph using a Topic Sentence.
Identify a Text as past or present

Competency:
-To Read and Listen to Literary, Popular, and Information Based Texts
-To Write Self-Expressive, Narrative, and Information Based Texts
X (most students)
By the end of the lesson students will be able to do the following: (same as above)
Documents to be used: Building Paragraphs Worksheet
Students will read a short descriptive paragraphs from the Building Paragraphs worksheet.
They will write short topic sentences for groups of supporting sentences. Develop a topic sentence for each of the
topics they will be asked to write about

X- (some students who are not ready for the X) - list the number based on the level of modification
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to do the following: Identify the Big Idea after reading a Short Text.
Summarize WH-questions
Documents used: The Big Idea Worksheet and Adding ed to Makes Verbs Past Tense worksheet
Students will read short easy texts and they will have to write down what the big idea of that text is. as the texts get
longer, students will have to begin responding WH-questions with the answers in the text.
Students will also work on adding -ed to the end of verbs to make them past tense.

X+ (some students) list the number based on the level of modification

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to do the following: Create 2 paragraphs with the same topic sentence,
one in the past and one in the present.
Documents to be used: Building Paragraphs Worksheet
Students will create two paragraphs using one of the topic sentences used in the Worksheet. one will be in the present
tense and one will be the past tense

Adapted from Toni Theisen, Loveland High School, Loveland, Colorado

Self-Evaluation Include a self-evaluation form for students to complete.

Class 4 in Unit Plan
Students will complete a Worksheet that includes a self evaluation from where students will rank their understanding,
any difficulties they are having, and I will be able to assess for understanding determine any misconceptions about the
material.
Differentiate by Learning Profile
Write in the space provided a summary of a lesson plan to address diverse learning profile. Include
any documentation that will be given to students.

Classes 5 & 6 in the Unit Plan

TIC TAC TOE: Students have to make a Tic-Tac-Toe by choosing and completing the activities of their choice.
Visual

Create a Mind Map

Create a Topic Sentence, from their
list 5 supportive sentences you
would use to explain you topic.
Draw an Animal
Draw a Animal of your choosing
where is lives. write 3 short
sentences explaining the drawing
and what the animal is doing.
Create a Brochure
Make an information brochure on
an animal to teach the public
about it. Must use both sides of
the paper.

Audio

Write a Story
Create a story that follows one day
in an animal's life. Must be 10
Sentences long
Free Choice
Come up with you own activity.
Make sure you clear it with the
Teacher before starting.

Questionnaire
Come up with 5 questions that you
would ask when you are studying an
animal.

Differentiate by Interest
In the space provided explain a lesson
activity that is differentiated by interest.
Include any documents that will be given
to students.

Kinesthetic

Make A Presentation
Give a short 2 min informative
presentation on an animal of your
choice.
Make A Play
In groups of 2 or more do a short 2
minute play about an animal of
your choice that teaches everyone
about it.
Create a Comic Strip
Write a informative 5 panel Comic
Strip that explains what the
animals is doing and how it lives.

Class 7
Students will describe an object/thing of their choice in 5
sentences.
The text must have past, present, and future tenses
incorporated into it.
Students will then create a topic sentence and a closing sentence
that works along the same lines as their supporting sentences.