Unit Plan Overview

Unit: Persuasive Writing

Connections to Context:
In this unit students will learn
about three main things;
pilgrims, Thanksgiving, and
persuasive writing. Specific
topics students will be about
who the pilgrims were, why
they came to America, what
happened when they
encountered Native
Americans, why they
celebrated Thanksgiving, and
who celebrated Thanksgiving
better, and the unit will end
with students writing a
persuasive writing about who
celebrated Thanksgiving
better.
This unit is taught in
November, around the time
when people celebrate
Thanksgiving. By having
learned this unit, students will
get to think about how people
first started celebrating the
Thanksgiving.
Part of the unit talks about
how the Native Americans felt
when the pilgrims came to
their land. Here, students will
get to learn about what it felt
like for Native Americans to
have the strangers over to
their land.

Teacher: Julia Lee

Stage 1- Desired Results
Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to
Be grateful for their religious freedom, appreciate how they can worship freely, and value their
faith, knowing that it cost much for pilgrims to gain their religious freedom.
Remember the importance of the First Thanksgiving and celebrate it with gratefulness.
Learn how to resolve conflicts peacefully (know that there is redemption).
Be more cautious when they are visiting different countries and meet the local people.
Make comparisons between then and now (between two contrasting ideas).
Freely express their opinions and be able to convince and persuade others.
(What kinds of long-term independent accomplishments are desired?)

Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will understand that
Students will keep considering
The pilgrims were people from England who
Who were the pilgrims?
fled to America for religious freedom.
What happened when they reached America
Conflicts existed between the pilgrims and
and met the Indian tribe?
Native Americans.
How do people share the same place?
The conflict was resolved peacefully at this
How do pilgrims lives compare to ours?
time.
The First Thanksgiving was celebrated by the
(What thought-provoking questions will foster inquiry,
Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New
meaning- making and transfer?)
World in 1621.
Pilgrims celebrated Thanksgiving differently
than how we celebrate it nowadays.
(What specifically do you want students to
understand?
What inferences should they make?)

(How does this fit with students

experiences, the school goals, and the
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

larger societal issues? How does this fit

with the broader curriculum- what has
come before and what will come after?)

Established Goals
Common Core English Language Arts
Reading
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1
Ask and answer such questions as who, what,
where, when, why, and how to demonstrate
understanding of key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5
Describe the overall structure of a story,
including describing how the beginning
introduces the story and the ending concludes
the action.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.6
Acknowledge differences in the points of view of
characters, including by speaking in a different
voice for each character when reading dialogue
aloud.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7
Use information gained from the illustrations and
words in a print or digital text to demonstrate
understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.9
Compare and contrast two or more versions of
the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by
different authors or from different cultures.
Writing

Acquisition of Knowledge, Skill and Values/Commitments/Dispositions

Cognitive Objectives
Physical Development
Socio-emotional Objectives
The students will be able to
Objectives
The students will be able to
The students will be able to
Verbally tell who the
Put themselves in the

Support
their
argument
pilgrims were and why
shoes of Native
they came to America.
with reason/evidence
Americans and describe
and
work
to
improve
on
how they felt when they
Describe in their own
their
speech
skills.
encountered the
words the journey that
pilgrims.

Speak
clearly
to
put
pilgrims took.

Appreciate what they

forward
their
idea
to
Point out on the map the
persuade
others
have and be thankful,
route pilgrims took to
and create Pilgrims hat
reach America.
(What
discrete
skills
and
with thankful points on it
Recall what they learned
processes
should
students
be
and fill out the L column
able to use?)
(What values and commitments
in KWL chart.
and attitudes should students
Describe in their own
acquire or wrestle with?)
words how pilgrims
settled down in America.
Explain why pilgrims
celebrated Thanksgiving.
Put themselves in the
shoes of Native
Americans and describe
how they felt when they
encountered the pilgrims.
Look at a story from
different points of view
and tell their opinions
about it.
Recount the events that
happened during pilgrims
Thanksgiving
Compare pilgrims
thanksgiving to how we
celebrate thanksgiving
now
Judge for themselves who

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.1
Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the
topic or book they are writing about, state an
opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion,
use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to
connect opinion and reasons, and provide a
concluding statement or section.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.2
Write informative/explanatory texts in which
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to

develop points, and provide a concluding
statement or section.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.3
Write narratives in which they recount a wellelaborated event or short sequence of events,
include details to describe actions, thoughts, and
feelings, use temporal words to signal event
order, and provide a sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5
With guidance and support from adults and
peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as
needed by revising and editing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.6
With guidance and support from adults, use a
variety of digital tools to produce and publish
writing, including in collaboration with peers.

Speaking and Listening

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1
Participate in collaborative conversations with
diverse partners about grade 2 topics and
texts with peers and adults in small and larger
groups.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.A
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g.,
gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the
topics and texts under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.B
Build on others' talk in conversations by linking
their comments to the remarks of others
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.2
Recount or describe key ideas or details from a
text read aloud or information presented orally
or through other media.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.3
Ask and answer questions about what a speaker
says in order to clarify comprehension, gather
additional information, or deepen understanding
of a topic or issue.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.4
Tell a story or recount an experience with
appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive

celebrated thanksgiving
better
Form arguments based on
their opinion
Learn to adhere to the
guidelines for discussion
and discuss their opinion
with peers
Clearly put forward their
idea to challenge each
others opinion
Support their argument
with reason/evidence and
work to improve on their
speech skills.
Come to a shared
agreement about whom
they thought celebrated
thanksgiving better
Fill out the OREO chart
with their position
Write a persuasive writing
based on their ideas
gathered from previous
lessons
Evaluate other peoples
opinions

(What facts and basic concepts

should students know and be
able to recall?)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.

Social Studies
History
2 H2.0.2 Explain why descriptions of
the same event in the local community
can be different.
2 H2.0.5 Identify a problem in a
communitys past and describe how it
was resolved

(What content standards and programor mission-related goal(s) will the unit
address?
What habits of mind and crossdisciplinary goal(s)- for example 21st
century skills, core competencies- will
this unit address?
Include source and identifying number)

Evaluative Criteria
Students would have clearly
stated their position.
Students gave three reasons
to support their opinion.
Final write-up should be in
paragraph form, including the
three elements of
paragraphs:
1. Has indent
2. Made up of sentences
3. Has a topic

Stage 2- Evidence
Students will show their learning by (summative assessment)
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
Throughout this unit students will learn about pilgrims and information about Thanksgiving. Then
they will compare Thanksgiving to how pilgrims celebrated it and how we celebrate it now, and
form opinion on whom they think celebrated Thanksgiving better. Based on their opinion, by the
end of the last lesson they would have written an opinion piece, clearly stating their position with
three reasons why they support their position.
(How will students demonstrate their understanding- meaning-making and transfer- through complex
performance?)

(What criteria will be used in each

assessment to evaluate attainment
of the desired results?)(rubric
required)

Student understanding of the

topic taught in each lesson.
Understanding the difference
between how Thanksgiving is

OTHER EVIDENCE:
If I can see that students have clearly taken a position and formed arguments with adequate
reasons it would be evidence that they have learned this topic well.
(What other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved?)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

celebrated then and now

Be able to make comparisons

(Regardless of the format of the

assessment, what qualities are most
important?)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

Stage 3- Learning Plan

Pre-assessment- due:
_October 24_

Students will be asked to fill out a KWL chart, where they write everything they know about pilgrims under K column, write what they
want to know under W column and after the lesson is finished write what they learned under L column. Based on the answers they
provide here, I will know what students know already regarding the topic and what the areas that I need to focus on are.
Instead of only telling students to write down everything they know about the pilgrims, it would give better results to actually give
prompts to students by asking specific questions:
- Who were the pilgrims?
- Where did they come from?
- Why did they come to America?
- What was the name of the ship they took?
- What happened when they reached America?
- How did they celebrate Thanksgiving?
- Anything else you know about the pilgrims?

(What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential misconceptions?)
(Toward which goal does
each learning event build?)
Acquisition
Meaning
Transfer

Learning Events
Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon their
participation in these learning events

Progress Monitoring

What do I want them to really think about? Activities?

How am I building toward my goals?
Lesson 1
- Students will listen as teacher reads from the book The Pilgrims First
Thanksgiving.
- Students will taste salty crackers after they hear the teacher read the
description of the food in The Pilgrims First Thanksgiving.
- Students will crawl under their desks to experience the cramped space
on the Mayflower while listening to the teacher read from The
Pilgrims First Thanksgiving.
- Students will color the map which shows the route taken by the
pilgrims to reach America.
- On KWL sheet, students will write down what they learned under L
column.
Lesson 2

(How will you monitor students

progress toward acquisition,
meaning, and transfer during
lesson events?) (Formative
Assessment)

During each lesson, towards

the end of the class,
students will be asked to
talk to their elbow partner
about what they learned
that day.

(How will students monitor their

own progress toward acquisition,
meaning, and transfer?)
(Assessment as learning)(Rubric?)

If students find that they don't

know much about the topic,
they will ask more questions to

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

Students will recall what they learned from the last lesson.
Students will think about what pilgrims had to go through after
reaching America.
- Students will look at this event from Native Americans point of view.
- Students will watch the video called Plimoth Plantation-Virtual Field
Trip.
- Students will listen as teacher reads from the scholastic article about
pilgrims and Native Americans encounter.
- Students will fill out the worksheet that follows the article.
- Teacher will read about how and why pilgrims started celebrating
Thanksgiving.
- On KWL sheet, students will write down what they learned under L
column.
Lesson 3
- Students will recall what they learned from the last lesson.
- Teacher will read from the book called Oh, What a Thanksgiving!
- Students will compare and think about the differences between
Thanksgiving then and now as teacher reads from the book.
- Students will fill out a worksheet, comparing the differences on
Thanksgiving then and now.
- Students will decide on a position and form opinion about whom they
think celebrated Thanksgiving better.
Lesson 4
- Students will recall the differences between Thanksgiving then and
now.
- Following the given guidelines for discussions, students will get in pairs
and discuss with each other and try to convince the other why their
position is better.
- Students will fill out the OREO sheet.
Lesson 5
- Students will recall what they learned in the last lesson.
- Students will write their final write-up on who celebrated Thanksgiving
better in paragraph form.
- Students will share their work with the class by presenting it (reading
from the worksheet) at the front of the classroom.
- Students will be engaged in We are Thankful activity.
- Students will think about things they are thankful for in their lives and
write them on an index card.

clear their doubts.

(What are potential rough spots

and student misunderstandings?)

Coming up with reasonable

arguments that will
convince others (since they
may not have done such
things as persuasive writing
before this).

(How will students get the

feedback they need?)

While they are discussing

with their elbow partners I
will be going around the
classroom, listen to them,
and make notes on
individuals and also probe
them with questions. And
then maybe during next
class period we can go
through topics that students
found difficult.

(Have you included multiple means of representation, multiple means of

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

action and expression, and multiple means of engagement?)

(Are all three types of goals (acquisition, meaning, and transfer) addressed in
the learning plan?)
(Does the learning plan reflect principles of learning and best practices?)
(Is there tight alignment with Stages 1 and 2?)

Grading rubric on final assignment:

Who celebrated Thanksgiving better?
Points
Criteria

1 point

2 points

3 points

Characteristics of
paragraph:
Indent (leave
space).
Made up of
sentences.
Has a topic.

No characteristics of
paragraph seen.

One or two
characteristics seen.

Has all three

characteristics of a
paragraph.

Followed OREO
structure

Did not begin with

opinion nor end with
opinion.

Either began with

opinion OR ended
with opinion.

Opinion stated at the

beginning AND at the
end.

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

Supporting reasons
for their opinion

1 reason given.

2 reasons given.

3 reasons given.

Total: ______/9 points

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum