ELA G2:M2

Learning through Science and Story: Fossils Tell of Earth’s Changes

Each module is approximately 6-8 weeks of instruction broken into 3 units. The "week at a glance" chart in the curriculum map gives the big picture, breaking down the module into a detailed week-by-week view. It shows how the module unfolds, the focus of each week of instruction, and where the six assessments and the performance task occur.

View the module overview

Weeks 1–3 Unit 1: Listening for Details: Learning about Paleontologists

Instructional Focus	CCS Standards	Assessments
Introduction to topic Close read-aloud: Stone Girl, Bone Girl Introduction to answering selected response questions Retelling using the beginning, middle, and end of a story Describing how characters respond to major events and challenges Close read-aloud: Stone Girl, Bone Girl Practice answering selected response questions Retelling using the beginning, middle, and end of a story Describing how characters respond to major events and challenges Focused read-aloud: Paleontology: The Study of Prehistoric Life Building background knowledge on fossils and paleontologists Introducing the paleontologist's notebook Learning about the tools paleontologists use Learning about famous paleontologists	RL.2.1 RL.2.2 RL.2.3 RL.2.5 RL.2.7 RI.2.1 RI.2.4 W.2.7 W.2.8 SL.2.1 SL2.1a SL.2.2 SL.2.4 L2.4b L.2.6	Unit 1 Assessment: Answering Questions about a Literary Text (RL.2.1, RL.2.2, RL.2.3, RL.2.5, RL.2.7, SL.2.2)

Weeks 3–5 Unit 2: Reading Informational Texts: Studying Fossils Closely

Instructional Focus	CCS Standards	Assessments
Focused read-aloud: Fossils Tell of Long Ago Close read-aloud: Fossils Making observations and inferences: Categorizing pictures: Is this a fossil or not? Making observations and inferences: Making fossil impressions: Simulated impressions activity Close read-aloud: Fossils Using text features to locate information Using different strategies to determine the meanings of words Recording the steps of fossilization Structured discussions to describe the steps of fossilization Developing language with using collective nouns Launching close reading independently Close reading: Other Types of Fossils and Fossils and The Earth Long Ago Close reading strategies: Identifying the gist of a text and sections of a text Practice answering selected response questions Writing a museum display label Making observations and inferences: What fossils can tell us about the earth long ago	RI.2.1 RI.2.2 RI.2.4 RI.2.5 RI.2.6 W.2.8 SL.2.1 SL.2.1a SL.2.1b SL.2.1c L.2.1 L.2.1a L.2.2 L. 2.4 L.2.4a L.2.4c L.2.6	Unit 2 Assessment: Answering Questions about an Informational Text (RI.2.1, RI.2.2, RI.2.4, RI.2.5, RI.2.6, L.2.4a, L.2.4c)

Weeks 6–8 Unit 3: Writing Narratives: Becoming Paleontologists

Instructional Focus	CCS Standards	Assessments
Focused read-aloud: The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard Analyzing The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard as a mentor text for narratives Short writing tasks to practice writing techniques found in The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard Developing language with irregular past-tense action verbs Analyzing a teacher-written model of a compelling narrative Writing a narrative about discovering a fossil based on Holly's experiences from The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard Using the writing process to write a compelling narrative Revising for temporal words Editing for irregular past-tense verbs and conventions Writing a narrative about discovering a fossil using a picture of a fossil and your own imagination Revising for temporal words Editing for irregular past-tense verbs and conventions Creation of the performance task: Adding detailed drawings to narratives Preparing for the Celebration of Learning: Reading our stories and creating a selected re- sponse question exit ticket for visitors End of module reflection Celebration of Learning	RL.2.1 RL.2.3 RL.2.4 RL.2.5 W.2.3 W.2.5 W.2.8 SL.2.1 SL.2.1a SL.2.1b SL.2.4 SL.2.5 L.2.1 L.2.1d L.2.1f L.2.6	Unit 3 Assessment: Writing a Narrative about Discovering a Fossil (W.2.3, W.2.5, L.2.1d, L.2.2) Final Performance Task: Illustrated Narrative about Discovering a Fossil (W.2.3, W.2.5, L.2.1d, L.2.2)

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