ELA G4:M2

Researching to Build Knowledge and Teach Others: Animal Defense Mechanisms

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.

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Weeks 1-3 Unit 1: Building Background Knowledge: Animal Defenses and the Research Process

Instructional Focus	CCS Standards	Assessments
Building Background Knowledge: What Are Defense Mechanisms, and How Do They Help Animals Survive? Building Background Knowledge: What Do Researchers Do? Listening Closely to Paraphrase Information about Animal Defenses Reading Closely about Animals and Their Defenses Science Talk: Synthesizing What We Know about the Animal Defense Mechanisms Listening Closely: Learning about Millipedes and Their Defenses Reading Closely about Millipedes Science Talk: Synthesizing What We Know about the Millipede Setting the Purpose for a Deeper Study of Animal Defense Mechanisms	RL.4.10 RI.4.1 RI.4.2 RI.4.4 RI.4.7 RI.4.8 RI.4.10 W.4.5 W.4.7 W.4.8 SL.4.1 SL.4.1a SL.4.1b SL.4.1c SL.4.2 SL.4.6 L.4.4 L.4.4a L.4.4b L.4.4c	Mid-Unit 1 Assessment: Reading about Caterpillars, Answering Questions, and Determining the Main Idea (RI.4.2 , RI.4.4, and RI.4.7) End of Unit 1 Assessment: Answering Questions and Summarizing Texts about Animal Defense Mechanisms (RI.4.1, RI.4.2, and SL.4.2)

Weeks 4-5 Unit 2: Using Writing to Inform

Instructional Focus	CCS Standards	Assessments
Reading Scientific Text: Reading Closely about a Chosen Animal Science Talk: Synthesizing What We Know about Our Researched Animal Setting a Purpose for Writing: Creating a Rubric for Informative Paragraphs Writing Informative Texts: Sequencing Ideas and Using Research Notes Writing Informative Texts: Revising Paragraphs for Organization, Concrete Details	RI.4.1 RI.4.2 RI.4.4 RI.4.9 RI.4.10 W.4.2 W.4.2a W.4.2b W.4.2d W.4.2e W.4.4 W.4.5 W.4.7 W.4.8 W.4.9 W.4.9b SL.4.1 SL.4.1b L.4.1 L.4.1c L.4.2 L.4.2a L.4.2c L.4.2d L.4.3 L.4.3a L.4.3c L.4.4 L.4.6	Mid-Unit 2 Assessment: Reading and Researching the Defense Mechanisms of the Pufferfish (RI.4.1, RI.4.2, W.4.7, and W.4.8) End of Unit 2 Assessment: Writing an Informative Text about Pufferfish Defense Mechanisms (RI.4.9, W.4.2a, W.4.2b, W.4.2d, W.4.2e, W.4.4, W.4.7, W.4.8, 4.9b, L.4.2a, L.4.2c, L.4.2d and L.4.3a)

Weeks 6-8 Unit 3: Using Writing to Entertain

Instructional Focus	CCS Standards	Assessments
Writing Informative Texts: Revising Paragraphs Based on Peer Critique Introducing the Format: Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Setting a Purpose for Writing: Understanding the Performance Task Setting a Purpose for Writing: Creating a Rubric for Narrative Writing Writing Narrative Texts: Creating a Character Profile Writing Narrative Texts: Orienting the Reader and Introducing the Characters Writing Narrative Texts: Including Dialogue and Description Writing Narrative Texts: Using Transition Words Writing Narrative Texts: Using Concrete Words and Phrases and Sensory Details Publishing the Performance Task: Citing Sources and Authors' Celebration	RL.4.10 RI.4.9 RI.4.10 W.4.2 W.4.3 W.4.3a W.4.3b W.4.3c W.4.3d W.4.3e W.4.4 W.4.5 W.4.6 W.4.7 W.4.8 W.4.9 W.4.9b W.4.10 SL.4.1 SL.4.1b L.4.1 L.4.1d L.4.2 L.4.2a L.4.2b L.4.2d L.4.3 L.4.3a L.4.3b L.4.3c L.4.6	Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Planning for and Drafting an Introduction for the Choose-Your-Own Adventure Animal Defenses Narrative (W.4.3a W.4.3d and W.4.4) End of Unit 3 Assessment: Writing Choice #2 of the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Animal Defense Mechanisms Narrative (W.4.3b, W.4.3c, W.4.3d, W.4.3e, W.4.2a, and W.4.4) Performance Task: Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Animal Defense Mechanisms Narrative (RI.4.9, W.4.2, W.4.3, W.4.7, W.4.8, and W.4.9b)

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