Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 | EL Education Curriculum

You are here

Home › Our Curriculum › ELA 2019 Grade 7 › ELA 2019 G7:M1 › ELA 2019 G7:M1:U1 ›

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U1:L4

Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3

In this Lesson

You are here:

Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • RL.7.3, RL.7.6, L.7.4, L.7.4b

Supporting Standards: These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

  • RL.7.1, RL.7.4, RL.7.10, SL.7.1, L.7.6
Download Materials

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can identify strategies to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary. (L.7.4, L.7.4b)
  • I can analyze how the setting shapes the characters and plot in chapter 3 of A Long Walk to Water. (RL.7.1, RL.7.3)
  • I can explain how the author develops the points of view of Salva and Nya in chapter 3 of A Long Walk to Water. (RL.7.1, RL.7.6)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 4 (L.7.4b)
  • Opening A: Vocabulary logs (L.7.4b)
  • Work Time B: Setting/Characters/Plot anchor chart (RL.7.3)
  • Closing and Assessment A: Point of View anchor chart (RL.7.6)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Strategies to Determine the Meaning of Unfamiliar Vocabulary - L.7.4b (5 minutes)

B. Engage the Learner (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Read A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 (15 minutes)

B. Analyze Setting, Character, and Plot: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 - RL.7.3 (5 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 - RL.7.6 (15 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Determine Meaning of Unfamiliar Vocabulary: Students use context, word parts, and if necessary, a dictionary to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in chapter 3 of A Long Walk to Water. Then they record the words and their definitions in the correct section of their vocabulary log.

B. Text-Dependent Questions: Students complete Homework: Text-Dependent Questions: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3, using evidence to support their responses.

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • In this lesson, the directions for routines that are repeated from previous lessons have been pared down and noted with “Repeated routine.” For the detailed outline of how to facilitate this part of the lesson, please refer back to previous lessons.
  • Repeated routines occur in the following:
    • Opening B: Students review learning targets.
    • Work Time A: Students read the next chapter of the text, noting unfamiliar vocabulary and the gist of the chapter.
  • New skills are introduced in the following:
    • L.7.4b – Opening A: Students break down a word into affixes and roots using an affix list and update the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart.
    • RL.7.3 – Work Time A: Students analyze how setting shapes character and plot in chapter 3 and add to the Setting/Character/Plot anchor chart.
    • RL.7.6 – Closing and Assessment A: Students analyze how the author develops and contrasts the points of view of Salva and Nya in A Long Walk to Water and add this analysis to the Point of View anchor chart.
  • The Think-Pair-Share protocol is used in this lesson. Protocols are an important feature of our curriculum because they are one of the best ways we know to engage students in discussion, inquiry, critical thinking, and sophisticated communication. A protocol consists of agreed-upon, detailed guidelines for reading, recording, discussing, or reporting that ensure equal participation and accountability in learning.
  • In the chapter of A Long Walk to Water read in this lesson, the old woman takes in Salva and feeds him, which demonstrates empathy. Salva in turn shows the old woman respect by speaking courteously and by working hard doing chores.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Release more responsibility more quickly to students as they comprehend the tasks or concepts. For example, during Opening A, release some students to read the chapter independently and record a gist and take notes about setting, character, plot, and point of view in their reading notebooks.
  • Invite students to analyze the points of view of other characters in the text—for example, the woman whom Salva meets by the pond—and contrast his or her point of view with Salva’s (RL.7.6).

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In a previous lesson, students read chapter 2 of the novel A Long Walk to Water and discussed the gist of the chapter, how the setting shapes the characters and plot, and Nya’s and Salva’s points of view. The point of view work is developed in this lesson as students now analyze both points of view and how they have been developed and contrasted.

Support All Students

  • In Work Time A, read aloud the first several chapters of A Long Walk to Water in these first lessons to ensure student comprehension, engagement, and enjoyment of the text. However, if your students are all already engaged, determine how students will read chapter 3 of A Long Walk to Water to best support their comprehension, or give students choice to build empowerment and engagement in learning. Alternative read-alouds include the following: another fluent reader (including students or an audiobook) reads to the whole class, small groups, triads, or pairs; individuals read silently; or a combination of any of these.
  • The subject matter in this chapter includes a child finding himself abandoned as well as descriptions of war. Continue to monitor students to determine if there are issues surfacing as a result of the content of this chapter that need to be discussed as a whole group, in smaller groups, or individually.
  • Note there is a differentiated version of Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 used in Closing and Assessment A in the supporting materials download. ▲

Assessment Guidance

  • During Openings A and B, monitor students’ ability to identify and use strategies to determine the meanings of unknown vocabulary words.
  • During Work Time B, monitor what students discuss with their partners and the class to ensure they understand how setting shapes characters and plot. After class, check students’ analysis of point of view for comprehension and to identify common issues to use as teaching points.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will build background knowledge to support their understanding of the novel by closely reading an informational text about South Sudan and the conflicts there.

In Advance

  • Affix lists: Grade-level affix lists can be downloaded on the Tools page. Laminate them if possible, as students refer to them throughout the year. Distribute them before students begin work on their entrance ticket.
  • Ensure Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 4 are available for each student at their workspaces.
  • Create anchor charts (and handout versions for students to complete to increase focus, ownership, and engagement) for Close Readers Do These Things, learning targets, and the affix list.
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Openings A and B: Online or print dictionaries (including ELL and home language dictionaries) as necessary
  • Work Time A: Audiobook version of A Long Walk to Water as an option for fluent reading. Digital sticky notes for gist to support engagement and organization.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 7.I.B.6, 7.I.B.7, 7.I.B.8, 7.II.B.3, and 7.II.B.4.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson introduces strategies for the close reading of new texts, defining unfamiliar words, and responding to text-dependent questions. It also gives students opportunities to write about point of view.
  • ELLs may find writing about point of view in A Long Walk to Water challenging if they are not familiar with reading or writing in English. Because the QuickWrite is intended to help assess their abilities to write, consider only using the supports suggested in the lesson if students are unable to write.

Vocabulary

  • contrasts, develops, protested (A)
  • gourdful (DS)

Key

(A): Academic Vocabulary

(DS): Domain-Specific Vocabulary

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Academic word wall (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 1, Opening A)
  • Domain-specific word wall (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time B)
  • Text Guide: A Long Walk to Water (for teacher reference) (from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Work Time A)
  • Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening B)
  • Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart (example for teacher reference) (from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening B)
  • Questions about A Long Walk to Water anchor chart (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Work Time A)
  • Questions about A Long Walk to Water anchor chart (example for teacher reference) (from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Work Time A)
  • Setting/Characters/Plot anchor chart (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 3, Work Time B)
  • Setting/Characters/Plot anchor chart (example for teacher reference) (from Unit 1, Lesson 3, Work Time B)
  • Point of View anchor chart (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 3, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Point of View anchor chart (example for teacher reference) (from Unit 1, Lesson 3, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Equity sticks (from Unit 1, Lesson 1, Opening A
  • Vocabulary log (one per student; from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)
  • Online or print dictionary (one per each student or pair of students) 
  • Translation dictionary (for ELLs in home language; one per each small group of students)
  • A Long Walk to Water (text; one per student; from Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time C)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 4 (answers for teacher reference)
  • Chart paper
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (example for teacher reference)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (one for display; co-created during Opening A)
  • Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 (example for teacher reference)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 4 (one per student)
  • Affix list (one per student, see Tools page to download grade-level Affix lists, which you will use throughout the curriculum) 
  • Synopsis: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 (one per student)
  • Sticky notes (one of each gist color per student)
  • Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 (one per student and one for display)
  • Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 ▲
  • Homework: Text-Dependent Questions: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 (one per student; in unit download)

Assessment

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

OpeningLevels of Support

A. Strategies to Determine the Meaning of Unfamiliar Vocabulary - L.7.4b (5 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: students respond to questions on Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 4 using the affix lists available at their workspaces.
  • Review the appropriate learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

"I can identify strategies to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary."

  • Focus students on the entrance ticket questions. Ensure students understand that the root of the word provides the central meaning and that the affixes are parts of the word before or after the root, which alter that central meaning. A prefix comes before the root and a suffix comes after.
  • Post the chart from the entrance ticket, and invite students to help complete the chart for the word protest.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Using the breakdown of the word, what would you say the meaning of protested is in your own words?" (Student responses will vary, but may include: publicly saying with force or confidence.)

"What other words can you think of that contain test?" (Student responses will vary, but may include: testify, attest.)

"How might knowing the meanings of affixes and roots like test help you determine the meanings of other words?" (Now that we know test means to assert or witness, we will know any words ending in -test are connected to the idea of asserting or witnessing.)

  • Emphasize to students that breaking a word down in this way is a strategy to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary. Focus students on the first learning target:

"I can identify strategies to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary."

  • Invite students to Turn and Talk:

"Besides breaking a word down into its affixes and roots, what are some strategies for determining the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary?" (using context, guessing and checking the dictionary)

  • Note student responses on the new Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart under a subheading "Vocabulary Strategies." See Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (example for teacher reference), and ensure all strategies listed on the example are represented on the student anchor chart.
  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target.

For Lighter Support

  • Model one strategy from the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart—such as using a dictionary—rather than just referring students to the anchor chart in general. This demonstration provides visual support and focus that makes the anchor chart’s language more accessible.

B. Engage the Learner (5 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as with the previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students of any learning targets that are similar or the same as in previous lessons.
  • With students, use the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart to deconstruct the words contrasts (looks at how two or more things are different) and develops (builds over time) in the final learning target. Record on the academic word wall with translations in home languages, where appropriate, and invite students to record words in their vocabulary logs.

For Heavier Support

  • Use images that show contrasts (night/day, small animal/big animal, etc.) or how something develops (three pictures of the same tree at different stages of development, etc.) to support students' explorations of these words, starting out with the more concrete definitions demonstrated by the images and moving to the more academic meaning intended for the academic word wall.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Read A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 (15 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: Follow the same process as with previous lessons for students to read chapter 3 of A Long Walk to Water using the Text Guide: A Long Walk to Water as necessary. If students do not finish reading the chapter within the allotted time, use Synopsis: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 to review the key details from chapter 3. Then have students identify the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary, reflect on their reading as they choose, and record the gist on sticky notes using the following resources as appropriate: vocabulary logs, Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart, Questions about A Long Walk to Water  anchor chart.
  • Gists: 
    • Nya: gets to pond, fills container, begins long walk home
    • Salva: stays with old woman for a few days, must leave with other walkers
  • Once students have finished reading and reflecting on the chapter, ask them to Think-Pair-Share:

"How does the old woman treat Salva? How does Salva treat the old woman?" (The old woman treats Salva kindly and with empathy. She understands he feels alone and gives him a place to stay. Salva treats the old woman with respect. He does her chores and speaks kindly to her.)

Explain that the old woman demonstrates empathy and Salva treats the old woman with respect. These actions give evidence of both the old woman and Salva being ethical people. Direct students to the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart, and add this habit of character to the chart. 

For Heavier Support

  • During Work Time A, demonstrate understanding of what this part of the story made them think about through sketching, guided movement, or gestures.

B. Analyze Setting, Character, and Plot: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 – RL.7.3 (5 minutes)

  • Display the Setting/Characters/Plot anchor chart. Review what setting, character, and plot mean. Refer to the Setting/Characters/Plot anchor chart (example for teacher reference) for answers.
  • Refer to the following posted learning target, and read it aloud:

“I can analyze how the setting shapes the characters and plot in chapter 3 of A Long Walk to Water.”

  • Remind students that in this context, shapes means the how the setting gives direction or character to the characters. In other words, the setting and characters’ responses to the setting help to reveal things about the characters. The setting and characters’ responses to the setting help to move the plot forward.
  • Use equity sticks to have students report out on the gist of chapter 3. Record their correct responses in the first column of the anchor chart (under What happened?). To support students, read the gist while recording it. Encourage students to add to or modify their own gist based on this sharing. Refer to the Setting/Characters/Plot anchor chart (example for teacher reference) for answers.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

“What is the setting?” (Sudan, dry, dangerous with thorns for Nya and war for Salva)

“How does the setting shape characters? Hint: What kind of people do the characters have to be in this setting?” (The setting makes Nya have to be tough and persevere—keep walking even though it’s hard. The setting makes Salva have to be brave and persevere—keep walking even though he’s lonely and it’s dangerous.)

“How does the setting shape plot? Hint: What do the characters have to do in this setting?” (The setting shapes the plot by making the characters work hard: Nya to get water and Salva to escape war. They can’t play or go to school.)

  • Model looking in the chapter to find evidence as necessary. Record appropriate student responses on the Setting/Characters/Plot anchor chart. See the Setting/Characters/Plot anchor chart (example for teacher reference).
  • Ensure students understand that the dryness of the setting forces Nya to walk a long way for water, and her ability to do so shows that she is strong and perseveres in the face of difficulty. For Salva, the ongoing war forces him to flee his village and family, and to do so he must be brave and also persevere through obstacles. 
  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.

For Lighter Support

  • During Work Time B, highlight or underline key phrases in individual copies of the text in advance. Explain that this lifts up the gist for students as they read along.

Closing & Assessments

Closing

A. Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 – RL.7.6 (15 minutes)

  • Review the appropriate learning targets relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

“I can explain how the author develops the points of view of Salva and Nya in chapter 3 of A Long Walk to Water.”

  • Draw students’ attention to the posted Point of View anchor chart, and invite students to chorally read the definition. Use total participation techniques to select students to say back the definitions in their own words to check for understanding. 
  • Display and distribute Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 and Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 ▲ as necessary for students who need extra support. The differentiated note-catcher supports students’ analysis with sentence starters. ▲ Invite students to read the directions and prompt aloud chorally.
  • Focus students on the consider questions on their organizer, and invite them to Turn and Talk to their partner about each of the questions:

“What is Nya’s point of view of arriving at the pond? How do you know? How has the author developed this point of view?” (Nya’s point of view of arriving at the pond is positive. She likes the pond because it is full of life and has cool water for her to drink. We know this because the author shows her perspective through the narrator’s eyes: “so much life” and “felt a little cooler inside” (14).)

“What is Salva’s point of view of finding the old woman? How do you know? How has the author developed this point of view?” (Salva feels relieved at finding the old woman. He sees that she is from his same tribe and that she is kind and will let him stay. We know Salva’s point of view from his thoughts, “Maybe I can stay here until the fighting stops” (17).)

  • Direct students’ attention to the tip on their handout, and invite them to Turn and Talk to their partner to answer.

“What is a common feeling/emotion both Nya and Salva have in this chapter?” (They both feel relief in this chapter.)

  • Provide an example to illustrate the scale of intensity of an emotion like relief: “I’m relieved when I find out I got a good grade for my last assessment. This relief is on a completely different level from the relief I have when I find out I don’t have a life-threatening illness.”
  • Invite students to return to Nya’s story in this chapter, and model completing the first column for Nya with students’ input. See Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 (example for teacher reference).
  • Invite students to work in pairs using the relevant sections of the chapter to complete the second column on their handout.
  • Circulate to monitor and guide students. Note common misconceptions, and take note of a student who has composed an exemplary response. See Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 (example for teacher reference).

  • After 5 minutes, invite students to share their ideas with the whole group. See Analyze Point of View: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3 (example for teacher reference). Invite students to revise/update their charts as they hear other student responses. Update the Point of View anchor chart with student answers. See Point of View anchor chart (example for teacher reference).

  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target.

Homework

Homework

A. Determine Meaning of Unfamiliar Vocabulary

  • Students use context, word parts, and if necessary, a dictionary to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in chapter 3 of A Long Walk to Water. Then they record the words and their definitions in the correct section of their vocabulary log.

B. Text-Dependent Questions 

  • Students complete Homework: Text-Dependent Questions: A Long Walk to Water, Chapter 3, using evidence to support their responses.

Copyright © 2013-2024 by EL Education, New York, NY.

Get updates about our new K-5 curriculum as new materials and tools debut.

Sign Up

Help us improve our curriculum.

Tell us what’s going well, share your concerns and feedback.

Terms of use. To learn more about EL Education, visit eleducation.org

Leave feedback