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ELA GK:M3:U1

Reading to Engage and Build Knowledge: A Study of Living and Nonliving Things

Each unit is made up of a sequence of between 5-20 lessons. The “unit at a glance” chart in the curriculum map breaks down each unit into its lessons, to show how the curriculum is organized in terms of standards address, supporting targets, ongoing assessment, and protocols. It also indicates which lessons include the mid-unit and end-of-unit assessments.

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Lesson 1Speaking and Listening: Inquiring about Living and Nonliving Things
Agenda Daily Learning Targets Ongoing Assessment Anchor Charts & Protocols

1. Opening

A. Engaging the Researcher: Close Observation of a Tree (15 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol: Is a Tree Alive? (10 minutes)

B. Shared Reading: What Do Researchers Do? (10 minutes)

C. Sorting Protocol: Living and Nonliving Things (15 minutes)

3. Closing

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)
  • I can explain whether something is living or nonliving using information from observations. (W.K.7, SL.K.1b, L.K.5a)
  • I can ask and answer questions about my observations. (W.K.7, SL.K.1b, SL.K.2, L.K.5a)
  • During Work Time A, use the Speaking and Listening Checklist as you observe students discuss their ideas with a partner (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • During Work Time B, circulate and observe as students work with a partner to sort and label the pictures (L.K.5). Consider using the Speaking and Listening Checklist to document progress toward SL.K.1 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Back-to-back and Face-to-Face
  • Sorting

Lesson 2Reading and Writing: What Are Living and Nonliving Things?

Agenda Daily Learning Targets Ongoing Assessment Anchor Charts & Protocols

1. Opening

A. Poem and Movement: “What’s Alive and What’s Not?” Version 1 (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Engaging the Researcher: Patterns in Living and Nonliving Things (10 minutes)

B. Reading Aloud to Research Living and Nonliving Things: What’s Alive?, Pages 1–7 (15 minutes)

C. Engaging the Researcher: Making and Recording Observations (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol: Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)
  • I can seek out examples and patterns in the world around me to research living and nonliving things. (RI.K.3, SL.K.2, L.K.5a)
  • I can record my observations with words and drawings like a researcher. (W.K.2)
  • During Work Time A, use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to monitor students' progress toward SL.K.2 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • During Reading Aloud to Research in Work Time B, continue to use the Reading Informational Text Checklist to track students' progress toward RI.K.2, RI.K.3, RI.K.4, and RI.K.7 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Back-to-back and Face-to-Face

Lesson 3Reading and Writing to Research: Living Things Need Food and Water
Agenda Daily Learning Targets Ongoing Assessment Anchor Charts & Protocols

1. Opening

A. Poem and Movement: “What’s Alive and What’s Not?” Version 1 (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading Aloud to Research Living and Nonliving Things: What’s Alive?, Pages 11, 13, and 20 (20 minutes)

B. Engaging the Researcher: Making Observations (10 minutes)

C. Independent Writing: Living Things Research Notebook (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)
  • I can read a text to research what makes something living. (RI.K.1, RI.K.1, RI.K.3, RI.K.4, RI.K.7)
  • I can record information from my research about what makes something living. (W.K.8)
  • During Reading Aloud to Research in Work Time A, continue to use the Reading Informational Text Checklist to track students' progress (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Collect students' Living Things research notebooks as evidence of progress toward W.K.8.

Lesson 4Reading and Writing to Research: Living Things Need Air
Agenda Daily Learning Targets Ongoing Assessment Anchor Charts & Protocols

1. Opening

A. Poem and Movement: “What’s Alive and What’s Not?” Version 2 (15 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading Aloud to Research Living and Nonliving Things: What’s Alive?, Pages 15 and 18 (15 minutes)

B. Engaging the Researcher: Making Observations (10 minutes)

C. Independent Writing: Living Things Research Notebook (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)
  • I can read a text to research what makes something living. (RI.K.1, RI.K.1, RI.K.3, RI.K.4, RI.K.7)
  • I can record information from my research about what makes something living. (W.K.8)
  • During Reading Aloud to Research in Work Time A, continue to use the Reading Informational Text Checklist to track students' progress (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Collect students' Living Things research notebooks as evidence of progress toward W.K.8.

Lesson 5Reading and Writing to Research: Living Things Move and Grow
Agenda Daily Learning Targets Ongoing Assessment Anchor Charts & Protocols

1. Opening

A. Poem and Movement: “What’s Alive and What’s Not?” Version 1 (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading Aloud to Research Living and Nonliving Things: What’s Alive?, Pages 13, 18, and 20 (15 minutes)

B. Language Dive: What’s Alive?, Page 20 (15 minutes)

C. Engaging the Researcher: Making and Recording Observations (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)
  • I can read a text to research what makes something living. (RI.K.1, RI.K.1, RI.K.3, RI.K.4, RI.K.7)
  • I can record information from my research about what makes something living. (W.K.8)
  • During the Opening, circulate, listen, and take note of students' ability to use and form singular and plural nouns. Use the Language Checklist to make note of students' progress toward L.K.1c (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • During the Language Dive in Work Time B, listen to and make note of students' ability to reconstruct the sentence and explain the focus structure. (L.K.4, L.K.5)
  • Collect students' Living Things research notebooks as evidence of progress toward W.K.8.

Lesson 6Writing and Speaking: Sharing Our Ideas about Living and Nonliving Things

Agenda Daily Learning Targets Ongoing Assessment Anchor Charts & Protocols

1. Opening

A. Shared Reading: Living Things Criteria (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading Aloud to Research Living and Nonliving Things: What’s Alive?, Pages 22–25 (10 minutes)

B. Engaging the Researcher: Living Things Scavenger Hunt (20 minutes)

C. Independent Writing: Living Things Research Notebook (15 minutes)

3. Closing

A. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol: Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)
  • I can use research to confirm ideas about what makes something alive. (RI.K.1, RI.K.1, RI.K.3, RI.K.7)
  • I can record evidence from my research about the living and nonliving things around me. (W.K.8)
  • During the read-aloud in Work Time A, use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to monitor students' progress toward SL.K.2 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Collect students' Living Things research notebooks as evidence of progress toward W.K.8.
  • Back-to-back and Face-to-Face

Lesson 7Reading and Writing: Unit 1 Assessment, Part 1 and Preparing for the Science Talk
Agenda Daily Learning Targets Ongoing Assessment Anchor Charts & Protocols

1. Opening

A. Interactive Word Wall Protocol (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Unit 1 Assessment, Part I: What’s Alive? Selected Response (15 minutes)

B. Preparing for the Science Talk: Is a Tree Living? (25 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Shared Writing: Patterns with Living Things (10 minutes)
  • I can describe how living things are similar using ideas from the text What's Alive? (RI.K.3, RI.K.7)
  • I can explain whether something is living or nonliving using evidence from research and observations. (W.K.7, W.K.8)
  • In Work Time A, collect students' response sheets from the Unit 1 Assessment, Part I to serve as a work sample to demonstrate progress toward RI.K.3 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Interactive Word Wall

Lesson 8Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening: Unit 1 Assessment, Part II and Science Talk

Agenda Daily Learning Targets Ongoing Assessment Anchor Charts & Protocols

1. Opening

A. Interactive Word Wall Protocol (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Unit 1 Assessment, Part II: What’s Alive? Open Response (15 minutes)

B. Science Talk Protocol: Is a Tree Living? (25 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol: How Do Living Things Meet Their Needs? (5 minutes)

B. Song and Movement: “A Tree Is a Living Thing” Chant (5 minutes)
  • I can describe how living things are similar using ideas from the text What's Alive? (RI.K.3, RI.K.7)
  • I can explain whether something is living or nonliving using evidence from research and observations. (W.K.8, SL.K.1a, SL.K.1b)
  • In Work Time A, collect students' response sheets from the Unit 1 Assessment, Part II (open response) to serve as a work sample to demonstrate progress toward RI.K.7 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • During Work Time B, circulate and observe students as they discuss whether a tree is living. Use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to document progress toward SL.K.1a and SL.K.1b (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Interactive Word Wall
  • Science Talks
  • Back-to-back and Face-to-Face

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