Biographyunitlessonplans 1

Unit Lesson 1
Basic Information about a Notable Person
Student Name: Nicole Holmes School Name: Hopewell Elementary

Grade Level: 3rd Host Teachers Name: Mrs. Zachow
Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

- What is a biography?
- What kinds of people are biographies written about?
- What kinds of details are important to know about a person?
- How can we use a symbol system to help us keep track of details in our reading?
Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge (ex. background knowledge,

possible misconceptions, prior lesson content)
The students have taken a pre-assessment and have already activated some biography
background knowledge. Some students knew more than others about biographies and already
have a great understanding of what a biography is. In a previous lesson, students glued the
definition of a biography in their readers notebooks and have done a book tasting of biography
books meaning they have read excerpts of a few biography books.
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the
text as the basis for the answers.
Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or
steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and
cause/effect.
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text
relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
Learning Objectives and Assessments:
Learning Objectives Assessments
Students will accurately use the symbol Teacher will examine the students sample
system to help document important details. biographies for accurate use of the symbol
system.
Students will identify the basic information Teacher will check student packets for
about their notable person. completion.
Students will share the information they Teacher will circulate around the classroom
learned about their notable person with their and listen to student conversations for details
tablemates. and information about notable person.
Materials/Resources: (List materials, include any online or book references and resources)
-Who is Abraham Lincoln? (up to page 12)
-Post-it Notes
-18 students selected biographies
-20 copies of Who Was Biography Packets
-20 copies of sample biography
-Clipboards
-Anchor Chart
-BrainPop video
Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

Miss Holmes and Miss Baleva will pass out the Who Was...Biography packets before the lesson
begins along with the sample biography. The teachers will pass out the biographies that the
students selected which students will keep in their desks throughout the lesson. Miss Holmes and
Miss Baleva will place 18 clipboards around the carpet so students know where to sit on the
carpet.
Step by Step plan (numbered):

1. This is the first lesson in the biography unit. Miss Holmes will call the students to
the carpet and ask them to bring the sample biography that was passed out on their desks,
a pencil, and to sit behind a clipboard. Miss Holmes will tell the students that she and
Miss Baleva will be at school full-time for the next two weeks to teach them a unit on
biographies. Miss Holmes will ask the students to tell the person next to them something
that they know about biographies. Miss Holmes will then ask a few people to share what
they know about biographies. Miss Holmes will then play the BrainPop video on
biographies and ask students if they learned everything new about biographies. Miss
Holmes will then ask the students why they think it is important to read biographies and
will accept a few answers.
2. After the introduction to the biography unit, Miss Holmes will explain that
throughout the next two weeks the students will be reading a biography from one of their
top three choices and while they read they are going to be completing a packet to show
how much they have learned about their notable person. Miss Holmes will then explain
the different topics the packet covers which are The Basics, Childhood, Character, Let
Me Tell You More About, Overcoming Obstacles, Amazing Accomplishments, VIPs,
Lessons We Can Learn, Top 10 Things You Should Know About, and the Life and
Times of . Miss Holmes will explain that not every biography is organized in this order
and that they might learn some of these details everyday while they read. Miss Holmes
will ask the children if there is something they can do instead of going back and rereading
every time they want to complete a new page. Miss Holmes will take a few suggestions
which will likely be things like take notes or use sticky notes. Miss Holmes will then ask
if there is an even easier way rather than going back and reading all of their post it notes.
Miss Holmes will accept a few more suggestions and if students do not suggest a symbol
system she will suggest one.
3. Miss Holmes will then explain that for this unit in order to keep track of all of the
details in our books in an organized way, we will be using a symbol system on our post it
notes to organize our details so we do not need to reread the book every time we need to
fill out another page in our packet. Miss Holmes will then pull out the anchor chart she
had made that lists all of the details they should be looking for while they are reading
(character traits, accomplishments, basic facts, important people in their lives, facts about
childhood, obstacles). Miss Holmes will then ask the children what they think each
symbol should be and draw those on the anchor chart. Miss Holmes will then read aloud
Who Was Abraham Lincoln? While modeling the symbol system for the children on
post it notes. After the read aloud students will silently read the sample one page
biography while practicing the symbol system. Miss Holmes will then ask the students
when they used the symbols on the page.
4. Miss Holmes will then read the list of which biography each student is reading.
Miss Holmes will ask the students to begin designing their front covers while Miss
Holmes and Miss Baleva pass out the biographies each student is reading. Once the
biographies are passed out Miss Holmes will ask the students to begin reading and
completing The Basics page in their biography packet. Students will work
independently until 5 minutes before the end of the reading time. Miss Holmes, Miss
Baleva, and Mrs. Zachow will circulate during the reading to confer with specific
students and give them compliments and goals during their reading.
5. (Closure) To close the first day of the unit, students will share what they have
learned about their notable person in this first day of reading. The three teachers will
circulate around the room and ask students some things that they have learned about their
notable person.
Key Questions (that you will ask):

-Why should we read biographies?
-What kinds of people are biographies written about?
-What kinds of strategies can we use to help us remember details?
-What kinds of things can we learn from biographies?
Logistics:
Timing: 1 hour total
10 minutes for introduction and BrainPop video
5 minutes for packet introduction
15 minutes for symbol introduction and Abraham Lincoln read aloud
10 minutes for biography symbol practice
15 for independent reading and practice
5 minutes for closure
Transitions:
The students will start the lesson on the rug and stay there for the majority of the lesson. After all
of the activities students will move back to their desks and work there independently for the rest
of the reading period.
Classroom Management:
If the students are too loud on the carpet or have side conversations, Miss Holmes will use
various attention getting strategies such as 1,2,3 eyes on me or Hocus Pocus. If the conversations
on the rug continue, Miss Holmes will change the seats of the students on the carpet. Miss
Holmes will tell the children that if they feel that they will be distracted at their desks, they may
take a clipboard and work at another place in the classroom where they will be able to be more
successful. Some students can get off task (Jake, Augie, Chris) and these students will be given
reminders as necessary to remind them to stay on task.
Differentiation
The microphone will be worn for Matthew. There will be a lot of practice with the symbol
system and the anchor chart will be made so if students are ever confused they will be able to
refer to the chart to remind themselves what they symbols are. Most of the information in The
Basics page can be found on the first few pages if some students have trouble reading and for
the students who are fast readers they can practice using the symbol system for later details.
There will also be additional books in the classroom to discourage students from getting too far
ahead in their books. Students will be instructed to compare the information they have found in
the books and see if they need to add or change anything in their packets.
Unit Lesson 2
Childhood and Character
Student Name: Nicole Holmes School Name:Hopewell Elementary School


-How can we discover character traits that are not explicitly stated in the text?
-How does a persons childhood affect the rest of their lives?
-What do the things a person does say about their character?

Students have learned about internal and external character traits but may be looking for
character trait words when looking for traits of their notable person. They may not understand
that the things the person said or did can be indicative of their character traits. The students have
a great understanding of what childhood is because they are children however they may not have
a great understanding of what kinds of events in a persons childhood are relevant.
Standards:
cause/effect.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.5.B
Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are
friendly or helpful).
Learning Objectives Assessment
Students will recall an impactful event in their Teacher will examine student prompt
childhood and be able to recall its responses to check for accuracy of what
significance. marks a significant event.
Students will identify character traits that a Teacher will check student prompt responses
notable person has based on that persons to check for accuracy in identifying character
actions. traits.
Students will articulate what they have Teacher will circulate around the classroom
learned about their notable person with their and listen to student conversations for
tablemates. accurate information.
-Student copies of Biography packet
-Who is Abraham Lincoln? (pgs 13-30)
-Student biographies
-Readers workshop notebooks
-Post it notes

Miss Holmes and Miss Baleva will pass out the Students will already have their biography
packets and biographies in their desks when it is time for independent practice.Students will be
instructed to put their biography packets back into their desks along with their biographies at the
end of the lesson and then clean up any supporting books that the children used.

1. To begin the lesson, Miss Holmes will ask the children to get their readers
workshop notebooks and their book bins. Miss Holmes will then ask the children to
respond to the two prompts on the board. (1. Can you think of an event in your childhood
that was impactful in your life? Why was it impactful? 2. Can you think of a character
trait that you have? How do you know you have it?) Miss Holmes will give the students a
few minutes to respond to the questions before asking them to come join her on the carpet
with their notebooks.
2. Miss Holmes will then ask a few students if they would like to share their
responses with the rest of the class. Miss Holmes will take a few student responses and
discuss what this means with the rest of the class. From these discussions, Miss Holmes
and the students will formulate what kinds of events in peoples lives are impactful and
what kinds of events from a persons childhood would be relevant to write about in a
biography. Miss Holmes will then ask the children what kinds of things they should be
looking for in a biography to tell what a persons character traits are (students will most
likely say that they can look for different words like kind, caring, trustworthy, etc.) Miss
Holmes will then tell the children a small anecdote about how her friend bought her a
chocolate bar when she was feeling stressed. Miss Holmes will then ask the children what
would some character traits of my friend be (caring, kind, sympathetic, etc.). Miss
Holmes will then tell the children that we can often times learn about a persons character
traits based on how they act. Miss Holmes will ask the children to be looking out for both
character traits words and actions that describe character traits while they read.
3. Miss Holmes will then read pages 13-30 in Who Was... Abraham Lincoln? While
she is reading, she will stop every time she comes across an impactful event in his
childhood or an action that describes a character trait and use the symbol system that we
learned in the previous day to mark those in my reading so that it is easy for Miss Holmes
to go back and write the information on the bulletin board. Miss Holmes will also ask
children to raise their hands if they hear any other place we should put a sticky for any of
the other symbols.
4. After the read aloud is done she will model the creation of the childhood and
character pages for the class. She will write down all of the things that she had marked in
the book and ask the children if there is anything else that they feel she should add to the
anchor chart paper. If there is not, Miss Holmes will explain that today the children
should be focusing on the childhood and character trait pages in their booklets but that if
they find anything that belongs in the basics that they can go back and add to that page as
well. Miss Holmes will also remind the students that if they had marked anything in what
they read yesterday that belongs in the childhood and character traits pages that they
should be adding that to the pages as well. Miss Holmes, Miss Baleva, and Mrs. Zachow
will circulate during the reading to confer with specific students and give them
compliments and goals during their reading.
5. (Closure) After the work time for the day, Miss Holmes will ask the students to
share what they learned about their notable person with the people at their table. Miss
Holmes will ask the students to make sure that everyone at their table has had a chance to
share. Miss Holmes will then tell the students that the next day they will be reading their
biographies more and trying to find additional information.

-What are some key events that happen in a persons childhood?
-How can a persons actions give us information about their character traits?
-How does a persons childhood affect the rest of their lives?
-What are some good character traits? What are some character traits we want to avoid?
Logistics:
Timing:1 hour
-5 minutes for students to respond to prompt
-5 minutes to go over student responses to prompt
-15 minutes for read aloud and explanation of days activities
-30 minutes of independent reading
-5 minutes for closure and explanation of next days activities
Transitions:
Students will begin the lesson at their desks while answering the prompt in their notebooks. Once
the students are done answering the prompt they will bring their notebooks and sit on the carpet.
Once we are done with our activities on the carpet the students will move back to their seats to
work on their biography packets.
Differentiation
The microphone will be worn for Matthew. The anchor chart from the previous days lesson will
be on display so if students are confused about what symbol to use when doing their markings
they will be able to refer to the chart. Miss Holmes will also model the use of the symbol system
for students who are still confused and will provide individual support for students who are not
using the symbol system. Miss Holmes will also encourage students to sit wherever in the
classroom they feel they will be most successful. If needed for specific students who are off task,
Miss Holmes will ask them to choose a more successful seat. Supplemental materials will also be
available to prevent students from getting too ahead in their books.
Unit Lesson 3
Let Me Tell You More About...
Student Name: Nicole Holmes School Name: Hopewell Elementary School

-What kinds of events shape the people we are today?
-At what point in a persons life do the most impactful events happen? Do they ever stop?
-How does the place a person lives affect their lives?
-How can we use non-fiction text features to help guide our reading?

In the previous lesson, students discussed what kinds of events that happen in a persons
childhood affect how they are as people. Students should understand what constitutes an
impactful event but they may have not realized that important and impactful events can happen
at anytime in a persons life. This will also be the first day that the setting of a persons life is
introduced as something that has an impact on a persons life which may be a new and confusing
thing for the children to grasp. Students have studied non-fiction text features in previous years
but may not remember what they are or how to use them.
Standards:
cause/effect.
Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to
demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate
information relevant to a given topic efficiently.
Students will articulate how setting is Teacher will examine student setting
impactful on a persons life and predict how a worksheets for accuracy in setting
persons life would be different had it taken descriptions and impact.
place in a different setting.
Students will identify several impactful events Teacher will examine each students
in their notable persons life and why they biography packet to check if each student
were impactful. completed the appropriate section with
accuracy.
Students will share the new information that Teacher will examine each students
they have learned with their tablemates. biography packet to check if each student
completed the appropriate section with
accuracy.
-Who is Abraham Lincoln?
-Anchor chart paper
-Biography packets
-Post it notes
-20 copies of setting worksheet

Students will retrieve their book boxes in the beginning of the lesson. After the mini lesson, Miss
Holmes and Miss Baleva will pass out the setting worksheet to each student. When students are
done with the setting worksheet, they will place them in the reading bin. At the end of the lesson,
the students will place their materials back in their desks.

1. Miss Holmes will ask the children to get their readers workshop notebooks out of
their book boxes and ask them to respond to the prompt that is on the board. (At what
point in a persons life do you think the most impactful events happen? Childhood?
Adulthood? At any time? Explain your thinking). Miss Holmes will give the students a
few minutes to respond before asking them to join her on the carpet. Once every student
has made their way to the carpet, Miss Holmes will ask the students to turn and talk to the
person next to them and discuss their answers to the questions. After every child has had
a chance to share with the person next to them, Miss Holmes will ask a few children to
share what they were thinking about the prompt. After the children had had a chance to
share their thinking, Miss Holmes will explain that impactful events can happen at
anytime in a persons life. Miss Holmes will ask the children if they can think of any
events in Who Is... Abraham Lincoln? That impacted his life. Miss Holmes will take a
few responses and then ask the children to be thinking about impactful events in his life
as we continue to read the book.
2. Miss Holmes will tell the children that one of the things we are going to be
focusing on today is the setting of the biographies. Miss Holmes will ask the children for
their definition of the setting. Students may say things like a persons house, country,
school, town, etc. If the students do not suggest time, Miss Holmes will also suggest the
time period as an important characteristic of the setting. Miss Holmes will ask the
children why they think time may be an important characteristic of the setting. Miss
Holmes will take a few responses before she asks the children to also be thinking the
setting while they read Who Is Abraham Lincoln?
3. Miss Holmes will read through Chapters 4 and 5 in Who Is Abraham Lincoln?
Chapter 4 has a map that lists the free states, slave states, and the territories that were
open to slavery at that time period. In the beginning of chapter 4, Miss Holmes will
remind students that setting, the place and time period, are important factors in shaping a
person to who they are. Miss Holmes will ask the children if any of them remember
which state Lincoln is living in in this place in the biography (Illinois). Miss Holmes will
ask the students what kind of state Lincoln was living in (free state). Miss Holmes will
then ask the students if they think if any Lincolns views on slavery or politics would
have been different if he had lived in Texas, for example (a slave state). Miss Holmes will
ask the students to turn and talk with their neighbors about their thoughts. Miss Holmes
will take a few student responses and continue reading. While she is reading, Miss
Holmes will continue to use the symbol system for marking important details while she is
reading.
4. After the read aloud, Miss Holmes will send the students back to their desks to
continue their independent practice with biographies. While they are sitting, Miss Holmes
and Miss Baleva will pass out the setting worksheets that students should complete along
with their packets for the day. On this day, students should be completing the Let Me Tell
You More About which is a vague page where students can put anything they feel is
appropriate whether that be more about their childhood, where they grew up/lived, or the
time period in which they lived. When students finish the setting worksheet, they will
place it in the reading bin and continue to read and work on their packet. Miss Holmes,
Miss Baleva, and Mrs. Zachow will circulate during the reading to confer with specific
students and give them compliments and goals during their reading.
5. (Closure) At the end of the work period, Miss Holmes will ask the students to
place all of their materials back into their reading boxes except for the setting worksheet
which should be placed in the reading bin. Miss Holmes will ask the students to today
share with their tablemates the setting in which their notable person lived in and to think
aloud with their table how their lives may have been different if the person lived in a
different place or in a different place in time, whether that be the present day, further in
the future, or further in the past.

-How does the setting we live in affect who we are?
-How would our lives be different if we lived in a different setting?
-What kinds of events in our lives are influential?
-When do influential events typically happen in our lives?
Logistics:
Timing: 1 hour
5 minutes for prompt response
5 minutes for setting discussion
15 minutes for Lincoln read aloud and discussion
30 minutes for independent work
Transitions:
Students will begin the lesson at their desk while they are completing the prompt response. After
the students are done with the prompt note response, they will take their notebooks and move to
the carpet. Once we are done with the read aloud, students will move back to their seats to
complete the rest of the lesson.
Differentiation
The microphone will be worn for Matthew. The anchor chart from the first day of the unit with
the symbols the students should be using while taking notes will be on display in case the
students forget some of the symbols they can refer to the anchor chart. Miss Holmes will
continue to model the use of the symbol system for added support and will continue to support
students who are not using the symbol system. Miss Holmes will also encourage students to sit
wherever in the classroom they feel they will be most successful. If needed for specific students
who are off task, Miss Holmes will ask them to choose a more successful seat. Supplemental
materials will also be available to prevent students from getting too ahead in their books.
Unit Lesson 4
Real-life Obstacles
Student Name: Nicole Holmes School Name:Hopewell Elementary School


-How can we experience obstacles?
-Can we use strategies to help us overcome obstacles?
-How does how we handle an obstacle say about who we are as people?
-Does experiencing obstacles make us stronger people?
-Are obstacles easier to overcome if we have a support system?

Students may believe that an obstacle has to be something big such as overcoming a racial
boundary or being the first person to do something after much push back from other people.
However, students should understand that everyone struggles and goes through obstacles of their
own and that our obstacles no matter how big or small shape who we are as people.
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
Students will work collaboratively to Teachers stationed at each activity will

overcome different obstacles. examine the behavior of the children to see if
they are working collaboratively to overcome
their obstacles.
Students will identify what the benefits are to Teacher will examine student responses on
overcoming an obstacle with a support homework worksheet about obstacles to
system. examine their thinking about collaboratively
working to overcome obstacles.
Students will describe what kinds of strategies Teacher will examine student responses on
they used to overcome their obstacles. homework worksheet to evaluate the different
strategies students used to overcome
obstacles.
Students will be able to define what an Teacher will evaluate student responses on the
obstacle is and how it affected their lives. homework worksheet for thoroughness and
logical thinking.
-20 copies of obstacles worksheet
-Rope
-Hula-hoops
-2 buckets
-Tennis balls
-http://www.ventureteambuilding.co.uk/team-building-activities/ (activities website)

Miss Holmes and Miss Baleva will set up all of these games outside while the children are a
lunch which is a few hours before the lesson. A few minutes before the lesson, Miss Holmes will
go outside to check if every station is still set up correctly. At the end of all of the games, Miss
Holmes and Miss Baleva will gather all of the materials and bring them inside. Miss Holmes will
pass out the homework worksheet to each childs cubby.
All Aboard
All aboard is easy to run and effective team based challenge, where the group have to fit inside a
defined space (using either a rope or a tarpaulin). Once the group has achieved this, the size of
the area decreases, becoming smaller and smaller over time.
Human Knot
Starting in a circle, participants connect hands with two others people in the group to form the
human knot. As a team they must then try to unravel the human knot by untangling themselves
without breaking the chain of hands.
Loop-De-Loop
The team stand in a circle and hold hands. Start one hula-hoop hanging (or bungee) over one pair
of joined hands. Each person in the circle must pass the hoop/loop over him/herself and onto the
next person whilst staying connected at all times.
Move Tennis Balls
The group is split into two teams who race as a team one by one to get as many tennis balls into
their bucket as possible.
Lava Flow
The objective of the activity is to get all team members safely across the lava flow. Participants
cannot touch the lava and therefore must use platforms provided to cross to safety.
1. Miss Holmes will begin the lesson by bringing all of the children to the carpet.
She will ask the children to raise their hands if they know what the word obstacle means.
Miss Holmes will take a few students responses while asking the other students if they
agree or disagree. Miss Holmes will then write the student generated definition of the
word obstacle on the board for children to refer to. Miss Holmes will then ask the
students if they think obstacles are only physical or mental or if someone can overcome
both kinds of obstacles? Miss Holmes will take a few students responses to this question.
Miss Holmes will then ask the children if they can think of any strategies people use to
overcome obstacles (study harder for a test, count to 10 to control anger, do 5 more
pushups than you think you can do) by turning and talking to their neighbors. Miss
Holmes will take a few student responses and write these strategies on the board. Miss
Holmes will then tell the children that today to experience what it is like to overcome
obstacles we are going to go through an obstacle course.
2. Miss Holmes will tell the children that there are a few things they should talk
about before we go outside to overcome the obstacles. Miss Holmes will ask what
sportsmanship is and take a few student responses to that question. She will then ask why
sportsmanship is important and take a few more student responses to that question. Miss
Holmes will add that the people in their biographies are not famous for their
unsportsmanlike behavior while facing obstacles but rather they are famous for how they
handled their obstacles with fairness and understanding. Miss Holmes will explain that
they need to work with their groups to overcome the obstacles and to use different
strategies if they get frustrated by the progress. Miss Holmes will tell the children that if a
teacher needs to talk to them more than once about their unsportsmanlike behavior that
they will need to sit out from the activity. After this explanation, Miss Holmes will tell
the children what groups they will be in for the first 3 activities (Group 1:Delainey.,
Augie, Eve, Kirthi, Maddie, Lena; Group 2: Gracie C., Emily, Anu, Chris, Ethan, Myla;
Group 3: Matthew, Kate D., Jake, Sara, Katie M., Aniyha). Miss Holmes will give each
child a ribbon with a color that matches their team number (Group 1: red; Group 2: blue;
Group 3: green). Miss Holmes will tell the children that the red team is starting at the
station with the rope (All Aboard), blue team is starting at the station with nothing at it
(Human knot), and green team is starting at the station with the tennis balls (move tennis
balls)
3. (Find the explanation of each station above) At each station there will be a teacher
who will explain the rules of the game to the students (Miss Holmes: all aboard; Miss
Baleva: human knot; Mrs. Zachow; move tennis balls). Students will have 10 minutes at
each station to play the game as thoroughly as possible. Students will be reminded that if
they do not get a turn at one station that they will be one of the first ones to go at the next
station. Students will rotate to the left until they have had a chance to play all three games
and the 30 minutes is up.
4. After the students have had a chance to play each of the station games, Miss
Holmes will tell them that we have two more games to play as a whole class (Loop-De-
Loop and Lava Flow). We will play Loop-De-Loop first and Miss Holmes will explain
the rules. This game will go on for 10 minutes or until the hula hoop is back on the
person it started with. The next game is lava flow and Miss Holmes will explain this
game. This game will also go on for 10 minutes or until each person has made it across
the lava. After these two games, Mrs. Zachow will line the students up to go inside while
Miss Holmes and Miss Baleva clean up the materials.
5. (Closure) Once everyone is back inside, Miss Holmes will address the students at
their desks before they begin to pack up for the day. Miss Holmes will ask the students
how they felt while overcoming their own obstacles today. Miss Holmes will take a few
students responses. Miss Holmes will then ask the children if they think it was easier or
harder to overcome their obstacles with the support system of their team. Miss Holmes
will take a few students responses before ending the days lesson.

-What is an obstacle?
-Is an obstacle a physical or mental challenge?
-What are some strategies we can use when overcoming an obstacle?
-Are obstacles easier or harder to overcome when we have a support system?
Logistics:
Timing: 1 hour total
10 minutes for obstacle discussion and day explanation
10 minutes at each game station (30 minutes)
10 minutes at whole glass game stations (20 minutes)
Transitions:
The students will begin the lesson at the carpet while we are engaged in the discussion about
obstacles but will spend the rest of the time during the lesson outside playing the games.
This is a lesson that will heavily rely on classroom management. Miss Holmes will have a
whistle for the outside portion of the lesson so she is able to get all of the childrens attention
outside effectively. Miss Holmes will also prime the students to be thinking about good
sportsmanship before the games begin but if students are acting unsportsmanlike they will sit
out. There will be a teacher at each game station to monitor the behavior of the children and to
make sure the children are playing the game correctly. Students will be reminded that they
should be cheering their teammates on because support helps people overcome their obstacles.
Miss Holmes will remind students that we are only outside to play games and for no other reason
so students should be with their groups at all times even if they are not currently playing the
game.
Differentiation
There are a multitude of different activities with some being more physical and some more
mental so there is a game that every child will excel at. There will be a teacher at each station to
help children if they do not understand the rules of the game or if they are not playing correctly.
Teachers will scaffold the correct behavior until the game is able to run smoothly. There will be a
close eye kept on some of the students who can get competitive (Katie M.) and another eye kept
on those students who sometimes get off task and fool around (Augie, Jake, Chris). The students
have been grouped so that these students are not together.
Unit Lesson 5
Overcoming Obstacles
Student Name: Nicole Holmes School Name: Hopewell Elementary School

-How do obstacles motivate us?
-Do people have to struggle to be successful?
-Do we respect people who struggle more for their success more than people who do not
struggle?
-Why are our failures important to our success?
-Does the way we work through obstacles say anything about our character?

Students will have experiences with what an obstacle is and how people overcome their obstacles
from the previous days obstacle course. Students will have thought about how their struggles
made them stronger people and what kinds of strategies people come up with to help them
overcome their obstacles. Students have been making note of the different obstacles their notable
person has face throughout their reading using the symbol system.
Standards:
cause/effect.
Students will make an argument for whether Teacher will examine the students notebooks
or not overcoming obstacles makes a person for an articulate and logical argument.
more successful or not.
Students will identify specific obstacles that Teacher will examine student biography
their notable figures had to face. packets for an accurate definition of what an
obstacle is.
-Who is Abraham Lincoln?
-Biography packets
-Post it notes

The students will collect their reading book boxes and bring them to their desks when the lesson
starts. The students will be responsible for their own materials throughout the lesson. At the end
of the lesson, the students will place all of their materials back into the book boxes and will clean
up for the day.

1. To begin the lesson, Miss Holmes will ask the students to take out their readers
workshop notebooks and respond to the prompt that is on the board. (Do you think that a
person who has had to overcome more obstacles is more successful than a person who
did not have to overcome any obstacles?). Miss Holmes will give the students a few
minutes to respond to the prompt and instruct the students that once they are done that
they should take their notebooks and join her on the carpet. Miss Holmes will then ask a
few students to share their ideas and question their thinking (whether they agree or
disagree with the prompt).
2. Miss Holmes will then ask the children if they can think of any examples of
obstacles that Abraham Lincoln has faced (his mother dying, his child dying, losing
several elections). Miss Holmes will ask the children to turn and talk about how they
think these different obstacles affected Lincolns life and if they think his life would be
any different if he did not have to overcome these obstacles in his life. Miss Holmes will
take a few student responses to this question. After this, she will then ask the children if
they would consider Lincoln a successful person if he did not have to overcome the
obstacles he overcame. Miss Holmes will take a few student responses and then ask the
rest of the class what they think. Miss Holmes will then ask the children to be thinking
about obstacles while we read Who Is Abraham Lincoln? And how his struggles shaped
his presidency.
3. Miss Holmes will then do a read aloud of Chapters 6 and 7 in Who Is Abraham
Lincoln? While she is reading, Miss Holmes will continue to use the symbol system that
was taught on the first day of the unit to help she and the students keep track of all of the
different categories of details in the biography. While she is reading she will stop anytime
there is a new obstacle introduced and will ask the children to turn and talk to their
neighbor about how this obstacle affected Lincolns life and how his life may have been
different if he did not have to overcome this obstacle.
4. After the read aloud is complete, Miss Holmes will tell the children that today in
their packets they should be focusing on the obstacle section of the booklets. Miss
Holmes will remind them that if they had found any other obstacles in previous sections
of their biographies that they can include those in this page as well. However, Miss
Holmes will tell the student that they do not have to include every single obstacle that
their notable figure overcame but just a few that they think are the most important ones.
Miss Holmes will also remind the students to keep using the symbol system in their
readings for today as they may find some more details they can include in a previous
section of the packet. Miss Holmes will then send the students back to their desks so that
they can work independently. Miss Holmes and Miss Baleva will circulate around the
room to make sure that the students are using the symbol system and to assist any
students who may be confused on the symbol system or any of the other activities. Miss
Holmes, Miss Baleva, and Mrs. Zachow will circulate during the reading to confer with
specific students and give them compliments and goals during their reading.
5. (Closure) At the end of the lesson, Miss Holmes will ask the students to place all
of their materials back inside of their book boxes and place any supplemental materials
they may have used on the back table. Once the students have cleaned up all of the
materials they have used that day, Miss Holmes will ask the students to share what
obstacles that they notable person had to overcome in their lives and how they affected
their lives. Miss Holmes and Miss Baleva will circulate around the room to make sure
that every student has a chance to participate and to make sure the students are on task.

-Are people who overcome more obstacles more successful?
-How do the obstacle we overcome shape our lives?
-Does how we overcome our obstacles and what strategies we use shape us as people?
Logistics:
Timing: 1 hour
5 minutes for prompt response
5 minutes for discussion of prompt notes
15 minutes for read aloud with discussion
30 minutes for independent work time
Transitions:
Students will begin the lesson at their desk while they are completing the the prompt response.
After the students are done with the prompt response they will take their readers workshop
notebooks and move to the carpet. Once we are done with the read aloud, students will move
back to their seats to complete the rest of the lesson.
Differentiation:
The microphone will be worn for Matthew. The anchor chart from the first day of the unit with
the symbols the students should be using while taking notes will be on display in case the
students forget some of the symbols they can refer to the anchor chart. Miss Holmes will
continue to model the use of the symbol system for added support and will continue to support
students who are not using the symbol system. Miss Holmes will also encourage students to sit
wherever in the classroom they feel they will be most successful. If needed for specific students
who are off task, Miss Holmes will ask them to choose a more successful seat. Supplemental
materials will also be available to prevent students from getting too ahead in their books.
Unit Lesson 6
Amazing Accomplishments
Student Name: Desi Baleva School Name: Hopewell Elementary


-What are some ways we can explore the major accomplishments of an impactful individual?
-What are some ways we can explore the way this person contributed to our world?
-How can we identify essential accomplishments as compared to non-essential or not notable
accomplishments of an individual?
-What are some ways we can explore information in a text and find the purposeful information?
Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge

This lesson will be a continuation of the booklet that the students have been working on. They
will have explored the basics about their individual, their characteristics, childhood, obstacles
and any other childhood or life events with Nicole. The students will also be able to identify and
distinguish between essential and nonessential details of a text which will be a part of Nicoles
strategy lesson. This lesson will focus on the amazing accomplishments of the individual as well
as the purposeful reading strategy of a text.
Standards:
RL. 3. 1. Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to
the text as the basis for the answers.
RL. 3. 2. Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine
the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the
text.
RL. 3. 4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing
literal from nonliteral language.
RI. 6. 9. Compare and contrast one authors presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a
memoir written by and a biography on the same person)

The students will identify what an The teacher will assess the students verbal
accomplishment means as well as what some ability to come up with a definition of a word
notable accomplishments are. as well as identify notable accomplishments
of an individual.
The students will engage in purposeful The teacher will assess the students ability to
reading while utilizing their nonfiction find purposeful information out of a text after
biography text, with the support and the mini-lesson and their ability to correctly
assistance of the teacher. write the information in the booklet.
-The Booklet
-Selected Who Is? Book
-Pencils
-Sticky notes

The students will already have the Booklet and their selected Who Is? Book in their desks
from the previous week. They will utilize pencils from their desks as usual and be handed out
sticky notes by Ms. Baleva in order to mark any important details in the text. The students will
be asked to utilize sticky notes and use the symbol system to mark important information. The
clean-up will be completed by Ms. Baleva with the assistance of Ms. Holmes and the students
will be instructed to put their books and booklets in their desks for utilization on the next day.

1. Ms. Baleva will introduce the lesson by telling students Yesterday, we explored the
obstacles of your individual and today, we will be exploring the accomplishments of your
individual. She will be asking students what an accomplishment is and write ideas on the
board. The students will be asked to provide examples of notable accomplishments, such as
advocated for civil rights or freed the slaves.
2. Ms. Baleva will then model finding accomplishments of Abraham Lincoln in the mentor
text and model filling the booklet out as the text is read aloud to the students. Ms. Baleva will
read Chapter 8 (page 72-79) and Chapter 9 (pages 80- pages 91). The Booklet will be utilized by
Ms. Baleva and Ms. Holmes during the unit and the mini-lessons and will be filled out and
utilized as the text is read. Key vocabulary words will be pointed out and discussed. The major
accomplishments of Lincoln will be discussed, such as His Emancipation Proclamation freed
the slaves and He was one of the nations greatest presidents. Ms. Baleva will demonstrate
and model utilizing sticky notes in order to mark important information and jot notes down about
the accomplishments of the individual as the text is read. The symbol system that Ms. Holmes
has introduced will be utilized and modeled in the lesson.
3. The students will then be asked to work independently on their own Amazing
Accomplishments page with the assistance of Ms. Baleva and Ms. Holmes. They will be asked
to sticky note, as demonstrated, any important information they come across in the text utilizing
the symbols and then write it into their booklet.
4. As a closure, some of the students will be asked to share the accomplishments that their
individual did with the class. Ms. Baleva will conclude the lesson by telling students Today, we
learned about the accomplishments of your individual and tomorrow, we will explore the
influential people of their lives. Ms. Baleva will reveal the accomplishments of Lincoln, as
shown on the bulletin board.
Develop Background Knowledge

For developing background knowledge, I will model utilizing the book Nicole and I are using
which will be Who Was Abraham Lincoln?. I will tell students that when finding purposeful
information in a text, it is important to distinguish between essential and non-essential details,
which they will already know from Nicoles strategy lesson. The students will be asked to find
purposeful information in the nonfiction text by answering the various questions in the booklet
and looking for the information in the book provided. I will gauge their knowledge by asking
them what various features of a biography are and what they mean. Then, I will demonstrate
finding purposeful information in the text. The students will be asked How can we find
purposeful information in a text? and what are some places in a book that contain purposeful
information?.
Discuss the Strategy

I will explain that our Finding Purposeful Information Strategy will help us find information
from the book and answer the various questions and features of a biography in the booklet. The
students will be asked to summarize text by writing notes in the margins and paraphrasing
information as well as asking themselves what they are reading to ensure understanding. This
will help students find the important information in the text. The students will also be asked to
raise their hand and ask for assistance as needed and verbally tell a partner or the teacher a fact
they learned about their person at hand. The students knowledge will be assessed by their ability
to find purposeful and essential information about their person.
Model
For modeling, I will pull up the packet on the document cam and find purposeful information
while reading our Abraham Lincoln book. I will demonstrate finding purposeful information and
finding the answers to the questions in the book in front of the students in order to show how
they should also find purposeful information out of their nonfiction text. I will model stopping,
thinking about the importance of words and summarizing out loud in order to show students how
to gain meaning and find the essence of texts. The students will verbally discuss the importance
of Abraham Lincolns life with the teacher and then go on their own.
Memorize
The class will memorize the strategy and repeat together: See it, Summarize it, Remember it,
Write it Down!
Support the Strategy

I will ask students to read the next chapter of my book in pairs in order to practice by strategy
and find purposeful information. I will walk around and provide assistance and ensure
comprehension of the text and assess their ability of finding purposeful information. The students
will then share with the class what kind of information they found based on the nonfiction text
and the ways they answered the questions at hand.
Independent Practice
The students will be asked to read their nonfiction book and find purposeful information in the
text and answer questions based on the strategy.

-What are some examples of notable accomplishments? What are accomplishments worth
mentioning or remembering about an individual?
-What are some ways we can explore a nonfiction text in order to find the information we need?
-What are some ways your individual contributed to this world? What kind of legacy did they
leave behind?
Logistics:
Timing: (2:30-3:30)
Mini-lesson (20 minutes)
Independent exploration (40 minutes)
Transitions:
The lesson will begin with a mini-lesson at the students desks. The students will be handed
sticky notes and be asked to stay seated as the mini-lesson is taught and the mentor text is
explored. The students will then be asked to get up and get their materials and explore their own
biographical text. At the end of the lesson, the students will be asked to pack up for home and be
dismissed by table.
The students attention will be brought back to Ms. Baleva by utilizing techniques such as 1-2-3
eyes on me, sh, sh, sh and holy moly- guacamole and hands on top, that means stop. Ms.
Baleva will ensure that the students are following directions and walk around in order to provide
assistance throughout the lesson.
Differentiation
The microphone will be utilized for Matthew. If students like Augie, Jake or Christopher are not
able to focus and pay attention, they will be asked to turn their attention back to the activity. Ms.
Baleva will walk around and provide assistance to the students, with the help of Ms. Holmes. If
students are done with their page, they will be asked to grab an extra biography and look for the
information within that text. If they cannot find the information that is being asked of them, they
will be asked to look at supplemental sources, such as the additional books and online sites and
look for it.
Unit Lesson 7
Very Important People


-What are some ways we can explore the people who have played a part or made an influence in
this persons life?
-What are some ways we can explore the way that the individuals affected the persons life?
-How can we identify and find the important people in the persons life?
-What are some ways we can explore and illustrate this information, including making a list,
drawing a picture or writing to explain?

will have explored the basics about their individual, their characteristics, childhood, obstacles,
any other childhood or life events and amazing accomplishments. The students will also be able
to identify and distinguish between essential and nonessential details of a text which will be a
part of Nicoles strategy lesson. They will have learned about the accomplishments of the
individual as well as purposeful reading on the previous day. This lesson will focus on the
important people that have played a role or made an influence in this persons life and will allow
students the freedom of expressing themselves on this page.
Standards:
RI. 3. 2. Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support
the main idea.
RF. 3. 4. A. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
SL. 3. 1. C. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and
link their comments to the remarks of others.
The students will be asked to identify an The teacher will assess the writing of the
individual in their life that has impacted their students and their ability to find and verbally
life in a significant way and write about it. discuss an impactful individual of their own
life.
The students will explore their text and find The teacher will assess the students ability to
impactful individuals of their selected find purposeful information within a
individual. The students will be given the nonfiction text and correctly record it.
freedom to either make a list, draw or write
about the impactful individuals.
-The Booklet
-Pencils
-Sticky notes
-Colored Pencils
-Crayons

from the previous day. They will utilize pencils from their desks as usual and be handed out
sticky notes by Ms. Baleva in order to mark any important details in the text. They will be
allowed to utilize colored pencils or crayons on their desks for the completion of the page. The

1. Ms. Baleva will introduce the lesson by asking students who the important people are in
their lives that have made an influence. She will ask the students to quickly jot down a short one
or two sentence excerpt about how this individual shaped their lives and then have a couple of
students share. Then, the students will share their influential person and discuss what
influential means and how individuals influence one another.
2. Ms. Baleva will tell students Yesterday, we discussed the accomplishments of your
individual. What is an accomplishment? Today we will discuss the influential people of your
person.
3. Ms. Baleva will then model finding the important people of Abraham Lincolns life in the
mentor text and model filling the booklet out as the text is read aloud to the students. Ms. Baleva
will read Chapter 10 (page 92 to page 99). Key vocabulary words will be pointed out and
discussed. The important people in Lincolns life will be discussed and so will their impact and
influence. Ms. Baleva will demonstrate and model utilizing sticky notes and the symbol system
in order to mark important information and jot notes down about the important people of the
individual as the text is read. She will also model drawing a picture to illustrate the important
people and explain to the students that they can make a list, draw a picture with a caption or
write to explain some of the important people in this persons life on this page.
4. The students will then be asked to work independently on their own VIP {Very
Important People} page with the assistance of Ms. Baleva and Ms. Holmes. They will be asked
to sticky note, as demonstrated, any important information they come across in the text and then
write it into their booklet. The students will also be asked to either make a list, draw a picture or
write about the people that have made an impact in their individuals life.
5. As a closure, the students will be asked to verbally discuss the individuals that have impacted
their person and the way they have illustrated this on the page. Ms. Baleva will conclude by
saying Today, we explored the influential people of your person. Tomorrow, we will discuss the
lessons we can learn from your individual and the way they have changed the world for the
better.
6. Ms. Baleva will reveal the people that have influenced Lincoln, as shown on the bulletin
board.

-What are some examples of important people? What are some ways that an individual can play
a part of make an influence in another persons life?
-What are some ways we can explore a nonfiction text in order to find the information we need?
-What are some ways your individual was affected by another individual? Is the way they were
impacted similar or different than the way your impactful individual influenced you?
Logistics:
Timing: (2:30-3:30)
Transitions:
biographical text. The students will be asked to only get up if they have to sharpen pencils but to
keep focused and stay seated while working on their booklet. At the end of the lesson, the
students will be asked to pack up for home and be dismissed by table.
Differentiation
look for it.
Unit Lesson 8
Lessons We Can Learn


-What are some ways we can explore the themes, lessons and messages of a book?
-What lessons can we learn from an individual?
-How can we identify essential details concerning an individuals life? What are some
worthwhile themes, lessons and messages we can explore?

any other childhood or life events, amazing accomplishments, the very important people of the
individual and the impactful individuals of the person. The students will also be able to identify
and distinguish between essential and nonessential details of a text as well as have learned the
purposeful reading strategy. They will have learned about the impactful individuals of the
persons life on the previous day. This lesson will focus on the lessons we can learn from the
individual and how this can impact our own lives.
Standards:
RL. 3. 3. Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain
how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
RL. 3. 6. Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
SL. 3. 2. Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information
presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
W. 3. 8. Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital
sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
The students will identify what lessons we The teacher will assess the students ability to
can learn from impactful individuals and how verbally discuss the lessons we can learn from
this can affect our own lives. impactful individuals and how this can affect
our lives.
The students will explore their text and The teacher will assess the students ability to
answer guiding questions concerning the life accurately conclude what lessons their
lessons this person learned, what we can learn impactful individual learned as well as what
from this person and the possible themes of they learned. The teacher will assess the
this book. The students will be asked to students ability to utilize evidence and
provide evidence and examples from the text examples from the text to support their
to support their thinking. thinking and identify the theme of the text.
-The Booklet
-Pencils
-Sticky notes

allowed to utilize colored pencils or crayons on their desks for the completion of the page. The

1. Ms. Baleva will introduce the lesson by telling students Yesterday, we discussed the
influential people of your person. Today, we will explore the lessons we can learn from your
individual and how they changed the world for the better. Ms. Baleva will ask students what
lessons we can learn from our impactful individuals and how this information will impact our
day to day lives.
2. Ms. Baleva will then model finding the lessons we can learn from Abraham Lincolns life
in the mentor text and model filling the booklet out as the text is read aloud to the students. Key
vocabulary words will be pointed out and discussed. The life lessons Lincoln learned, what life
lessons we can learn from this person and the possible themes of the book will be discussed. Ms.
Baleva will demonstrate and model utilizing sticky notes and the symbol system in order to mark
important information and jot notes down lessons we can learn of the individual as the text is
read. She will also model writing about the life lessons Lincoln learned, what we learned and the
themes of the book. Ms. Baleva will model giving evidence and examples from the text to
support her thinking.
3. Ms. Baleva will discuss that when someone has a biography written about them, this is
because they have done something big or most important enough for people in the world to take
notice. This means that they have probably done something admirable that sets an example for
other people. She will discuss that as a reader, we can learn life lessons and pay attention to
themes found in biographies. When thinking about the theme, we can ask ourselves what
messages we can learn from how the person responds to trouble or obstacles in their way? What
can we learn from the mistakes the person makes? Do the pictures send a message? Ms. Baleva
will then provide examples of themes, such as it takes courage to take courage, when people
believe in you, it helps you believe in yourself and small actions have big consequences.
4. Ms. Baleva will provide thinking and journaling prompts for theme, such as I learned from
__ that sometimes people ___ but instead people should ____, I learned from ___ that life, it is
important to ____. Even if you ___, you should ___, ___ teaches us not only about ___ but
also about ____ and when I first read about ____, I thought ____, but now I realize _____.
5. The students will then be asked to work independently on their own Lessons We Can Learn
page with the assistance of Ms. Baleva and Ms. Holmes. They will be asked to sticky note, as
demonstrated, any important information they come across in the text and then write it into their
booklet. The students will be asked to write about what their individual learned, what they
learned, and the themes of the book and utilize evidence and examples from the text to support
their thinking.
6. As a closure, the students will be asked to share what lessons they learned from their
individual and the themes and messages that were present in their book as well as how this will
affect their lives. Ms. Baleva will conclude the lesson by stating Today, we explored the lessons
we can learn from influential individuals. Tomorrow, we will explore the top 10 things you
should know about your specific individuals.
7. Ms. Baleva will reveal the lessons we can learn from Lincoln, as shown on the bulletin board.

-What are some lessons we can learn from impactful individuals?
-How can we apply these lessons to our own lives?
-What are some messages, themes or lessons you saw in your nonfiction text?
-What are some ways we can support our thinking by including examples and evidence from the
text?
Logistics:
Timing: (2:30-3:30)
Transitions:
Differentiation
look for it.
Unit Lesson 9
Top 10 Things You Should Know About


-What are the 10 most important things about an individual that we can explore?
-How can we distinguish between essential and nonessential details about the individuals life?
-Where can we find purposeful information about the individual in the text?

individual, the impactful individuals of the person and the lessons we can learn. The students will
also be able to identify and distinguish between essential and nonessential details of a text as
well as have learned the purposeful reading strategy. They will have written about the lessons we
can learn from the person on the previous day. This lesson will focus on the top 10 things you
should know about their selected individual.
Standards:
the main idea.
RI. 3. 7. Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a
text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events
occur).
The students will discuss purposeful and The teacher will assess the students ability to
essential information about individuals, such verbally discuss essential and purposeful
as their date of birth, childhood, obstacles and details of individuals lives.
accomplishments.
The students will explore their text and create The teacher will assess the students ability to
a poster containing a list of the most important select the most important information and
facts about this person. include it in their poster. The teacher will
assess the students ability to verbally discuss
and present their selected individual to their
table.
-The Booklet
-Pencils
-Sticky notes
-Colored Pencils
-Markers
-Crayons

allowed to utilize colored pencils, crayons or markers on their desks for the completion of the
poster. The clean-up will be completed by Ms. Baleva with the assistance of Ms. Holmes and the
students will be instructed to put their books and booklets in their desks for utilization on the
next day.

1. Ms. Baleva will introduce the lesson by telling students Yesterday, we explored the
lessons we can learn from your individual. Today, we will be exploring the top 10 things you
should know about your specific person. Ms. Baleva will ask students what can be included in a
top 10 things you should know about my selected individual. Ms. Baleva will record the
students responses on the board and discuss that the most essential or purposeful information
about an individual includes their date of birth, childhood, obstacles and accomplishments. The
students will be allowed to also include lessons they learned and other essential information.
2. Ms. Baleva will discuss what distinguishes information from being essential and being
nonessential. The students will discuss purposeful reading and how they can look through their
book, sticky notes (symbols) and packet in order to find information to include in their poster.
3. Ms. Baleva will then model finding the 10 things about Abraham Lincolns life in the
mentor text and model filling the booklet out as the text is read aloud to the students. Key
vocabulary words will be pointed out and discussed. Ms. Baleva will model compiling a list of
important facts about this person, from either the sticky notes or from flipping through their
packet or book. Ms. Baleva will show the poster that she has created about Abraham Lincoln as
an example.
4. The students will then be asked to work independently on their own Top 10 things you
should know about poster with the assistance of Ms. Baleva and Ms. Holmes. They will be
asked to look through their packet, book or sticky notes in order to find the most important
information.
5. The students will also be asked to fill out their Top 10 Things You Should Know
About page.
6. If there is time, as a closure, the students will be asked to present their posters to their
group and discuss the major obstacles, accomplishments and details of their selected individual.
Ms. Baleva will conclude by telling students Today, we explored the top 10 things you should
know about my specific individual and we learned about some of our classmates influential
people. Tomorrow, we will be exploring how to make a timeline and what should be included in
a timeline about a persons life.

-How can we apply these lessons to our own lives?
-What are the top 10 things about your individual? What is information that is essential to know
about this individual?
Logistics:
Timing: (2:30-3:30)
Independent exploration and creation of poster (40 minutes)
Transitions:
Differentiation
information within that text. They will be asked to decorate their poster and make it look nice
and neat. The students will be asked to follow classroom procedure when working with the
materials.
Unit Lesson 10
The Life and Times of


-How can we illustrate a persons life on a timeline?
-What are the essential details that should be included in a timeline about an individual?
-How can we find essential details to include in a timeline of an individual? Where will those
details be included?

individual, the impactful individuals of the person, the lessons we can learn as well as the top 10
things you should know about the individual. The students will also be able to identify and
distinguish between essential and nonessential details of a text as well as have learned the
purposeful reading strategy. They will have written the top ten things about their individual on
the previous day. This lesson will focus on the life and times of the individual, as illustrated on a
timeline.
Standards:
the main idea.
RI. 3. 9. Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts
on the same topic.
The students will explore and identify what The teacher will assess the students ability to
events should go on a timeline about an identify vital details about an individual that
individual and what order the events should should be included on a timeline as well as
be in. their ability to identify where they can find
these details.
The students will create a timeline about their The teacher will assess the students ability to
individual which will include important identify essential information about their
details. They will also be asked to identify individual and find when it happened and
how their person changed the world for the include it on their timeline. The teacher will
better. They will also be asked to share the also assess the students ability to identify how
important details about their individual. their person changed the world.
-The Booklet
-Pencils
-Sticky notes
-Colored Pencils
-Markers
-Crayons
allowed to utilize colored pencils, crayons or markers on their desks for the completion of the
timeline. The clean-up will be completed by Ms. Baleva with the assistance of Ms. Holmes and
the students will be instructed to put their books and booklets in their desks for utilization on the
next day.

1. Ms. Baleva will introduce the lesson by telling individuals Yesterday, we discussed the
top 10 things you should know about your specific individual. Today, we will explore the life and
times of the specific person by creating a timeline. Ms. Baleva will ask students what should be
included in a timeline about an individual. She will introduce important vocabulary words such
as chronological. Ms. Baleva will discuss that a timeline includes the events of a persons life
in a chronological order.
2. Ms. Baleva will discuss what distinguishes information from being essential and being
nonessential. The students will discuss purposeful reading and how they can look through their
book, sticky notes (symbols) and packet in order to find information to include in their timeline.
The students will also be encouraged to look for specific dates that events have occurred, such as
when the individual was born or when significant accomplishments occurred.
3. Ms. Baleva will then model finding significant events in Lincolns life in the mentor text
and model filling the booklet out as the text is read aloud to the students. Key vocabulary words
will be pointed out and discussed. Ms. Baleva will model compiling a list of important events
that have occurred from flipping through the book, sticky notes and their packet. Ms. Baleva will
complete her own Life and Times timeline with significant events as a model for the students.
Ms. Baleva will show students page 102 of the Abraham Lincoln book, which shows a
completed timeline of his life.
4. Ms. Baleva will also model and discuss the back cover, which is to be completed. The
back cover will be filled in with information about Lincoln, and will ask students to give a final
message about how the person changed the world for the better. Ms. Baleva will state that
Lincoln was one of the nations greatest presidents and write the reasons why.
5. The students will then be asked to work independently on their own Life and Times
page with the assistance of Ms. Baleva and Ms. Holmes. They will be asked to look through their
packet, book or sticky notes in order to find the most important information. The students will
also be asked to complete the back cover of the booklet, which will ask about a final message
they have about how the person changed the world for the better.
6. As a culminating activity, the students will be asked to go to the carpet and sit in a circle.
They will be asked to share their timelines with the class and discuss important events in their
individuals life as well as a final message about how their person changed the world. The
students will be asked what they liked learning about and things they learned about biographies.
Ms. Baleva will present a slideshow of pictures that have been taken throughout the unit.
7. Ms. Baleva will conclude the lesson by stating Today, we discussed the life and times of your
specific individual by creating a timeline. We also discussed the way this person changed the
world for the better. Biographies are important to read about because they teach us life lessons
and inspire us to do great thing in our own lives. These two weeks and the books we explored
taught us lessons and messages that we will remember forever.
-What details should be included in a timeline about the individual? What order should these
events be in?
-What are significant events that should be included in a timeline?
-What are some ways individuals change the world for the better?
Logistics:
Timing: (2:30-3:30)
Independent exploration and creation of timeline (30 minutes)
Culminating Activity (20 minutes)
Transitions:
keep focused and stay seated while working on their booklet. The students will be asked to go to
the carpet for the culminating activity. At the end of the lesson, the students will be asked to pack
up for home and be dismissed by table.
Differentiation
look for it.

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Unit Lesson 1

Basic Information about a Notable Person

Student Name: Nicole Holmes School Name: Hopewell Elementary

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge (ex. background knowledge,

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

Learning Objectives Assessments

Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

Step by Step plan (numbered):

Key Questions (that you will ask):

Student Name: Nicole Holmes School Name:Hopewell Elementary School

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge (ex. background knowledge,

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

Learning Objectives Assessment

Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

Step by Step plan (numbered):

Key Questions (that you will ask):

Student Name: Nicole Holmes School Name: Hopewell Elementary School

Grade Level: 3rd Host Teachers Name: Mrs. Zachow

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge (ex. background knowledge,

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

Learning Objectives Assessment

Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

Step by Step plan (numbered):

Key Questions (that you will ask):

Student Name: Nicole Holmes School Name:Hopewell Elementary School

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge (ex. background knowledge,

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

Learning Objectives Assessment

Students will work collaboratively to Teachers stationed at each activity will

Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

Move Tennis Balls

Step by Step plan (numbered):

Key Questions (that you will ask):

Student Name: Nicole Holmes School Name: Hopewell Elementary School

Grade Level: 3rd Host Teachers Name: Mrs. Zachow

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge (ex. background knowledge,

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

Learning Objectives Assessment

Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

Step by Step plan (numbered):

Key Questions (that you will ask):

Student Name: Desi Baleva School Name: Hopewell Elementary

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

Step by Step plan (numbered):

Develop Background Knowledge

Discuss the Strategy

Support the Strategy

Key Questions (that you will ask):

Student Name: Desi Baleva School Name: Hopewell Elementary

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

Learning Objectives Assessment

Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

Step by Step plan (numbered):