1
LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Language Arts Strand Project
Olivia Bickoff
School of Education, Liberty University
EDLC 632: Literacy Language Instruction
Dr. Vanessa Chapman
Author Note
Olivia Bickoff
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Olivia Bickoff.
Email: obickoff@liberty.edu
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Abstract
This language arts strand project focuses on teaching third-grade students about women
in history, using the six language arts. This strand will include all six language arts (listening,
talking, reading, writing, viewing, and visual representation) so that student activities will be
varied during their women of history unit. Throughout this unit, students will read a variety of
texts that will have them working on numerous skills, including how to compare two nonfiction
characters, and summarizing the main points of a story. They will also use technology to create a
visual presentation to go along with their written report. Each activity in this unit is designed to
work on state-mandated standards while studying a topic outside of normal language arts
curriculum.
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Text Set
Grade Level 3rd grade
State
Standards
VA English Standards
Listening/Talking:
3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group activities.
a) Listen attentively by making eye contact, facing the speaker, asking
questions, and summarizing what is said.
b) Ask and respond to questions from teachers and other group members.
c) Explain what has been learned.
d) Use language appropriate for context.
e) Increase listening and speaking vocabularies.
3.2 The student will present brief oral reports using visual media.
a) Speak clearly.
b) Use appropriate volume and pitch.
c) Speak at an understandable rate.
d) Organize ideas sequentially or around major points of information.
e) Use contextually appropriate language and specific vocabulary to
communicate ideas.
Reading:
3.6 The student will continue to read and demonstrate comprehension of
nonfiction texts.
b) Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
c) Preview and use text features.
d) Ask and answer questions about what is read.
f) Summarize major points found in nonfiction texts.
j) Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the
reading process.
k) Identify new information gained from reading.
l) Read with fluency and accuracy.
Writing:
3.9 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
b) Use a variety of prewriting strategies.
c) Write a clear topic sentence focusing on the main idea.
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
d) Write a paragraph on the same topic.
f) Include details that elaborate the main idea.
3.11 The student will write a short report.
a) Construct questions about the topic.
b) Identify appropriate resources.
c) Collect and organize information about the topic into a short report.
Objectives After reading non-fiction stores about women in history, students will create a
written report and visual presentations comparing two women’s lives with at
least 3 accurate comparisons.
After reading non-fiction stories about women in history, students will be
able to summarize the major points in two books with 90% accuracy.
Children’s
Literature/
Reading
Materials
Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees by Franck
Prevot
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by
Margot Lee Shetterly
Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle
Markel
Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor by
Laurie Wallmark
Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines; by Jeanne Walker Harvey
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark by Debbie Levy
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia
Finley Mosca
The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Text Set
Throughout this unit, students will be leaning about important women in history, through
a variety of non-fiction texts. The unit will focus on numerous Virginia State standards,
including third-grade oral reading standards 3.1 and 3.2, reading standard 3.6 and writing
standards 3.9 and 3.11. Students will use two of the texts to create a short report that they will
then present orally with a visual aide.
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee
Shetterly – 980L
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race (Shetterly, 2018) will
serve as a book for students that are above grade level as its Lexile level is higher than the other
books in the set. The book will also be read aloud so that all students have the opportunity to
learn from the content of the book and grow in their reading ability. This book will also assist
students in the reading standard of asking questions and oral reading standard, as they will need
to listen carefully if the book is above their level to ensure comprehension of the information.
Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees by Franck Prevot – 970L
Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees (Prevot, 2015) given the Lexile for
this book, it is one that will be ideal for the above level students to use in their small group
activity. This book allows for students that are above level to read on their own, while it will
also be read aloud for the other students to be able to use it for a mini-lesson or their big project
for the unit. Students that are not above level will be able to use this book to practice the reading
standard of previewing and using text features to answer questions.
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor by Laurie Wallmark –
900L
Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor (Wallmark, 2020) is a
book that is also going to be mostly used by above level and possibly some emerging readers
during the unit. This book will also be read aloud; however, the teacher will use it for above
level students to practice fluency and accuracy by having them take turns reading it aloud. This
is also a great book to practice using the text features to make predictions about the book and its
main points.
Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines; by Jeanne Walker Harvey – 800L
Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines (Harvey, 2017) has a Lexile level that should allow
many of the students to read it on their own. The teacher can again read aloud to the small group
of below level or ELLs during a small group activity. This book will assist with the reading and
writing standards in the unit.
Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel – AD760L
Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 (Markel, 2013) is a Lexile level that
will allow a majority of the students to read the book on their own. This book will allow the
students to practice their fluency and accuracy, as well as their listening and speaking
vocabulary. Any student in the class will be able to use this book as one of their two for the
project.
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark by Debbie Levy - 710L
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark (Levy, 2016) will be used to help students with
reading standard 3.6. After reading the text students will be expected to compare the
accomplishments of Ruth and another woman in history. Students will participate in a choral
reading of this book to assist with students that might find themselves below the level of this
book. This book will also show students how to read fluently and accurate, one of the reading
standards outlined for this unit.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca –
AD680L
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin (Mosca, 2017) this book
will serve as a below level text to ensure that those struggling readers will have an equal
opportunity to read a book on their own or with a partner. Advanced readers can be partnered
with a struggling reader for this book and they can work through scaffolding to complete one of
the mini lessons.
The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller – 490L
The Quickest Kid in Clarksville (Miller, 2016) is going to be used for both below level and ELLs
small group instruction to help model the standards. Below level and ELLs will benefit from
having additional modeling of both summarizing and comparing two books. Once the students
have went through the process with this book, they will have a better understanding for the
second book they will need to use to complete the project for the unit.
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Lesson Plan
LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
Candidate Name: Olivia Bickoff Grade Level: 3
Candidate’s Endorsement:
MAT – Elementary Education
Central Focus: Reading, Writing, and oral language
Subject: Language Arts Learning Segment Theme: Compare and Contrast
Where in the learning segment
does this lesson occur?
☐Beginning ☐Middle
☒End
Lesson Structure or Grouping:
☒Whole Class ☐Small Group ☐1:1
Other (specify): Click or tap here to enter text.
STUDENT ASSETS (KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS)
Complete this section if you are in a practicum setting. If you are not in a practicum setting,
please list N/A.
Personal (Interests, family
backgrounds, experiences, etc.)
The class contains an array of family backgrounds and
current family make-ups; there are traditional
families, 2 same sex parent families, single parent
families, shared custody families, as well as
grandparents as parents. Most of the students enjoy
using technology and it can be used as an educational
tool to review or assess current knowledge.
Cultural (Traditions, dialects,
worldview, literature, arts, etc.)
At least two students are bilingual, with 1 using
English as a second language at home.
Community (Landmarks,
community events, etc.)
The community is made up of many diverse areas and
that can be seen in the support given to the students.
A large portion of the school community comes from
an apartment complex that is considered rough and
often has personal issues spilling into the classroom
environment.
Developmental (Cognitive,
physical, social, and emotional)
This group of 3rd graders are a product of the Covid-
19 pandemic, and their development is behind
because of the constant change in their school
environment. The students are emotionally immature
and average closer to a 1st grade reading and
comprehension level than a 3rd grade level.
CONTENT STANDARDS
State Standards VA Standards
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
3.2 The student will present brief oral reports using
visual media.
a) Speak clearly.
b) Use appropriate volume and pitch.
c) Speak at an understandable rate.
d) Organize ideas sequentially or around major
points of information.
e) Use contextually appropriate language and
specific vocabulary to communicate ideas.
3.6 The student will continue to read and
demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.
b) Use prior and background knowledge as
context for new learning.
c) Preview and use text features.
d) Ask and answer questions about what is
read.
f) Summarize major points found in nonfiction
texts.
j) Use reading strategies to monitor
comprehension throughout the reading process.
l) Read with fluency and accuracy.
3.11 The student will write a short report.
a) Construct questions about the topic.
b) Identify appropriate resources.
c) Collect and organize information about the
topic into a short report.
National Standards IRA ELA Standard 4
Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual
language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to
communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and
for different purposes.
Standard 8
Students use a variety of technological and
informational resources (e.g., libraries, databases,
computer networks, video) to gather
and synthesize information and to create and
communicate knowledge.
Standard 12
Students use spoken, written, and visual language to
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning,
enjoyment, persuasion,
and the exchange of information).
InTASC Standards Standard #4: Content Knowledge. The teacher
understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and
structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and
creates learning experiences that make the discipline
accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery
of the content.
Standard #6: Assessment. The teacher understands and
uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners
in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to
guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.
Standard #7: Planning for Instruction. The teacher plans
instruction that supports every student in meeting
rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of
content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and
pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the
community context
LEARNING OBJECTIVE(S)
These must be behavioral and measurable.
Statements of what students will know, understand, and be able to do at the end of the lesson
(consider all three domains). Include condition, performance, and criterion.
After reading 6 non-fiction titles, students will create a written report and visual presentations
comparing two women in history with at least 3 accurate comparisons.
BEGINNING: LAUNCH/HOOK/ANTICIPATORY SET
How will you get the lesson started? What questions, texts, inquiry, modeling, and/or other
techniques will you use to engage students?
“Who can name me an important woman from history? (Allow for student responses)
Throughout this unit we have discussed many women that made an impact that we are
able to connect to today. We have read about Katherine Johnson, Wangari Maathai,
Hedy Lamarr, Maya Lin, Clara Lemlich, Dr. Temple Grandin, and Wilma Rudolph and
how these women have made a lasting impact. Now we are going to learn how we can
make comparisons between the women and their impacts.
MIDDLE: INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES TO FACILITATE STUDENT LEARNING
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
For example: How will you engage students with ideas/texts to develop understanding? What
questions will you ask? How will you promote question generation/discussion? What
activities will you use to engage students in learning—for individuals, small groups, or the
whole class? How will you incorporate technology? How will you address the academic
language demands? Detail your plan. Note: For math lesson plans, please write or attach
every task/problem students will solve during the lesson—with the correct answers.
Instruction/Modeling Who here knows what it means to compare two items?
What if I show you an apple and an orange, can you tell
me some of the differences? (Allow time for students to
answer – answers expected are color, size, outside skin,
taste, smell, how you eat them, etc.)
Let’s try comparing two well-known characters. Think
about Woody and Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story. What
are some characteristics of Woody?
I will write them on the paper as you all identify them.
He is a cowboy.
He is an older toy.
He is honest.
He is a leader.
He is a good friend.
He often comes up with the plans.
He follows the rules.
He has common sense.
Now let’s talk about Buzz.
He is an astronaut.
He is outgoing.
He is a dreamer.
He is optimistic.
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
He is adventurous.
He makes bad decisions.
Those are great examples of characteristics of each
character. Now we need to write them as comparisons.
If we say Woody is a cowboy, he dresses in a cowboy
hat and has a sheriff star on his shirt. Buzz is an action
figure, dressed as an astronaut with wings. Woody and
Buzz are both toys, however they are different
characters.
You can look at any of the characteristics we identified
and use them to show the differences in Woody and
Buzz. These two particular characters happen to be
exact opposites in most aspects, making it easier to
compare them.
What happens when the characters are not opposites, or
when you are looking for the similarities in characters.
Guided Practice I want to now work through a new book about a
historical woman, that you will then use our
contributions to help you write your report comparing
two women.
Teacher will display I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Makes her Mark by Debbie Levy on the TV and will use
a choral reading strategy to help engage student
participation.
Before reading the teacher will instruct the students to
flash their hands each time they read the word
“objected,” as a technique to keep the students engaged
for the entirety of the book.
Now that we have read, I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Makes her Mark, let’s discuss some of her contributions
that we read about in the book. As we discuss each
contribution, we will write them on our paper to use
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
later.
Who can tell me one contribution that was discussed in
our story?
She was one of a few female law professors in the whole
country. That is a good example, let’s write that on our
chart.
Who can tell me another contribution?
She fought for women in the workforce and men at
home. Yes, let’s add that one as well.
Let’s find one more.
Ruth became the first Jewish woman to become a justice
for the Supreme Court. We will add that one as well.
These are excellent examples of the type of
contributions that were made by Ruth. When we are
reading a book and looking to compare the subject of
that book with one from another book, it is important to
start by find some major contributions or events in each
subject’s life.
Independent Practice Now that we have used well-known characters to
identify characteristics and compare the two
characters, you will choose two of the women that we
have read about and begin your work on your report.
*Students will choose two of the books that have been
read previously and reread them.
*Students will map the contributions of women on a
chart.
*Students will then begin writing their rough draft
comparing the two women and their
impacts/contributions to history.
*Teacher will walk around the room to help as
needed and as students wrap up their rough draft,
teacher will begin conferencing with students one-on-
one.
END: CLOSURE
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
How will you end the lesson in a way that promotes student learning and retention?
Great job helping me identify characteristics and contributions during our lesson. As
we wrap up this unit, make sure that you have all of your information on your visual
aide before you sign up for a time to do your oral report.
EVIDENCE AND ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING
How will you know whether your students are meeting your learning objective? What tools
will you use to measure their progress? How will you provide feedback to promote student
learning?
Diagnostic/Pre-assessment(s)
(could be prior to the lesson)
Prior to the unit beginning students will be assessed
on their prior knowledge of historical women and
their ability to compare two items.
Formative Assessments/
Feedback to Learners (part of
the activities in the lesson)
Teacher will have one-on-one conferences with
students once they have created a draft of their
written report and a map of their visual portion of
their oral report. Teacher will help students make
necessary edits and provide feedback on the visual
portion of their oral report.
Summative Assessment (matches
the objective)
Students will complete a written report that uses two
of the texts supplied to give 3 comparisons of the lives
of the women in the books. Each comparison will
need to include 2 supporting details and have no
grammar/spelling errors. Students will then create a
visual aide and present their written report and
visual aide orally to the class.
*Rubric included at bottom of lesson plan.
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE DEMANDS
Language Demand(s) Students will need to be able to read at grade level or
work with a partner to assist in reading, Compare
and Contrast between two stories. Students will need
to be able to organization information appropriately.
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Language Support(s) Teacher will assist students who are struggling
readers to read and compare the texts. During guided
practice the teacher will go over what compare and
contrast mean and the appropriate organization that
should be followed for the assessment.
Essential Vocabulary Compare – note the similarity or difference between
things.
Contrast – the difference between things
Impact – effect on something or someone
Similar – resembling without being identical
Difference – a way in which things are not the same.
LU SOE-SPECIFIC LESSON REQUIREMENTS
Character Education Commitment will be key during this lesson and the
summative assessment being used. Students will
have to choose two books, map the comparisons they
can make between the two women in each book,
create a written report, a visual aide and give the
presentation as an oral report.
Colossians 3:23 – “And whatsoever ye do, do it
heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men”
Materials I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark by Debbie -
eBook
Computer with WIFI connection
Apple TV
Rubric for each student
Chart Paper (Labeled beforehand one with Buzz and Woody
and one with Ruth Bader Ginsburg)
Markers
Pencil
Paper
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Technology Connection Teacher will use an eBook so that all students are
able to see the book while reading, the book will be
displayed from a computer to the Apple TV in the
room. Students will be expected to use eBook
versions of the books they choose to use for their
report.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION FOR THE NEXT SECTION OF THIS FORM:
How will you support students to meet your goals? EXPLICITLY describe what you will do!
List planned supports (instructional strategies, learning tasks and materials, and other
resources deliberately designed to facilitate student learning of the central focus).
Planned Supports Teacher will begin the lesson reviewing some of the
women that the class has already covered. During the
lesson the teacher will read the eBooks with the
students using a choral reading technique. After
reading the story the teacher will use another book
that was previously covered to demonstrate how to
find ways to compare the two women.
During independent practice the teacher will assist
students with preparing their rough drafts of their
oral reports.
SUPPORTS: DIFFERENTIATION/EXTENSION
How will you provide successful access to the key concepts to all the students at their ability
levels?
Exceptionalities (special needs
[IEPs/504 plans], gifted and
talented, accommodations, etc.)
There are 5 students with IEPs in the classroom. For
those 5 students they will be using a lower Lexile
rating books for their report and as most of them
have accommodations for shortened assignments,
they will only be required to have 2 comparisons.
Students with accommodations relating to
ADHD/ADD already have bouncy bands on their
chairs and will be allowed to use noise cancelling
headphones if the background noise becomes a
distraction.
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
ELL There are no ELLs in this class, however there is one
student that does not use English as their first
language at home. If there were ELL students in the
class, they would also the lower Lexile books, as they
are considered easier to read and comprehend. ELLs
will also have additional one-on-one time to go over
their rough draft and an additional conference before
finishing their visual aide.
Learning Styles/Student
Engagement
Using the eBook and having it displayed on the TV
will assist those students that are visual learners and
using choral reading will have students that are
auditory learners not only hearing the story, but also
saying it aloud.
Extension For students that have already mastered comparing
and contrasting two items, will be able to work on
comparing more than two items or finding negative
comparisons between two items. Students will also be
able to spend more time working on their visual
aspect of their presentation.
REFERENCES: RESOURCES
Cite all sources used in the development of the lesson materials and resources, including
URLs or other references.
Council of Chief State School Officers. (2013, April). InTASC Model Core Teaching
Standards and Learning Progressions for Teachers 1.0. Retrieved January 26, 2023 from
https://ccsso.org/sites/default/files/2017-
12/2013_INTASC_Learning_Progressions_for_Teachers.pdf
King James Bible. (2011). The King James Version Study Bible. (Original work published
1769)
National Council of Teachers of English. (1996). The Standards for the English Language
Arts. https://cdn.ncte.org/nctefiles/resources/books/sample/standardsdoc.pdf
Virginia Department of Education. (2010). English Standards of Learning Curriculum
Framework 2010. https://vdoe.prod.govaccess.org/home/showdocument?
id=34964&t=638054101804406115
REFERENCES: RESEARCH TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Cite all research used to support instructional design, including URLs or other references.
Tompkins, G. E. (2015). Language Arts: Patterns of Practice (9th ed.). Pearson Education
(US). https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/books/9780133910230
Category 5 pts.–
Advanced/
all included
4-3 pts. –
Proficient/most
included
2-1 pts. –
Developing/
some included
0 pts. –not
present
Comparisons 3 accurate
comparisons
of two women
from the
stories were
included
2 accurate
comparisons of
two women
from the stories
were included
1 accurate
comparison of
two women
from the stories
were included
No accurate
comparisons of
two women from
the stories were
included
Supporting details 2 supporting
details for
each
comparison.
1 supporting
detail for each
comparison.
1 supporting
detail for 1 or 2
of the
comparisons.
No supporting
details included.
Grammar/Spelling 0 – 2 spelling,
grammar,
and/or
punctuation
errors.
Less than 5
spelling,
grammar,
and/or
punctuation
errors.
6 or more
spelling,
grammar,
and/or
punctuation
errors.
Not Present
Organization Report and
Presentation
are visually
appealing, and
information is
organized and
easy to follow.
Report and
Presentation
are complete,
and information
is organized
and can be
followed.
Report and
Presentation
are messy, and
information is
not organized
and hard to
follow.
Not Present
Presentation Student
speaks loudly
and at the
appropriate
speed; visual
aid has
appropriate
Student speaks
softly and at the
appropriate
speed; visual
aid has mostly
appropriate
information
Student is hard
to hear and
does not use
the appropriate
speed; visual
aid has some
information
Not Present
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
information
included and
is covered
during the oral
presentation.
Student listens
attentively
when
classmates
present and
participate in
discussions.
included, and
most is covered
during the oral
presentation.
Student listens
when
classmates
present and
participate in
discussions.
included and
some is
covered during
the oral
presentation.
Student listens
when
classmates
present and
minimally
participates in
discussions.
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Mini-Lessons
1. Talking:
3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group activities.
a) Listen attentively by making eye contact, facing the speaker, asking questions, and
summarizing what is said.
b) Ask and respond to questions from teachers and other group members.
Students will be placed in small groups, conducting discussions about each of the historical
women in the book set. Each student will be expected to have developed a question to ask the
group for three of the books in the set. Each student must ask and answer at least one question
during the lesson.
Materials:
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot
Lee Shetterly
Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees by Franck Prevot
Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor by Laurie
Wallmark
Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines; by Jeanne Walker Harvey
Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark by Debbie Levy
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley
Mosca
The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller
Paper
Pencil
2. Listening:
3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group activities.
a) Listen attentively by making eye contact, facing the speaker, asking questions, and
summarizing what is said.
When classmates are presenting their oral reports, students will be expected to actively listen by
making eye contact, facing the speaker, and when appropriate taking notes. Students will ask
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
questions to each presenter and when asked to summarize the comparisons made by the
presenter.
Materials:
Paper
Pencil
3. Reading:
3.6 The student will continue to read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.
b) Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
c) Preview and use text features.
f) Summarize major points found in nonfiction texts.
j) Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the reading process.
Students will choose one book in the text set to summarize the major points of that book.
The teacher will review the idea of summarizing the main points of a story by using the
somebody, wanted, but, so, then strategy. The Summarizing anchor chart will be provided to each
student to assist as they work to identify the main points of the stories. The student will then
complete the attached flip chart with the appropriate information.
Story Title:
SOMEBODY
WANTED
BUT
SO
THEN
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Summarize
To retell the main events of a story in a shorter version.
Somebody Who is the main character?
Wanted What did the character want?
But What was the problem?
So How did the character try to solve the
problem?
Then How does the story end?
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Materials:
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot
Lee Shetterly
Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees by Franck Prevot
Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor by Laurie
Wallmark
Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines; by Jeanne Walker Harvey
Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark by Debbie Levy
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley
Mosca
The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller
Summarizing anchor chart
Paper
Pencil
4. Visually Representing:
Students will choose one book out of the book set and create a timeline of that person’s life and
contributions to society. Each timeline should start with the birth date of the woman and end
with the last accomplishment listed in the book. The timeline should have no fewer than three
events between their birth and the last event in the book.
Materials:
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot
Lee Shetterly
Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees by Franck Prevot
Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor by Laurie
Wallmark
Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines; by Jeanne Walker Harvey
Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark by Debbie Levy
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley
Mosca
The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller
Half a piece of poster board
Markers
24
LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
5. Viewing:
Students will choose a historical woman from one of the books and draw a picture of her. They
will choose an artistic style (realism, impressionism, postimpressionism, primitivism,
expressionism, cubism, surrealism, abstract art, or pop art) and create an artistic rendition of the
historical woman.
Materials:
Canvas
Paint
Paint brushes
Pencils
Colored pencils
Crayons
Glue
Magazines
Newspapers
Rulers
6. Writing:
3.9 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
c) Write a clear topic sentence focusing on the main idea.
d) Write a paragraph on the same topic.
f) Include details that elaborate the main idea.
Students will pick a different book than what they used in mini-lesson 3 and write a paragraph
about the main idea of the book. The paragraph must contain a clear topic sentence on the main
idea and include at least three details that elaborate on the main idea from the book. The student
will need to review their paragraph for grammatical and spelling errors.
Materials:
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot
Lee Shetterly
25
LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees by Franck Prevot
Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor by Laurie
Wallmark
Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines; by Jeanne Walker Harvey
Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark by Debbie Levy
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley
Mosca
The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller
Paper and pencil
Reading Groups - Tiered Activities
26
LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Group 1: below grade level
Strands: Talking, Listening, and Reading
Each student will have a copy of The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller.
The students will read the book together and the teacher will assist with words that may be hard
for the students to read or understand. Once the students are done reading, they will work
together to compile contributions of Wilma Rudolph. One student will be the note taker and will
have a large piece of graph paper to put their answers together. They will then discuss how each
contribution has shaped the world we live in and how we still see the impact of the contributions.
Group 2: on grade level
Strands: Talking, Reading, and Writing
Each student will have a copy of Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of
1909 by Michelle Markel. The students will read the book together, pausing to take notes as they
read. Each student will have a paper and pencil and when they identify a contribution made by
the main character, they will include it in the notes. Once the students have finished reading the
story and taking notes, they will share the contributions they identified. Students will then
discuss the contributions in-depth.
Group 3: above grade level
Strands: Talking, Reading, Writing, Listening
Students will be partnered up in groups of 2 or 3 depending on the number of students in
the group and they will select two texts of their choice from the text set for the unit. Each group
set of partners will read the stories they chose and discuss the contributions of the women in their
27
LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
books. Once they have completed reading and discussing, they will create a chart and use it to
organize their discussion points and facts.
Group 4: English Language Learners
Strands: Listening, Reading, Visual Representation, and Talking
Each student will have a copy of The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller.
The teacher will read the book with the students, using choral reading. After each page the
teacher will work with the students on unknown and difficult words. After finishing the book,
the teacher will help guide the discussion about the contribution outlined in the book and help to
identify what they could use in their later lesson about comparing.
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LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
Assessments
Formative Assessments:
1. Mini-lesson on writing:
The teacher will take turns walking around the room and conferencing with students one-on-one
to go over what they have written. The teacher will ask students to explain the main idea they
have identified and what details they will be included to support their topic sentence. The teacher
will give feedback on topic sentences in both conferences and while circling the room. Through
the immediate feedback on the topic sentences, the teacher will be able to identify students that
may need more one-on-one or small group instruction on main ideas.
2. Mini-lesson on visually representing:
The teacher will circle the room while students work on their timelines for each main character
of the story. Students are expected to start and end their timeline with information given by the
teacher in the instruction portion of the mini-lesson, so if the teacher notices that students are
struggling with that she is able to group them by book and work with small groups. The teacher
can also call back students that may struggle with finding three or more events throughout the
story. The teacher will give feedback on the beginning and end while going around the room but
will use small conferences to give more feedback on the middle events.
Summative Assessment:
1. Mini-lesson on reading:
After completing the mini-lesson on reading, students will be expected to take two different
books and identify the story title and the main points of the story using the somebody, wanted,
29
LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
but, so, then graphic organizer on paper. The students will then write a short paragraph on each
book to summarize the information they provided with their graphic organizer. The students will
turn in the graphic organizer and the paragraphs, they will be graded based off the rubric below.
Category 3 points –
Advanced/
all included
2 points –
Proficient/most
included
1 point –
Developing/
some included
0 pts. –not
present
Graphic Organizer Both graphic
organizers are
complete and
have
appropriate
information for
each section.
Both graphic
organizers are
missing fewer
than 2
completed
sections.
Both graphic
organizers are
missing more
than 3 or more
completed
sections, or
only 1 graphic
organizer is
submitted.
Not present
Paragraphs A complete
paragraph for
each book is
submitted and
includes all
information
from the
graphic
organizer.
A paragraph for
each book is
submitted and
includes most
of the
information
from the
graphic
organizer.
A paragraph for
each book is
submitted and
includes some
of the
information
from the
graphic
organizer, or
only 1
paragraph is
submitted.
Not Present
Grammar/Spelling 0 – 2 spelling,
grammar,
and/or
punctuation
errors.
Less than 4
spelling,
grammar,
and/or
punctuation
errors.
6 or more
spelling,
grammar,
and/or
punctuation
errors.
Not Present
30
LANGUAGE ARTS STRAND PROJECT
References
Council of Chief State School Officers. (2013, April). InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards
and Learning Progressions for Teachers 1.0. Retrieved January 26, 2023 from
https://ccsso.org/sites/default/files/2017-
12/2013_INTASC_Learning_Progressions_for_Teachers.pdf
Harvey, J. W. (2017). Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Lights and Line. Henry Holt and Company.
King James Bible. (2011). The King James Version Study Bible. (Original work published 1769)
Levy, D. (2016). I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark. Simon & Schuster Books for
Young Readers.
Markel, M. (2013). Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Maker’s Strike of 1909. HarperCollins.
Miller, P. Z. (2016). The Quickest Kid in Clarksville. Chronicle Books LLC.
Mosca, J. F. (2017). The Girl who Thought in Picture: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin.
Innovation Press.
National Council of Teachers of English. (1996). The Standards for the English Language Arts.
https://cdn.ncte.org/nctefiles/resources/books/sample/standardsdoc.pdf
Prevot, F. (2015). Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees. Charlestbridge.
Shetterly, M. L. & Conkling, W. (2018). Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women
and the Space Race. HarperCollins.
Tompkins, G. E. (2015). Language Arts: Patterns of Practice (9th ed.). Pearson Education
(US). https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/books/9780133910230
Virginia Department of Education. (2010). English Standards of Learning Curriculum
Wallmark, L. (2020). Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor.
Union Square Kids.
