Unit Plan

Subject: English Language Arts

Grade: 4
Unit Focus: Novel Study
Unit Dates: Jan 8-Feb 27, 2020
Teacher: Shalyn Boras
Overview:
Students will expand vocabulary and build reading, writing, and comprehension skills through the group study of the novel Tales of a Fourth
Grade Nothing by Judy Bloom. They will partake in a variety of activities and exercises that will accommodate all learning styles. Some of which
include discussion, questions, vocabulary development, spelling, grammar, and writing. Activities are typically divided into three main sections
 Chapter questions: For each chapter there will be a set of questions pertaining to the information in the chapter. Students will individually
respond to these questions. They will be required to go back and read bits of the chapter themselves to find the answer. This activity will
develop independent reading skills, enhance comprehension, and serve as a guide for major ideas from a chapter that could be utilized in
future activities.
 Vocabulary and Language: There will also be vocabulary activities associated with each chapter. These activities could be in short answer,
fill in the blank, matching, or true or false format and pertain the concepts such as word meanings, antonyms/synonyms, syllables,
punctuation, grammar, etc.
 Writing and Creativity: This section allows for students to apply the knowledge they have learned in the previous sections. They will be
able to critically think about the information while putting their own creative spin on how they wish to portray it. This section may be
completed individually or in small groups depending on the activity.
Students will be formatively assessed throughout the unit based on their participation and contribution to class activities and discussion. I will
strive to do check-ins with students to see where they are at and help them in whatever way they may require so that they can successfully and
confidently complete this unit. Summative assessments will consist of the completion and quality of comprehension and vocabulary assignments
as well as the writing/creative projects. Feedback will be prompt and constructive to help students continually grow and improve in areas of
difficulty. Differentiation will be available for students. This could consist of me working in small groups or one on one with them and reading the
questions aloud. It could also look like modified questions that pertain to more broad ideas in the chapter and a different set of vocabulary
questions that focus on simpler terminology.
Rationale:
The purpose of this unit is to build skills that will benefit students in different subject areas and throughout life while developing a love for
reading longer materials such as novels. I chose this novel because growing up I read many books by Judy Blume. I look back fondly on her books
as some that really kick started my passion for reading. The goal is that this novel study will expose students to the pleasure and enjoyment of
literature in books and hopefully motivate students to read other novels by Judy Blume or explore the works of other authors. It is also important
to teach students how to critical think and problem solve from an early age and therefor there are activities designed to help develop these skills.
Overall, this unit strives to enhance and develop skills such as reading, writing, and comprehension in an engaging matter to hopefully foster a life
long love for reading.

Objectives / Learner Outcomes:

1. Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences
1.1 Discover and Explore
1.2 Clarify and Extend
2. Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, print and
other media texts.
2.1 Use Strategies and Cues
2.2 Respond to Texts
2.3 Understand Forms, Elements, and Techniques
3. Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to manage ideas and information.
3.4 Share and Review
5. Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to respect, support and collaborate with others
5.1 Respect Others and Strengthen Community
5.2 Work within a Group
Key Teaching and Learning Activities:
Reading
 Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Comprehension Questions
 True or False
 Short Answer
 Fill in the Blanks
Vocabulary and Language Exercises
 Definitions
 Fill in the Blanks
 Matching
 Figures of Speech
 Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, etc.
 Paragraph Structure

Writing and Creative Activities

 Character Analysis
 Title Page
 Design an Ad
 Chalk Talk People
 Acting it Out
 The Eleventh Chapter
 Book Review

Resources: Planning for Diversity: Assessment and Evaluation:

Program of Studies Small group instruction Formative
 https://education.alberta.ca/english-  Read questions to them  Participation and contribution to class
language-arts-k-6/program-of-studies/?  Scribe for them discussion
searchMode=3  Provide extra explanation Summative
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Modified questions and activities  Completion and correctness of
 Novel  Reduce quantity of work and level of comprehension questions and
 Activity Booklet difficulty vocabulary exercises
 Creativeness and understanding of
extension activity
 Fluidity and clarity of writing
assignments
 Outcomes Resources/ Planning for Assessment/Evaluation
Day Teaching and Learning Activities
“I can” … Materials Diversity (Formative & Summative)
 Predict/  Introduction to Unit  Novel  Circulate and Formative: Participation and
hypothesize  Chapter 1 Read Aloud and Discussion  Handouts observe students contribution to classroom
 Listen quietly  Chapter 1 Comprehension Questions  Duo tangs work ethic discussion and activities.
 Share ideas and Vocabulary Exercises  White  Read questions Completion and creativeness of
 Respect  Title Page paper aloud to student(s) title page.
opinions  Help find answer in Summative: Chapter 1
1  Write in full novel and comprehension questions and
sentences demonstrate how vocabulary exercises.
 Complete my to copy it down
work
 Be creative

 Listen  Chapter 2 Read Aloud and Discussion  Novel  Read questions Formative: Discussion and Title
attentively  Chapter 2 Comprehension Questions  Handouts aloud to student(s) Page
 I can ask and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo tangs  Small group Summative: Chapter 2
questions  Title Page instruction Comprehension Questions and
and discuss  Students select 3(?) Vocabulary Exercises
to explore of the questions to
and answer to reduce
understand work load
new concepts
2  Write in full
sentences
 Complete my
work
 Be creative
 Share ideas
and respect
opinions

3  Complete my  Chapter 2 Comprehension Questions  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation

work and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo tangs aloud to student (s) Summative: Chapter 2
comprehension questions and
  Communicate  Design an Ad  Design an  Small group vocabulary exercises and Design
ideas in Ad: project instruction an Ad project
creative ways &  Reduced work load
 Collaborate instructions  Partner project
with others
 Ask questions
 Write in
complete
sentences

 Listen  Chapter 3 Read Aloud and Discussion  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation and
attentively  Chapter 3 Comprehension Questions  Handouts aloud to student (s) Contribution to Discussion
 Contribute and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo tangs  Small group Summative: Chapter 3
ideas and  Design an Ad  Project instruction Comprehension Questions and
respect  Reduced work load Vocabulary Exercises. Design an
opinions  Partner project Ad project.
4  Collaborate
 Complete my
work
properly

 Listen  Chapter 4 Read Aloud and Discussion  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation and
attentively  Chapter 4 Comprehension Questions  Handouts aloud to student (s) Contribution to Discussion
 Complete my and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo tangs  Small group Summative: Chapter 4
work  Design an Ad  Project instruction Comprehension Questions and
 Collaborate  Reduced work load Vocabulary Exercises. Design an
 Explore ways  Partner project AD.
5 to find  Circulate and Assist
additional
ideas and
information
to extend
understandin
g
  Complete my  Chapter 4 Comprehension Questions  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation and
work and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo Tangs aloud to student (s) Character Analysis
properly  Character Analysis  Character  Small group Summative: Chapter 4
 Identify and Analysis instruction Comprehension Questions and
discuss main  Reduced work load Vocabulary Exercises
characters  Circulate and Assist
6 and ideas  Exemplars
 Use manage
my time
effectively

 Listen  Chapter 5 Read Aloud and Discussion  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation,
attentively  Chapter 5 Comprehension Questions  Handouts aloud to student (s) Character Analysis, and Chalk
 Use complete and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo tangs  Small group Talk People
sentences  Character Analysis  Character instruction Summative: Chapter 5
 Respect other  Chalk Talk People Analysis  Reduced work load Comprehension Questions and
opinions  White or  Circulate and Assist Vocabulary Exercises
7  Use new Black Paper  Draw instead of
vocabulary  Chalk write
words to  Provide list of vocab
express words
opinion

 Listen  Chapter 6 Read Aloud and Discussion  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation and
attentively  Chapter 6 Comprehension Questions  Handouts aloud to student (s) Chalk Talk People
 Follow and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo tangs  Small group Summative: Chapter 6
instruction  Chalk Talk People  Character instruction Comprehension Questions and
 Contribute Analysis  Reduced work load Vocabulary Exercises
8 ideas 
 White/Black Circulate and Assist
 Critically Paper  Draw instead of
think  Chalk write
 Provide list of
words
9
CATCH UP DAY: Students will have time to complete questions or activities from previous chapters. Students who have completed
 everything thus far will have extra activities they could complete for fun or they can read. During this time, I will work with students
who require extra help to finish their assignments.

 Listen  Chapter 7 Read Aloud and Discussion  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation and
attentively  Chapter 7 Comprehension Questions  Handouts aloud to student (s) Contribution to class discussion
 Complete my and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo tangs  Small group and activities.
work  Acting it Out  Acting it instruction Summative: Chapter 7
 Be creative Out  Reduced work load Comprehension Questions &
 Collaborate instructions  Circulate and Assist Vocabulary Exercises and Act it
10  Respect other  Exemplars Out Project.
ideas  Group work
 Research to
extend my
knowledge

 Respond in  Chapter 7 Comprehension Questions  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation

full sentences and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo tangs aloud to student (s) Summative: Chapter 7
 Be creative  Acting it Out  Project  Small group Comprehension Questions and
 Work within a instruction Vocabulary Exercises and Act it
11 group  Reduced work load Out Project.
 Share ideas  Circulate and Assist
 Group work
 Exemplars
 Listen  Chapter 8 Read Aloud and Discussion  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation and
attentively  Chapter 8 Comprehension Questions  Duo tangs aloud to student (s) Contribution to Discussion and
 Follow and Vocabulary Exercises  Handouts  Small group Activity
direction  Act it Out  Project instruction Summative: Chapter 8
 Use a  Reduced work load Comprehension Questions and
12 dictionary  Circulate and Assist Vocabulary exercises and Act it
 Collaborate  Exemplars Out project
 Work well  Group work
with others
  Complete  Chapter 8 Comprehension Questions  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation
assignments and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo tangs aloud to student (s) Summative: Presentation (as
 Ask for help  Act it Out Presentations  Project  Small group presenters and as listeners) and
 Respect instruction Chapter 8 Comprehension
others  Reduced work load Questions and Vocabulary
13  Appreciate  Circulate and Assist Exercises
the work of  Exemplars/
others demonstration
 Speak clearly  Group work

 Listen  Chapter 9 Read Aloud and Discussion  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation and
attentively  Chapter 9 Comprehension Questions  Handouts aloud to student (s) Contribution to Discussion and
 Follow and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo tangs  Small group Review
directions  Unit Review instruction Summative: Chapter 9
 Reflect and  Reduced work load Comprehension Questions and
14 Vocabulary Exercises
brainstorm  Circulate and Assist
 Form
opinions

 Focus on  Chapter 9 Comprehension Questions  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation and
assignments and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo tangs aloud to student (s) Unit Review
 Reflect  Unit Review  Small group Summative: Comprehension
 Write in full instruction Questions and Vocabulary
15 sentences  Reduced work load Exercises
 Represent my  Circulate and Assist
feelings

16  Listen  Chapter 10 Read Aloud and Discussion  Novel  Read questions Formative: Participation and
attentively  Chapter 10 Comprehension Questions  Handouts aloud to student (s) Contribution to classroom
 Complete my and Vocabulary Exercises  Duo tang  Small group discussion
work instruction Summative: Chapter 20
 Organize my  Reduced work load Comprehension Questions and
work  Circulate and Assist Vocabulary Exercises
 Make
 corrections

CATCH UP DAY: Students will have time to complete questions or activities from previous chapters. Students who have completed
everything thus far will have extra activities they could complete for fun or they can read. During this time, I will work with students
17
who require extra help to finish their assignments.

 Be creative TIME PERMITTING: Final Project. Students  Final  Small group Formative: Progress Checks
18  Apply will write an 11th chapter to the novel. They Project instruction Summative: Final Project
previous will use their imagination to predict what will instructions  Choice (on how to
19 knowledge happen next for the leading characters. create it e.g. picture
 Predict book, paragraphs,
 Brainstorm etc.)
and  Circulate and assist
20 summarize
 Represent
ideas