English, grades 3 to 5

Units

1. 1

   Reading stories: plot, character and theme

   4 lessons

   1. Asking and answering questions about a storyAsk who, what, where, when, why and how questions about a story and answer each one by pointing to the words in the text that prove it.
   2. Retelling and finding the central messageRetell a fable or folktale in order using key details and say the lesson or moral it teaches.
   3. Describing characters, settings and eventsDescribe a character, a setting and an event in depth, using the story's details about thoughts, words and actions.
   4. Theme and summaryFind a theme from the details of a story and write a short summary of it that has the main events and no opinions.
2. 2

   Author's craft: words, point of view and structure

   3 lessons

   1. Word meanings in a storyWork out what an unknown word or phrase means from the story around it, and tell literal language from nonliteral language.
   2. Structure of stories, poems and playsExplain how prose, poetry and drama are built and use the terms chapter, verse, stanza, scene and act.
   3. Narrator and point of viewTell who the narrator is, tell first person from third person, and explain how the point of view changes how events are described.
3. 3

   Comparing texts across genres and media

   2 lessons

   1. Illustrations and the words togetherExplain how an illustration adds to the words of a story by showing mood, character and setting that the words leave out.
   2. Comparing stories on a themeCompare and contrast how stories from different cultures treat the same theme, such as good against evil, using their characters, settings and events.
4. 4

   Poetry and drama

   2 lessons

   1. Poems, stanzas and soundRead poems and notice lines, stanzas, rhyme and rhythm, and explain how the sounds help carry the meaning.
   2. Reading playsRead a play and name its acts, scenes, cast, stage directions and dialogue, and use them to picture and perform it.
5. 5

   Reading for information: main idea and evidence

   3 lessons

   1. Questions about nonfictionAsk questions about an information text and answer them by pointing to the sentences in the text that give the answer.
   2. Main idea and key detailsFind the main idea of an information text and explain how the key details support it.
   3. Explaining events, ideas or stepsExplain what happened in a historical, scientific or technical text and why, using the order of events and the causes.
6. 6

   Text structure and features

   3 lessons

   1. Text features and search toolsUse headings, captions, bold words, the glossary, the table of contents, the index and keyword searches to find facts quickly.
   2. Describing how a text is organizedDescribe the overall structure of a text as chronology, comparison, cause and effect, or problem and solution, and name the signal words that show it.
   3. Comparing points of viewCompare two accounts of the same event, say what is alike and different, and explain how each writer's point of view shapes the account.
7. 7

   Comparing sources and using visuals

   2 lessons

   1. Using maps, photos and diagramsGet information from maps, photographs and diagrams and combine it with the words of a text to understand a topic.
   2. Combining information from two textsTake facts from two texts on the same topic, combine them in your own words, and tell which text each fact came from.
8. 8

   Word study and reading fluency

   2 lessons

   1. Decoding multisyllable wordsRead long unfamiliar words by splitting them into syllables and using prefixes, suffixes and Latin roots to work out their parts.
   2. Reading with accuracy and expressionRead grade-level text smoothly with accurate words, a steady pace and expression that fits the meaning, and reread to fix mistakes.
9. 9

   Writing opinions

   3 lessons

   1. Stating an opinion with reasonsWrite an opinion piece that introduces a topic, states an opinion clearly and supplies reasons that support it.
   2. Linking opinion and reasonsSupport an opinion with facts and details and link the ideas with words such as for instance, in order to and also.
   3. Organizing an opinion pieceOrganize an opinion piece with an introduction, reasons in order and a concluding statement that supports the opinion.
10. 10

    Informative and explanatory writing

    3 lessons

    1. Introducing a topic and grouping factsWrite an informative text that introduces a topic, groups related facts together and defines key words.
    2. Developing the topic with detailsDevelop a topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations and precise words so the reader learns something new.
    3. Informative writing with linking wordsLink ideas within categories using words and phrases such as in contrast and especially, and write a concluding section.
11. 11

    Narrative writing

    3 lessons

    1. Writing a story with a beginning and an endWrite a story with a situation, a narrator and characters, a sequence of events and an ending that gives a sense of closure.
    2. Dialogue and descriptionUse dialogue and description to develop experiences and events and to show how characters respond to what happens.
    3. Pacing and sensory detailsUse transitional words, concrete words and sensory details to show the order of events and to make the reader feel the experience.
12. 12

    The writing process: plan, revise and edit

    3 lessons

    1. Planning, revising and editingWith guidance, plan a piece of writing, revise it to make the ideas stronger, and edit it for capitals, punctuation and spelling.
    2. Writing that fits task and purposeProduce clear writing whose development and organization suit the task, the purpose and the audience.
    3. Typing and publishingUse a keyboard with good habits to type a piece of writing of at least two pages, check it and publish it.
13. 13

    Research projects

    2 lessons

    1. Short research on a topicCarry out a short research project that builds knowledge about a topic from several sources.
    2. Taking notes and listing sourcesGather information from print and digital sources, take brief notes in your own words, sort the evidence into categories and list the sources.
14. 14

    Discussion and presentations

    3 lessons

    1. Taking part in discussionsTake part in a group discussion by coming prepared, following the rules, asking questions and building on other people's ideas.
    2. Reporting on a topicReport on a topic or tell a story with appropriate facts and details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
    3. Drawing conclusions from discussionReview the key ideas expressed in a discussion, draw a conclusion in light of it and explain your own ideas clearly.
15. 15

    Grammar, usage and punctuation

    3 lessons

    1. Nouns, verbs and adjectivesExplain the job of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs and use them in sentences.
    2. Verb tenses and sentence typesForm and use regular and irregular verbs and the progressive tenses, and write complete sentences of the four types.
    3. Commas, quotation marks and spellingUse commas in a series and after introductory elements, punctuate dialogue with quotation marks, and spell grade-appropriate words correctly.
16. 16

    Vocabulary and word meanings

    3 lessons

    1. Using context cluesWork out the meaning of unknown words using context clues, sentence-level clues and word parts.
    2. Roots and affixesUse common Greek and Latin roots, prefixes and suffixes as clues to the meaning of a word.
    3. Figurative language and word relationshipsUnderstand similes, metaphors, idioms, adages and proverbs, and word relationships such as synonyms and antonyms.