Lesson Plans and Mentor Texts

I've been super busy the last few days looking at our Transitional Curriculum!

This year at our school teachers are given a choice on what Grade Level Expectations need to be covered each nine weeks. In the past, we were given a pacing guide by the parish on what GLEs needed to be covered. Then at the end of each nine week period students were given an Interval Test to see if they mastered those GLEs. Their scores were then compared to other 4th grade students as well as your class's scores to other classes and the district. Since the teachers this year are able to decide upon the GLEs covered each nine weeks, the Interval tests will be created by us teachers in our Assessment system called EAGLE.

So with that being said, I have been super busy searching for great Mentor Texts to use with the comprehension strategies and the GLEs that I have decided to cover for the first nine weeks. We do have Treasures in our class to use, but I love using picture books. I used picture books along with the Balanced Literacy Approach last year, and my students loved it. There's something about a textbook that just turns me off!

Here's a look at my planning thus far and the resources I plan to use.

Week 1- Main Idea and Details
              Mentor Texts- When I Was Young in the Mountains Lesson Plan Resource
                                     So You Want to Be President? by Judith George  Lesson Plan Resource

Week 2- Character Traits, Actions & Motivations
               Mentor Texts- Mr. George Baker
                                       Burnt Toast on Davenport Street
                                       or Treasures story Astronaut and the Onion 
                Resource - Read Works Lesson under Character  & Click here to see students' projects from  
                                  last year to wrap up the strategy for the week.

Week 3- Setting Impacts Story Elements
               Mentor Texts- The Three Brothers: A German Folktale
               Resource - Read Works Lesson Under Setting


Week 4- Sequencing
               Mentor Texts- Suggestions??????

Week 5- Cause & Effect
               Mentor Texts - Pink and Say
                                        Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears


Week 6- Compare and Contrast Story Elements
               Mentor Texts- Suggestions???

Week 7- This week we will take the Interval Assessment


Do you have a pacing guide for Reading?
What resources do you use for Lessons?
How do you create weekly assessments?

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