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Understanding by Design
Unit Title: Word Analysis Strategies and Reference Materials Grade Level: 4th Grade
Established Goals:
4.4 The student will expand vocabulary when reading.
a) Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words.
b) Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones.
c) Use word-reference materials, including the glossary, dictionary, and thesaurus.
e) Use vocabulary from other content areas.
KWL chart on the lesson for that and add it to their student workbook journals.
Learning Log from Instruction for All Students will be used throughout the week for the
students to reflect on what they have learned and what their opinion is or how they feel about
the lesson for that day.
Students will have an exit ticket with the essential understandings questions that were
provided at the beginning of the unit. Questions will be given one at a time and not all at once.
1. Use a KWL chart and have the students start on one to pre-assess their prior knowledge on
parts of a word and word-reference materials. (Rutherford, 2008)
2. Introduce the unit title and essential question #1 to the class.
3. Think, Pair, Share: Have the students think about what the answer to the essential question
may be, then pair up with their desk mate and share with one another what they think. Then
take a few volunteers to share their ideas with the class as a whole. (Rutherford, 2008)
4. Students will fill out an entrance ticket that will ask what we discussed the day prior in the
Think, Pair, Share.
5. Teacher will give brief instruction on why it is important to understand the meaning of
unknown words in a text or passage.
6. Teacher will assign the RAFT activity for the students to work on in class and then complete
for homework if not finished in class: Students will write to a pen-pal explaining the
importance of understanding the meanings of words and how it can relate to every day,
practical life. (Rutherford, 2008)
7. Introduce essential question #2
8. Use clock buddies and have the students pair up to discuss essential question #2 (Rutherford,
2008)
9. Teacher introduction instruction on the different things can be used to help understand the
meaning of words and to help broaden vocabulary (roots, affixes, homophone, synonym,
antonym) but do not go into detail on each word.
10. Introduce the culminating project/assessment to get them thinking about it throughout the unit:
GRASPS assignment on being a book editor (listed in detail in Stage 2).
11. Use Signal Cards to check for understanding of the assignment and discuss parts that are
unclear to the students. (Rutherford, 2008)
12. Introduce the term root word, give definition and examples of what a root word is.
13. Worksheet for the students to work on individually on root words: identifying the root word
and what it means on its own.
14. Exit ticket asking students what the definition of a root word is and asking them to give an
example.
15. Instruction on prefixes and the definition for prefixes.
16. Handout out on prefixes that has all common prefixes and what they mean.
17. Have students work in groups: give each group an envelope with prefixes and root words in it
and have them work together to create different words using the prefixes and roots and know
the definitions of the new words.
18. Instruction on suffixes and the definition for suffixes
19. Worksheet for students to work on individually on suffixes: identifying the suffix and what it
means
Consider the WHERETO elements. You must include enough instruction for 20 lessons.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
KWL chart to pre- Entrance ticket Introduce essential Introduce GRASPS Introduction
assess prior Teacher instruction question #2 assignment instruction on root
knowledge on importance of Clock buddies to Signal Cards to words
Introduce essential understanding word discuss check for Worksheet on root
question #1 meaning. Teacher understanding words to complete
Think, Pair, Share RAFT activity introduction individually
on the essential instruction Exit ticket on root
question #1 words
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Instruction on Instruction on Reviewing and Hook: YouTube Hook: YouTube
prefixes suffixes modeling foldable video on antonyms video on synonyms
Handout with Worksheet on on roots, prefixes, Clock Buddies to Clock Buddies to
common prefixes suffixes and their and suffixes. play memory game play memory game
and meanings meanings Quiz on roots, on matching on matching
Group work with Intro and beginning prefixes, suffixes. antonyms synonyms
envelopes of of foldable on roots, Exit ticket on Exit ticket on
prefixes and root prefixes, and antonyms and synonyms and
words suffixes examples examples
Give out homework
on synonyms and
antonyms
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Review homework Learning Log to Instructional Teacher instruction Think, Pair, Share
on antonyms and review previous YouTube video on to review on to review synonyms
synonyms definitions dictionaries. dictionary and antonyms
Instruction on Group Activity to Review the note Group Work to Teacher instruction:
homophones and assess knowledge taking sheet practice looking up YouTube video on
definition of vocabulary words together in dictionary thesaurus
Handout on most and examples. Model how to look Individual Teacher model how
common up things with a assessment to to use thesaurus
create their own
4 3 2 1
Accomplished Average Developing Beginning
You almost always pay You usually pay You sometimes pay You do not pay attention
Spelling attention to spelling and attention to spelling and attention to spelling and to spelling and
& punctuation. Someone else punctuation. Someone punctuation. Its often punctuation. Its very
can easily read your letter. else can usually read difficult for someone difficult for someone to
Grammar your letter. else to read your letter. read your letter.
You show an in depth You show an You show an You show a
knowledge of the importance understanding of the understanding of the misunderstanding of the
Content of knowing the meaning of importance of knowing importance of knowing importance of knowing
words and clearly relate it to words and can vaguely the meaning of words the meaning of words
Understanding everyday life situations. relate it to everyday life but cannot relate it to and cannot relate it to
situations. everyday life situations. everyday life situations.
Your letter includes the date, Your letter three of the Your letter includes two Your letter includes one
an address to the pen-pal, four components of of the four components of the four components
Letter body paragraphs, and a letter structure. of letter structure. of the letter structure.
signature.
Structure
You use a variety of different You use a moderate You use little variety in You use no variety in
Organization sentence structures and have amount of sentence sentence structure and sentence structure and
& your information organized structures and have your your letter includes a your letter includes
into paragraphs that flow and information organized few mistakes in many mistakes in
Sentence relate. into paragraphs that paragraph organization. paragraph organization.
relate.
Structure
Ruthford, P. (2008). Instruction for All Students Second Edition. Alexandria: Just ASK.