C3

CCSS

Dimension 1: Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries

D1.1.3-5. Explain why compelling questions are important to others (e.g., peers, adults).

D1.4.3-5. Explain how supporting questions help answer compelling questions in an inquiry.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

• Reading Quiz:

• Read or listen to the original or simplified article.
• Think about what questions a peer or adult may ask you about the topic. What would be important to know about _____? What details would you want to convey?
• Read the questions in the Reading Quiz, then reread/listen to the article.
• Note any similarities between your questions and the Reading Quiz questions.

• Did you focus on the same ideas?
• Did you use the same question words?

• Take the Reading Quiz.
• Check your answers. Go back and reread the paragraphs you noted.
• Retake the Reading Quiz to correct any mistakes you made.

• Critical Thinking Challenge

• Read or listen to the original or simplified article.
• Read the Critical Thinking Challenge.
• Write a sentence explaining why this is a compelling question and why the answer is important.
• Think: What supporting questions would help you to answer this question?
• Write 2-3 additional supporting questions about the Critical Thinking Challenge.
• Explain how you chose to include these supporting questions, citing evidence from the text when necessary to show your inferences about the topic.

• Making Connections

• Read or listen to the original or simplified article.
• Make a connection to the article.

• What stood out to you as important?
• What are you still wondering about?
• What new words or facts did you learn?
• If it is an article about a faraway place or time, how can the topic apply to you and your community today?

• Write a question about your connection.

• Remember, compelling questions are open-ended and require research.

• Reread/listen to the article.
• Underline or record the evidence in the text that supports the connection between your compelling question and the article.
• Talk to a partner about why you wrote your question.

• Why is it important to you?
• Why should they consider your question important? Use your evidence to support your idea.

• Visit the library or another website and investigate your question.

C3

CCSS

Dimension 3: Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence

D3.4.3-5. Use evidence to develop claims in response to compelling questions.

Dimension 4: Communicating and Critiquing Solutions

D4.1.3-5. Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources.

D4.2.3-5. Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequence, examples, and details with relevant information and data.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.7

Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

• Parts of Speech and Arguments

• Read or listen to the same original or simplified article as a classmate.
• Take the Parts of Speech Quiz.
• Make a chart with 4 columns. List all of the words, based on their part of speech.
• Reread/listen to the article.
• Click on each word as you read it.

• A dictionary and thesaurus tool will pop-up.
• Scroll down to “Related Forms”.

• Note: Not all dictionary entries contain this section. Skip the word if missing.

• Read the related forms and record them in your chart.

• For example, the word massive  lists massively (adjective) and massiveness (noun).

• Read the Critical Thinking Challenge question with your classmate.
• Take a few minutes to reread/listen to the article and underline or record your ideas to answer the Critical Thinking Challenge question.
• Discuss your answers, using evidence from the text to support your ideas and inferences.

• Refer to your chart and try to use the new vocabulary, in any form.
• Put a checkmark next to the words each time you use one.

• After your discussion, count your checkmarks to see who used the most words.
• On your own, write a paragraph supporting your claim related to the Critical Thinking Challenge question, using the evidence and vocabulary from your discussion with your classmate.

• Vocabulary Game

• Read or listen to the original or simplified article.
• Play the Vocabulary Game.
• Choose a vocabulary word that is important to the article’s main idea.
• Write a compelling question about the article, including the vocabulary word you chose.
• Trade questions with a partner.
• Take turns finding evidence in the article to answer the questions.
• Trade questions again.
• Write a claim to answer your compelling question based on the evidence your partner located in the article and inferences from the text.
• Trade claims again.
• Type the main topic from the claim in the Search Bar (upper right corner).

• Locate an article that discusses the claim.
• Highlight or record evidence from the article to support your classmate’s claim through direct quotes or inferencing.

• Give your research to your partner.

• Research a Topic

• Type a topic  in the Search Bar (upper right corner).

• Choose a topic that is interesting to you or a topic you are studying in class.
• Shorten the topic to a few keywords (1-2).

• Scroll through the articles related to your topic.
• Choose two articles about the topic.
• Read or listen to the original and/or simplified articles.
• Think: What do I know about this topic? What important idea do these articles share?
• Write a claim sentence based on your thinking.
• Find 2-3 sentences, a chart, a graph or a picture in the first article that provides evidence of your claim.
• Reread the second article and look for an additional sentence or text feature that supports your claim.
• Play the Vocabulary Game.
• Click on any unknown words and read their definitions.
• Write a paragraph.

• Start with your claim.
• Write 2-3 sentences supporting your claim using the evidence you found in the articles.

• Be sure to include your own inferences, too. Tell the reader what you think, and give evidence to support why you think that.

• Try to include one of the new vocabulary words you learned.
• Wrap up your paragraph with a concluding statement.

C3

CCSS

Dimension 4: Communicating and Critiquing Solutions

D4.3.3-5. Present a summary of arguments and explanations to others outside the classroom using print and oral technologies (e.g., posters, essays, letters, debates, speeches, and reports) and digital technologies (e.g., Internet, social media, and digital documentary).

D4.4.3-5. Critique arguments.

D4.5.3-5. Critique explanations.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

• Using Vocabulary in Context

• Read or listen to the original or simplified article.
• Read the Vocabulary in Context question.
• Find the sentence in the article. Reread the paragraph it is in and answer the question, giving support for your answer.
• Think: What do I know about this topic? What important idea does this article convey? What is the main idea?
• Write a claim sentence based on your thinking.
• Find support for your claim in the article, underline or record it.
• Write a few sentences explaining how the quote supports your idea, use the vocabulary word in your explanation.
• Trade writing with a classmate to critique your claim and explanation.
• Talk to your classmate about their critique. Answer any questions and provide explanations for your ideas.

• Group Chat

• Read or listen to the same original or simplified article as 2 or more students in your class.
• Think: What do I know about this topic? What important idea does this article convey? What is the main idea?
• Write a claim sentence based on your thinking.
• Reread/listen to the article.
• Highlight or record sentences and text features that support your claim.
• Meet with your classmates.
• Take turns sharing your claims.

• Student 1 shares a claim.
• All other students ask questions.
• Student 1 shares the evidence and support they highlighted in their article to answer the questions.
• All other students build on the ideas and critique them, asking questions to clarify Student 1’s thinking.
• Students 2, 3 and 4(+) take turns sharing their claim and answering questions about it.

• On your own, revise or edit your claim after speaking with your classmates.
• Write a sentence explaining why you made changes to your claim.