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.3.1

Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

• Reading Quiz :

• Read orlisten 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.

• Reading Comprehension Questions

• Read or listen to the original or simplified article.
• Read the Reading Comprehension Questions .
• Think about the questions that are asked. Why are these questions important to understanding the article?
• Then, reread/listen to the article.
• Stop and answer each question.
• Write at least one supporting question to accompany the Reading Comprehension Questions  question.

•  Reread the sentences around the answer. What other questions could you ask to help lead someone to the Reading Comprehension  question answer?  

• Pair up with a partner who read a different article and completed this activity.

• Trade supporting questions.
• Read orlisten to the new article and take the Reading Comprehension  quiz for the new article, using your partner’s supporting questions.
• Check in with each other. Did the supporting questions help? Why or why not?

• Making Connections

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

• 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 evidence.

• Talk to a partner about why you wrote your question.

• Why is it important to you?
• Why should they consider your question important?

• 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.W.3.7

Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

• Critical Thinking Challenge

• Read or listen to the original or simplified article.
• Read the Critical Thinking Challenge .
• Reread orlisten to the article, thinking about the question.
• Develop a claim, an idea you believe to be true that you must prove.

• Underline, highlight or record evidence in the article that supports your claim. These are statements that, with your explanation, can help others understand your idea.
• Examine the other text features (graphs, images, videos). What information from these sources supports your claim?
• Find another source to support your claim by typing the topic in the search bar (upper right corner).

• Write a paragraph that states your claim and provides evidence to support it.

• Use sentence starters like:

• According to the text, “.....”.
• Based on what I saw/read, …

• Share your paragraph with a 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.

• 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,an idea you believe to be true that you must prove, based on your thinking.
• Find a sentence, chart, graph or picture in the first article that provides evidence of your claim. These are sources in the article that, with your explanation, can help others understand your idea.
• Reread the second article and look for a 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.
• Try to include one of the new vocabulary words you learned.

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.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

• Changing Parts of Speech

• Read orlisten to the same original or simplified  article as a classmate.
• Take the Parts of Speech Quiz .

• Note what suffixes create nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs in the vocabulary words.
• Record the words and underline the suffixes you notice.

• Experiment with the words by trying to change their part of speech.

• Add or subtract suffixes.
• Change their location in a sentence.

• Check your work with a classmate.

• Did you change the words the same way?
• Do you agree on their parts of speech?

• Choose one word that you and your partner agree on.
• Reread/listen to the article.
• Think about how your word relates to the article.
• Write a comment about the article using your word in the Comments section.
• Read through the Comments section.

• Find a comment you can respond to by asking a question to clarify or expand the idea.
• If possible, use your new vocabulary word.

• Group Chat

• Read orlisten to the same original or simplified  article as 2 or more classmates.
• Think: What do I know about this topic? What important idea(s) does this article convey? What is the main idea?
• Write a claim sentence,an idea you believe to be true that you must prove, based on your thinking.
• Reread/listen to the article.
• Highlight or record sentences and text features that support your claim. These are sources in the article that, with your explanation, can help others understand your idea.
• 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 your changes.