Unit 4: Innovative Thinking

5th Grade ELA

Caesar Rodney School District 2014-2015

Dear 5th Grade Families,

In this unit, we will continue to engage the students in purposeful,
meaningful lessons as we implement the Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts. Students will be given opportunities to increase their
reading skills and strategies in both whole group and small group reading
experiences. Our focus is to engage the children in text and for them to
become active readers. Thank you for your continued assistance and
support.
Unit Overview:

Essential Skills:

Students will read a variety of literary and

Determine how visual elements
contribute to the meaning of a text.
informational texts including biographies,
Determine main idea(s) and
informational text, drama and poetry as
supporting details.
they relate to the theme of innovative
Determine importance of text-based
thinking. Students will learn about
information and how it supports an
inventors, historical figures in history and
answer to a question/problem.
writers to name a few. They will be
Gather and analyze information from
conducting short research on inventions.
multiple sources.
During this unit, students will also read
Conduct short research
topic specific informational text pertaining
Understand the structure of poetry
to Social Studies and Science units
and drama (plays).
(economics and mixtures and solutions).
Use context clues to help determine
Students will use a variety of strategies in
the meaning of unknown words
(figurative language, words with
order to make meaning through reading,
multiple meanings).
writing, speaking and listening. Finally,
Decode words with multiple syllables.
students will participate in both large and
Activities to do at home:
Read appropriate texts with purpose,
small group learning experiences. They
Read every day and discuss what they read.understanding
What is the main
of a short
and idea
expression.
will read closely to determine main ideas
informational article? What evidence supports
this?
Use learned spelling patterns when
with supporting
textactivities
details, to
Word Sort
forcompare
spelling patterns. writing words.
and contrast
text
and common
Read
andstructures
follow directions
to complete atask.
Write, expand and rearrange simple
topics across
multiple
texts,
and
use
Word hunts looking for multi-syllable words and
in newspapers,
magazines, books.
compound sentences.
context
clues
to
determine
the
meaning
of
Keep a reading journal that goes back and
between
childaand
a family
forth
Organize
and the
develop
writing
words/phrases
from
text
either
read
aloud,
member. Read the same book and respond piece.
in writing what you found
collaboratively,
independently, or from a
interesting.
Use the internet to find information about money and trade (economics).
media source.
Go to your local library and check out books about inventions and inventors.
Answer some of your I Wonder questions. Look up information about things
youve wondered about, such as things we use in our everyday life and how
they were invented; who thought of the idea and how has it developed over

Unit 4: Innovative Thinking

5th Grade ELA
Caesar Rodney School District 2014-2015

Additional Resources:

Caesar Rodney Elementary ELA site:

http://www.teachers.cr.k12.de.us/~galgano/5links.htm

Newspaper Article: After reading about an important event in history, write

your account in newspaper form.
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/Printing_Press/
Timeline of the development of an idea/invention or the life of an inventor:
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/timeline/

Word games: Figurative Language

http://www.spellingcity.com/figurative-language.html
Check out:
o Match-It Metaphors, Unscramble Similes and Which Word Idioms