In Unit 1, students built background knowledge about the historical context of the Space Race and the Apollo 11 mission featured in the anchor text. As students segue into Unit 2, they begin to recognize that many others contributed to the success of the missions beyond those most commonly recognized in history. This is made clear by reading selections from the anchor text, Hidden Figures (Young Readers’ Edition).

In the first half of Unit 2, students read the first nine chapters of Hidden Figures, which provide context for the contributions of the West Computers, the segregated pool of female African American mathematicians, and highlight the specific story of one hidden figure, Dorothy Vaughan. The Mid-Unit 2 Assessment, focused on passages from chapter 9, will evaluate students’ abilities to effectively determine the central idea(s) and the author’s point of view and purpose in a text, as well as discern figurative, connotative, and technical meanings of words as they are used in a text.

In the second half of Unit 2, students switch to a Jigsaw protocol, for which the chapters about hidden figure Mary Jackson are divided between Groups A and B. This protocol makes reading the text more manageable and allows students to co-construct knowledge about the topic by sharing what they have learned about Mary Jackson from their assigned chapters and listen to the knowledge shared by their peers studying the other chapters. Building on students’ learning from reading multiple texts and text types on the same topic, the End of Unit 2 Assessment will evaluate students’ ability to compare and contrast portrayals of the same individuals and events across texts.

What can we learn from those who have survived the greatest tragedies and become even more determined to help others? How can we share these kinds of stories to inspire and educate? In this module, students develop their ability to analyze narratives and create their own stories as they learn about the Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan and the lessons revealed through their journeys.

Students begin Unit 1 reading the novel A Long Walk to Water. The focus of the reading is on how the setting shapes the characters and plot, how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters in the text, and how themes are developed throughout the story. As they analyze and discuss the text, students also create discussion norms in order to have productive discussions about the text at the end of the unit.

Students begin Unit 2 researching to answer the questions generated while reading A Long Walk to Water during Unit 1, including questions about the Lost Girls of Sudan. While researching, they determine two or more central ideas in informational texts and provide objective summaries of them. Students also watch clips of the documentary God Grew Tired of Us about the Lost Boys of Sudan, analyzing the main ideas and supporting details and explaining how the ideas clarify what they have been researching. In the second half of the unit, students write a compare and contrast essay looking at how an informational text about the Lost Children of Sudan and the novel treat similar subject matter.

Students begin Unit 3 comparing A Long Walk to Water to the audiobook version of the text, exploring how authors and readers develop tone, mood, and expression. Students draw on this exploration as they start the second half of the unit, planning and then writing a narrative children’s book about a Lost Boy or Girl of Sudan. Through mini lessons and independent planning work, students focus on developing characters, settings, plot points, and narrative techniques such as pacing, description, and dialogue. For their performance task, students refine their narratives and convert them into ebooks to publish and share with others, especially elementary school children.

In the first half of the unit, students read informational texts relevant to Summer of the Mariposas and the topic to determine central idea. In the second half of the unit, students write a literary analysis essay using the Painted Essay® structure to compare and contrast how La Llorona was portrayed in Summer of the Mariposas with the original story, to explain how Guadalupe Garcia McCall has rendered the story new. For their end of unit assessment, students write another essay explaining how they modernized their own monster in the narrative piece they wrote in Unit 2.

For homework, students will continue to preread chapters of Summer of the Mariposas before discussing them in class. On any day that a prereading of a chapter is not assigned, students should continue their independent research reading by reading for at least 20 minutes and responding to a prompt. Additionally, students should continue independent research reading over the weekends.

This 14 day Unit Plan integrates the Utah Core Standards for Language Arts and for Reading and Writing in History/Social Studies with the existing Utah Social Studies Standards. The students read, research, draw conclusions, and write beginning level argumentative essays comparing/contrasting major world religions. For a more thorough summary see the Background For Teachers section.

This activity will allow students to explore comparing and contrasting through movement and choreographic sequences.

A lesson plan for learning about nuclear weapons and nonproliferation agreements. Takes students through the process of comparing and contrasting various treaties and of evaluating their relative successes and failures. Includes a capstone assignment that requires students to apply what they have learned by composing their own treaty that addresses present-day challenges.

Students will compare an informational text versus a narrative text about Earth Day. Included in this lesson are videos and pictures of the lesson in action, a printable Earth Day Venn Diagram, and a recycling activity.

Students will be able to identify similarities and differences between two texts about the polar habitats by using a Venn diagram. Included in this lesson are guided questions to use while reading, a printable Venn Diagram, and pictures of completed students' work.

Students will be able to identify similarities and differences between two texts on the same topic. After reading and discussing books on the Arctic and Antarctic, they will use a Venn diagram and assorted images to compare and contrast the habits. Extensive resources are included such as worksheets, images, an assessment checklist, examples of student work, and video of the lesson in action.

Students cannot compare and contrast adventures and experiences in stories or explain differences between books without first understanding how to compare. In this lesson, students will learn how to use a Venn Diagram to compare two objects. Included is a printable template, and photos of the lesson.

This third grade lesson plan engages students in comparing and contrasting paired informational text passages about frogs. Students will use a Venn Diagram to keep track of the information.

What do inventors have that are alike? How are they different? Why do they invent? Learning about them may inspire you to invent new technology! In this lesson, students will compare and contrast key details in two texts on the topic of inventors. Pictures and videos of the students engaged in the lesson are provided.

The student will compare the text of Mason-Dixon Memory with the animation of the story. Included are an in-depth lesson plan, videos, and examples.

In this lesson, students will engage in a second guided reading of "Don't Need Friends" by Carolyn Crimi. Students will compare and contrast elements within the story and elements between two stories.

In this lesson, students will compare and contrast characters within the story "Don't Need Friends" by Carolyn Crimi.

What an impact delivery can make! Students will compare the written and spoken version of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Included are handouts, examples of student work, and a video of the speech.

Students will be given poems by Dylan Thomas and Langston Hughes and will determine the differing structure, style, and content of each poem. Included are detailed plans, copies of the poems, and examples of student work.

In this lesson, students will listen to the story "Franklin in the Dark" by Paulette Bourgeois. Then students will compare and contrast its two characters and write about them.

Active, imaginative teaching with nursery rhymes takes advantage of how the brain learns best! In this lesson, students will use a Venn Diagram to compare "Little Jack Horner" to "Sing a Song of Sixpence"

School isn't always what we expect it to be! With teacher guidance, students will use a double bubble map to compare and contrast two similar characters from two books.