Module 27: Informational Reports - Course Guide

Module Overview:

In this unit, students will consider the differences and similarities between firsthand and secondhand accounts of an event. Students will learn how writers of informational text support their main ideas. Students will learn how to use a dictionary or other reference book to define and pronounce an unfamiliar word. Students will learn how to generate ideas for an informational report. Then they will draft the report.

Module Materials:

Lesson # Lesson Title Material(s)
1 Spelling 9: Practice 3 None
2 Firsthand, Secondhand independent reading book
pen or pencil
3 Reasons and Evidence highlighters (multiple colors)
independent reading book
pen or pencil
4 Using a Dictionary dictionary (print or online)
independent reading book
pen or pencil
5 Drafting a Report independent reading book
pen or pencil

Module Objectives:

Lesson # Lesson Title Objective(s)
1 Spelling 9: Practice 3
2 Firsthand, Secondhand
  1. Compare and contrast firsthand and secondhand accounts.
3 Reasons and Evidence
  1. Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
4 Using a Dictionary
  1. Use a dictionary to learn the definitions and pronunciation of a word.
5 Drafting a Report
  1. Draft an informational report containing facts, definitions, and details about a topic.

Module Key Words:

Key Words Spelling Words
firsthand report
secondhand report
facts
claims
pronunciation
phonetic
drafting
main ideas
 scientific
technical
introduction
chronological
phonetic
pronunciation
capacity
volume
gallon
dinosaur
fossil
structure
excretion
adapt
topography
environment
preview
longitude
coordinates
hemispheres

Module Assignments:

Lesson # Lesson Title Page # Assignment Title
2 Firsthand, Secondhand 5 Analyzing Accounts Assignment
3 Reasons and Evidence 4 Reasons and Evidence Assignment
4 Using a Dictionary 3 Dictionary Definitions Assignment
5 Drafting a Report 1 Gathering Your Information Assignment
5 Drafting a Report 3 Informational Reports Assignment

Learning Coach Notes:

Lesson # Lesson Title Notes
1 Spelling 9: Practice 3 To prepare for the Spelling 9: Spelling Test, have your student practice their spelling words over the coming weeks.
2 Firsthand, Secondhand
3 Reasons and Evidence
4 Using a Dictionary
5 Drafting a Report

Module Guiding Questions:

When a student starts a lesson ask them questions to check for prior knowledge and understanding and to review concepts being taught. At the end of the lesson ask the questions again to see if their answer changes.

Lesson Title Question
Firsthand, Secondhand
  1. What is the difference between a firsthand and secondhand account of an event?
Reasons and Evidence
  1. What is the difference between a fact and a claim?
Using a Dictionary
  1. What is the purpose of a Dictionary?
Drafting a Report
  1. What happens in the drafting stage of writing a report?

Module Video Questions:

When a student watches a video take time to ask them questions about what they watched. Suggested questions for the videos in this module are listed here. Suggestion: Have the student watch the entire video first all the way through. Then have them watch the video a second time, as they watch it pause the video and ask the questions.

Lesson Title Video Question
Firsthand, Secondhand A View From the Nile
  1. What are some resources you can use to learn about a famous person?
  2. What is an autobiography?
  3. What is a historical document?
Using a Dictionary Mummies in the Dictionary
  1. What is a Dictionary?
  2. What can you learn about a word when you look it up in the Dictionary?
Drafting a Report Drafting
  1. What is the drafting stage of writing?

Module Suggested Read Aloud Books:

Take time to read to your student or have them read aloud to you. Read a different book each day. While reading the book point out concepts being taught. You may purchase these books or find them at your local library. Suggested things to discuss while reading the book:

  • What is the main idea?
  • What are three things new you learned?
  • How does this book relate to what you are learning about?

# Book Author Lexile Level

Module Outing:

Take some time to apply what your student is learning to the real world. Suggested outings are below.

# Outing