Module 15: Community Leaders-Language Arts 3 - Course Guide

Module Overview:

In this module, learners will study "Community Leaders" while building their skills as writers and researchers. We will focus on how to use multiple sources to plan and write an engaging biography, moving from a first draft to a polished final version. Our language and grammar lessons will cover new spelling patterns for the long "i" sound, the use of comparative and superlative adjectives (like "faster" and "fastest"), and the correct rules for using quotation marks in dialogue. By the end of the module, learners will have practiced gathering information, citing evidence, and refining their writing, while also continuing to work on their cursive penmanship with the uppercase letters C and E.

Module Materials:

Lesson # Lesson Title Material(s)
1 15.1 Community Leaders timer
Language Arts Notebook
highlighters (assorted colors)
2 15.2 Community Leaders Language Arts Notebook;
3 15.3 Community Leaders timer
Language Arts Notebook
4 15.4 Community Leaders Language Arts Notebook;
5 15.5 Community Leaders Language Arts Notebook;

Module Objectives:

Lesson # Lesson Title Objective(s)
1 15.1 Community Leaders
  1. Use context clues to find the definitions of vocabulary words.
  2. Identify and describe comparative and superlative adjectives formed with -er and -est.
  3. Use a graphic organizer to plan a biography using multiple sources.
  4. Demonstrate fluency with grade-level text.
2 15.2 Community Leaders
  1. Classify words by long i vowel team spelling patterns.
  2. Analyze autobiographies and biographies.
  3. Classify and explain correct quotation mark usage in dialogue.
  4. Construct a rough draft of a biography.
3 15.3 Community Leaders
  1. Analyze and apply knowledge of long i vowel teams to select the correct spelling in context.
  2. Cite evidence in a biography.
  3. Analyze and apply quotation mark rules to correct dialogue.
  4. Revise a biography.
4 15.4 Community Leaders
  1. Use vocabulary words in sentences.
  2. Analyze and evaluate adjective comparisons in short passages.
  3. Analyze and justify editing choices to improve writing.
  4. Demonstrate proper letter formation of uppercase cursive letters C and E.
5 15.5 Community Leaders
  1. Apply accurate spelling of long i vowel teams.
  2. Revise quotation mark usage in a paragraph.
  3. Create a published version of their biography.
  4. Demonstrate fluency with grade-level text.

Module Key Words:

Key Words Spelling Words Vocabulary Words
context clues
fluency
graphic organizer
biography
autobiography
comparative adjective
superlative adjective
quotation mark
dialogue
rough draft
revise
edit
publish
 right
might
mail
fright
light
high
died
lied
tied
pie
heist
feisty
seismic
fight
sight
tonight
bright
 respect
solution
vision
cooperation
dedicate
goal

Module Assignments:

Lesson # Lesson Title Page # Assignment Title

Learning Coach Notes:

Lesson # Lesson Title Notes
1 15.1 Community Leaders Students will learn vowel teams for the /long i/ sound in spelling words. These words appear in the fluency passage to give learners additional exposure. Your learner will learn about community leaders and read an example of a community leader’s actions. They will learn how to format quotation marks and how to form and use superlative and comparative adjectives. To practice using these adjectives, provide two to three objects and have your learner use appropriate adjectives to describe them. Learners will begin their writing project: a biography about a community leader of their choosing.
2 15.2 Community Leaders Students will be encouraged to research a leader in their community and determine how he or she has benefited the community. Have resources available that lend themselves to this type of research. Use library resources, and appropriate online resources. As your learner begins writing a biography of the community leader they choose, encourage them to start by reviewing their graphic organizer to determine whether changes are needed. Then, as they write, remind your learner to refer to their graphic organizer to keep their ideas flowing. Reinforce the concept that a rough draft does not need to be free from errors. The goal is to put their ideas on paper in a three-paragraph format.
3 15.3 Community Leaders Continue pointing out dialogue in the books your learner reads to provide additional examples of correct quotation mark formatting. Students will read a biography of Fred Rogers. To expand your learner’s understanding, pull up some clips of his show, or check out additional books about him and his impact. Your learner will benefit from exposure to additional biographies.
4 15.4 Community Leaders Students will continue to deepen their understanding of the skills this week by analyzing correct and incorrect spellings of words, making connections with the Module Story, and analyzing a biography to comprehend it. To support your learner, provide additional biographies for them to explore and ask them to identify the characteristics they see.
5 15.5 Community Leaders Students will use what they have learned to show what they know today. For extra practice and to help your learner demonstrate a strong understanding of the skills, use the following ideas. Encourage your learner to describe why some spelling words rhyme and some do not. Ask them if they can use each vocabulary word in a sentence. Discuss this question: “If you were to write an autobiography about yourself, what would be the main idea?” Model how to respond by offering your own answer first.

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
15.1 Community Leaders
  1. What are the characteristics of a biography?
15.2 Community Leaders
  1. What are comparative adjectives?
15.3 Community Leaders
  1. What are superlative adjectives?
15.4 Community Leaders
  1. How does correct dialogue punctuation help a reader follow a conversation?

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

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
1 Look for the Helpers S. Daniel
2 We Are Mighty: 12 Ordinary Americans Who Did the Next Needed Thing Sharon McMahon

Module Outing:

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

# Outing