Module 15: Life Stories- Language Arts 2 - Course Guide
Module Overview:
In this module, learners build foundational reading, writing, and language skills through the study of biographies and letter writing. Learners practice decoding words with the vowel teams -ai and -ay, develop fluency with grade-level texts, and expand vocabulary by using context clues, antonyms, and shades of meaning. Learners explore the characteristics of a biography, identify relevant details, and cite evidence from the text. Learners also strengthen grammar and conventions by recognizing, classifying, and revising sentences with adverbs, as well as editing for correctness. Throughout the module, learners apply their skills by drafting, revising, editing, and publishing a nonfiction letter about a biography, while also demonstrating proper cursive letter formation.
Module Materials:
| Lesson # | Lesson Title | Material(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15.1 Life Stories | None |
| 2 | 15.2 Life Stories |
modeling clay Writing Notebook |
| 3 | 15.3 Life Stories | note cards or pieces of paper; |
| 4 | 15.4 Life Stories |
shaving cream (optional) baking sheet (optional) watercolor paint (optional) paintbrush (optional) paper towel (optional) cup of water (optional) paper (optional) highlighters (assorted colors) |
| 5 | 15.5 Life Stories | None |
Module Objectives:
| Lesson # | Lesson Title | Objective(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15.1 Life Stories |
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| 2 | 15.2 Life Stories |
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| 3 | 15.3 Life Stories |
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| 4 | 15.4 Life Stories |
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| 5 | 15.5 Life Stories |
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Module Key Words:
| Key Words | Words of the Week | Spelling Words | Vocabulary Words |
|---|---|---|---|
|
context clues fluency graphic organizer biography adverb rough draft revise edit publish |
play away birthday |
paint rain bait train day say tray spray clay |
classify detail discard edit effect |
Module Assignments:
| Lesson # | Lesson Title | Page # | Assignment Title |
|---|
Learning Coach Notes:
| Lesson # | Lesson Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15.1 Life Stories | Many students will have limited exposure to writing a friendly letter. You can share your own experiences with letter writing or letters written to you with your learner. Remind your learner that the body of a friendly letter is very similar to the information in a friendly email. Your learner may need guidance with formulating questions and exclamations about the subject. They will also likely need guidance on what information they would want to share with a historical figure. Asking your learner questions about what they have read can help them connect the reading to the writing. |
| 2 | 15.2 Life Stories | You can encourage your learner to make the connection between the ai and ay spellings during the word chaining activity. When your learner adds or deletes a sound, ask them which spelling of the /long a/ the new sound has. You can also have them write the word and point out the tail on the y, indicating that it is the end of the word. If your learner needs a challenge, have them spell multisyllabic words with the /long a/ spelling patterns. Allow them to find their own pattern in the syllables, guiding as necessary. You can also guide your learner to see that words with the ai spelling often end in the letter d, l, t, or n. |
| 3 | 15.3 Life Stories | If your learner struggles to identify adverbs in sentences, try asking leading questions, like “What is the verb? How/when/where is the verb happening?” You can work with your learner by having them go on an adverb hunt in their reading or giving a sentence that is missing an adverb that they can add. If your learner easily identifies adverbs, encourage them to change the sentence structure by putting the adverb somewhere else in the sentence. Does moving the adverb change the meaning of the sentence? |
| 4 | 15.4 Life Stories | Encourage your learner to read a biography of a person they admire. This person can be alive right now or be a historical figure. Guide your learner to choose a book on their reading level. If your learner is a reluctant reader, they may need help choosing a person who sparks their interest and motivates them to read. |
| 5 | 15.5 Life Stories | When reading a biography with your learner, stop and discuss what the person’s accomplishments were. Write them on a sticky note. Discuss what obstacles stood in the person’s way and jot them down on another sticky note. Finally, discuss and write down the person’s legacy and why your learner is reading their biography. When it is time to summarize the text, the sticky notes will make it a less daunting task and give your learner accurate information to help them. |
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 Life Stories |
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| 15.2 Life Stories |
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| 15.3 Life Stories |
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| 15.4 Life Stories |
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| 15.5 Life Stories |
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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 | The Girl Who Dug Up the Past: The Story of Mary Anning For Kids | Sarah Michaels | |
| 2 | Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist | Linda Skeers |
Module Outing:
Take some time to apply what your student is learning to the real world. Suggested outings are below.
| # | Outing |
|---|---|
| 1 | Take your learner to a local historical museum to learn more about real people and their accomplishments. As you explore the museum together, look for exhibits that share information about a person’s life, work, or contributions. Talk about who the person was, what they did, and why they are remembered. Encourage your learner to notice details such as photographs, artifacts, dates, and captions. After the visit, ask your learner to share one interesting fact they learned about a person and explain why that detail would be important to include in a biography. |