Genre: B Teacher’S Guide Pocahontas Squantolearn about this genre. First we’re going to focus on...

B e n c h m a r k e d u c a t i o n c o m p a n y

Skills and Strategies

Anchor Comprehension Strategies• Compare and contrast• Evaluate point of view

Genre Study• Recognize genre features• Analyze genre texts• Make text-to-text genre connections

Tier Two Vocabulary• See book’s glossary

Word Study• Multiple meanings

Fluency• Read with anticipation and mood

Writing• Writer’s tools: Direct quotes• Write a biography using writing-process

steps

Pocahontas

Squanto

Teacher’S Guide

Level R/40

Unit at a Glance

Day 1 Prepare to Read Day 4 Reread “Squanto”*

Day 2 Read “Pocahontas”* Day 5 Literature Circle Discussion/ Reinforce Skills*

Day 3 Read “Squanto”* Days 6–15 Write a biography using the writing-process steps on page 10

*While you are meeting with small groups, other students can:• read independently from your classroom library• reflect on their learning in reading response journals• engage in literacy workstations

Genre: Biography

Y06619_G4_TG_Pocahontas_Rev8.indd 1 10/10/10 11:02 PM

will look for how these features appear in each biography we read.

• Ask students to turn to pages 4–5. Say: The biographies in this book are about Native Americans who lived among early American settlers. Let’s read about early colonial communities.

• Have a student read aloud the background information while others follow along.

• Say: Native Americans assisted distressed settlers in both the Jamestown and Plymouth colonies. What can you infer, or tell, from this? Allow responses. Prompt students to understand that Native Americans were vital to the colonies’ survival.

Introduce the Tools Writers Use: Direct Quotes• Read aloud “Tools Writers Use” on page 5. • Say: Many biographers use direct quotes. By

including the actual words people say, writers help readers feel as though they are “there” when the action occurs. Direct quotes also show what people are like and give readers insight into their thoughts, feelings, and relationships. Let’s practice identifying direct quotes so we can recognize them in the biographies we read.

• Distribute BLM 1 (Direct Quotes). Read aloud sentence 1 with students.

• Model Identifying Direct Quotes: The first sentence introduces a direct quote with the words The captain said. These words identify who is speaking and are set off with a comma. The speaker’s exact words are enclosed in quotation marks. This direct quote creates an image of a group of colonists standing on shore after crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

• Ask students to work with a partner or in small groups to identify the direct quotes in the remaining sentences, describe the scene in which they imagine each direct quote is spoken, and write their own pair of direct quotes.

• Bring the groups together to share their findings.• Ask the groups to read one of the sentence pairs

they completed. Use the examples to build students’ understanding of how and why writers use direct quotes. Remind students that direct quotes can help readers better understand and draw conclusions about both the subject and the author of the biography.

• Ask groups to hand in their sentences. Transfer student-written sentences to chart paper, title the page “Direct Quotes,” and post it as an anchor chart in your classroom.

biographies of two native americans2

Prepare to ReadBuild Genre Background• Write the word genre on chart paper. Ask: Who

can explain what the word genre means? Allow responses. Say: The word genre means “a kind of something.” Some people make movies. Other people take photographs. Movies and photography are two kinds, or genres, of visual art. Each genre has its own characteristics that we can use to identify it. In the same way, we can identify literary genres by their characteristics. As readers, we use what we know about genres to help us comprehend what we read. Recognizing the genre helps us know what to expect. As writers, we use what we know about genres to help us develop and organize our ideas.

• Ask: Who can name some literary genres? Let’s make a list. Allow responses. Post the list on the classroom wall as an anchor chart.

• Draw a concept web on chart paper or the chalkboard. Write Biography in the center circle of the web.

• Say: Biography is one example of a literary genre. Think of any biographies you know. How would you define what a biography is?

• Turn and Talk. Ask students to turn and talk to a classmate and jot down any features of a biography they can think of. Then bring students together and ask them to share their ideas. Record them on the group web. Reinforce the concept that all biographies have certain common features.

Introduce the Book• Distribute a copy of the book to each student. Read

the title aloud. Ask students to tell what they see on the cover and table of contents.

• Ask students to turn to pages 2–3. Say: This week we are going to read biographies that will help us learn about this genre. First we’re going to focus on this genre as readers. Then we’re going to study biographies from a writer’s perspective. Our goal this week is to really understand this genre.

• Ask a student to read aloud the text on pages 2–3 while others follow along. Invite a different student to read the web on page 3.

• Point to your Biography web on chart paper. Say: Let’s compare our initial ideas about biographies with what we just read. What new features of this genre did you learn? Allow responses. Add new information to the class web.

• Post this chart in your classroom during your biography unit. Say: As we read biographies this week, we will come back to this anchor chart. We

Day 1

©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Teachers may photocopy the reproducible pages for classroom use. No other part of the guide may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.ISBN: 978-1-4509-0019-5


3biographies of two native americans©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Reflect and Review • Turn and Talk. Write one or more of the following

questions on chart paper. What are some literary genres besides biography? What can you tell me about one of these genres? What did you learn today about the biography

genre? What are some ways direct quotes help a writer

communicate ideas about the subject of a biography? Ask partners or small groups to discuss their ideas

and report them back to the whole group as a way to summarize the day’s learning.

Before ReadingIntroduce “Pocahontas”• Reread the Biography anchor chart or the web on

page 3 to review the features of a biography.• Ask students to turn to page 6. Ask: Based on

the title and illustration, what type of person do you predict this biography will be about? Allow responses.

• Invite students to scan the text and look for the boldfaced words (meal, sound, ransom, trip). Say: As you read, pay attention to these words. If you don’t know what they mean, try to use clues in the surrounding text to help you define them. We’ll come back to these words after we read.

Set a Purpose for Reading• Ask students to read the biography, focusing on

the genre elements they noted on their anchor chart. They should also look for examples of direct quotes and think about how the authors’ use of quotes helps readers better understand the people in the biography.

Read “Pocahontas”• Place students in groups based on their reading

levels. Ask students to read the biography silently, whisper-read, or read with a partner.

• Confer briefly with individual students to monitor their understanding of the text and their use of fix-up strategies.

After ReadingBuild Comprehension: Compare and Contrast• Lead a student discussion using the “Analyze

the Subject” questions on page 13. Then, use the following steps to provide explicit modeling of how to compare and contrast elements in a biography.

• Explain: We learned yesterday that a biography tells about a person’s family, childhood, and personality as well as the important people, places, and events in his or her life. In a biography like “Pocahontas” that portrays two cultures, you can compare and contrast how members of each culture act and react. Noting the similarities and differences between the cultures can help you understand the difficulties and conflicts involved.

Day 2

Management Tips• Throughout the week, you may wish to use

some of the Reflect and Review questions as prompts for reader response journal entries in addition to Turn and Talk activities.

• Have students create genre study folders. Keep blackline masters, notes, small-group writing, and checklists in the folders.

• Create anchor charts by writing whole-group discussion notes and mini-lessons on chart paper. Hang charts in the room where students can see them.

©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLCBiographiEs of two nativE amEriCans BLm 1

Direct QuotesDirections: Read each sentence. Underline each direct quote. Describe the scene you imagine in which the words were spoken.

1. �The��captain��said,��“Let��us��give��thanks��for��our��safe��journey��tothis��new��land.”

Possible answer: The entire group of colonists stands on shore.

2. �“We��will��treat��these��strangers��as��friends��as��long��as��theykeep��peace��with��us,”��declared��the��chief.Possible answer: A Native American chief speaks to leaders of the tribe in a council around a fire.

3. ��The��colonist��asked,��“Have��you��brought��furs��and��food��totrade��today?”Possible answer: A colonist trades with a Native American girl in a colonial settlement.

4. “I��will��marry��you,��John��Rolfe,”��Pocahontas��replied,��“and��Ihope��one��day��to��see��this��beautiful��Eng-Land��you��call��home.”Possible answer: In private, Pocahontas replies to John Rolfe’s proposal of marriage.

5. “Dear��Father,”��the��colonist��wrote.��“We��have��survived��a��terrible�winter��thanks��to��the��generosity��of��our��Indian��friends.”Possible answer: A tired, pale colonist writes a letter home by lamplight.

Directions: Write two sentences that include direct quotes. Make the sentences part of a conversation between a colonist and a Native American.

6. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. ��________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name Date

Management TipAsk students to place self-stick notes in the margins where they notice direct quotes or features of the genre.


©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC4

• Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Find It! questions. The answer to a Find It! question is right in the book. You can find the answer in one place in the text.

• Model. Read the first Find It! question. Say: When I read the question, I look for important words that tell me what to look for in the book. What words in this question do you think will help me? Allow responses. Say: Yes, I’m looking for the words Pocahontas and born. On page 8, I read, “Pocahontas was born in about 1595.” This sentence answers the question.

• Use the Power Tool Flip Chart to help you develop other Find It! questions.

Focus on Vocabulary: Multiple-Meaning Words• Explain/Model: Many words have more than one

meaning. To understand which meaning an author intends, readers must look at the way the word is used in the text. For example, draw is a verb that can mean “to pull together,” as in draw the curtains; “to make a picture,” as in draw a cartoon; or “to move,” as in draw near the fireplace.

• Practice. Ask students to think of multiple-meaning words they already know, such as bear (a large animal/to support or carry), carp (a kind of fish/to complain), and mold (a kind of fungus/to form or shape). List the words and their meanings on the board.

• Say: The boldfaced words in this biography are multiplemeaning words. What can you do if you don’t know which meaning to use? Allow responses. Say: A dictionary will list the word’s definitions, but you must look for clues in the text to help you figure out which meaning the author intends.

• Ask students to work with a partner to complete the “Focus on Words” activity on page 13 using BLM 3 (Focus on Multiple-Meaning Words). Explain that they should decide each word’s meaning using context clues in the text. Then they should look in a dictionary to find another meaning the word can have.

• Transfer Through Oral Language. After students share their findings, challenge individuals to use the words with different meanings in new sentences. Ask other students to listen carefully and tell the meaning of the word as it is used.

• Ask students to save their work in their genre studies folders to continue on Days 3 and 4.

Day 2 (cont.)• Distribute copies of BLM 2 (Compare and Contrast)

and/or draw a chart like the one below.

• Model: When I compare and contrast two cultures in a biography, I study their encounters. How do they act? How do they treat one another? These clues suggest the views and values of each culture. I also consider how the cultures adapt to one another and find common ground. For example, when Pocahontas shows the new settlers how to plant crops and hunt, John Smith gives her credit for saving the colony. Though their cultures are very different, the Native American girl and English captain form a friendship. She is helpful, and he is eager to learn.

• Guide Practice. Work with students to compare and contrast the Native Americans and colonists depicted in the biography. Then discuss what each culture expected and how this changed their relationship over time.

• Have students keep BLM 2 in their genre studies folders.

Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment• Remind students that when they answer questions

on standardized assessments, they must be able to support their answers with facts or clues and evidence directly from the text.

• Use the Comprehension Question Card with small groups of students to practice answering text-dependent comprehension questions.

Views and Values Native Americans Colonists

Survival live off the land; hunt; raise corn, beans, squash

trade with Native Americans; hunt; fish

Adaptation Pocahontas helps colonists get food, furs; teaches skills for living in new land

trade objects for food; learn Native American customs

Relationships Pocahontas kidnapped by colonists, studies Christianity, marries John Rolfe, travels to England, meets English queen and king

kidnap Native Americans for ransom; offer to trade Pocahontas for captured Englishmen; Rolfe marries Pocahontas; on good terms with Native Americans for several years; eventually took lands from Native Americans

biographies of two native americans


5©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Reflect and Review • Turn and Talk. Ask partners or small groups to

reread the “Features of a Biography” web on page 3 and decide whether all of these features are present in “Pocahontas.” Ask groups to share and support their findings.

Fluency: Read with Anticipation and Mood• You may wish to have students reread the biography

with a partner during independent reading time, focusing on reading expressively. Ask students to read page 6 with expression that anticipates a violent act and creates a fearful mood. Encourage students to discuss what is happening in the text and how they can use their voices to reflect it, including such techniques as pitch, volume, pacing, and pausing.

Before ReadingIntroduce “Squanto” • Ask students to turn to page 14. Say: This

biography is written in a different format from the other biography we read. Notice the notes in the margin. First, we will read to understand the biography. Tomorrow, we will read this biography like a writer and think about how the notes in the margin can help us can write our own biographies.

• Say: Let’s look at the title, map, and illustrations of this biography. What type of person do you predict it will be about?

• Ask students to scan the text and look for the boldfaced words (reckoned, coast, board, harvest, spread). Ask: What do you notice about these words? Why do you think they appear in boldfaced type? (All of these words have multiple meanings.)

• Say: As you read, try to figure out the meanings of these words. Look in the text for clues to help you decide which meaning the authors intend. After we read, we will talk about how you used context clues to determine each word’s meaning.

Set a Purpose for Reading• Ask students to read the biography, focusing on

how his actions change Squanto, affect the world, and make him memorable. Encourage them to notice the authors’ use of direct quotes.

Read “Squanto”• Place students in groups based on their reading

levels. Ask students to read the biography silently, whisper-read, or read with a partner.

• Confer briefly with individual students to monitor their understanding of the text and their use of fix-up strategies.

After ReadingBuild Comprehension: Compare and Contrast• Say: Yesterday we compared and contrasted the

views and values of the Native Americans and colonists as depicted in “Pocahontas.” Today’s biography also describes interactions between the Native Americans and col o nists. How do the attitudes, actions, and expectations of the two cultures compare in “Squanto”? Record responses on a whole-group chart like the one here.

• Discuss Comparing and Contrasting Across Texts. Lead a discussion using the following questions: How is Pocahontas different than Squanto? How are they similar? How are Pocahontas and Squanto alike in the way the colonists view them? What role does friendship play in each story? When is this friendship

Day 3

Page Word Sentence in Text

Meaning #1 from Context

Meaning #2 from Dictionary

6 meal They ate a festive meal.

food items served together at a given time and often shared with others (noun)

coarsely ground grain such as corn (noun)

7 sound He may have wanted to make what really happened sound more dangerous.

to seem to be (verb)

what is or can be heard (noun)

9 ransom The tribesmen and the settlers often kidnapped one another, demanding ransom.

money paid for the return of someone or something (noun)

to release by paying a price (verb)

11 trip Their trip was basically a publicity campaign.

a voyage (noun) to strike the foot against something and stumble (verb)



©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLCbiographies of two native americans6

• Transfer Through Oral Language. Pairs of students give each other meaning clues to a target word. After each clue, the listener tries to guess the word until he or she guesses correctly. Then partners use each target word with two different meanings in a single sentence.

Reflect and Review • Turn and Talk. Ask partners or small groups to

discuss the following questions and report their ideas to the whole group: How would you describe Squanto’s character? Which of his traits are admirable? Which are not? If you could ask Squanto a question, what would it be? Why would you ask him that? What action or fact do you think makes Squanto most important in history?

Fluency: Read with Expression: Anticipation and Mood• You may wish to have students reread the biography

with a partner during independent reading time. Have them focus on reading with appropriate expression. Ask students to discuss the last paragraph on page 15. What does the name Squanto chose tell you about his personality? What mood does this paragraph suggest? Encourage students to read the paragraph to show an appropriate mood and help readers anticipate what might happen next.

Day 3 (cont.)threatened? Who would have a more difficult time surviving: a Native American in Europe or a European colonist in North America? Why? Where have the authors used direct quotes? How do these quotes help you better appreciate the actions and characters of Pocahontas and Squanto?

Views and Values

Native Americans Colonists

Survival

live off land; farm fields of corn, squash, beans

many die until Native Americans help with food; trade with Native Americans

Adaptation

Squanto learns English; helps colonists with food, trading, communication

meet with Chief Massasoit, Samoset, and Squanto to work out a peace treaty

Relationships

Squanto helpful, resourceful, well-liked; later tries to pit Pilgrims and Wamanoag against one another to benefit his own tribe

kidnap Native Americans; hold harvest feast of thanks; Bradford careful not to go to war without proof, remains loyal to Squanto

Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment • Use the Comprehension Question Card to practice

answering text-dependent questions.• Say: Today we will answer Look Closer! questions.

The answer to a Look Closer! question is in the book. You have to look in more than one place. You find the different parts of the answer. Then you put the parts together.

• Model. Read the first Look Closer! question. Say: This question asks me to identify a stated main idea. I know because it says, “What sentence best states the main idea.” Now I need to look for other important information to find in the book. What information do you think will help me? Allow responses. Say: Yes, I’m looking for the sentence that is supported by details in the second paragraph on page 15. The first sentence states that the Plymouth colony would have failed without Squanto’s help. The other sentences describe ways Squanto helped the colonists. These details all support the first sentence, so it is the stated main idea. I looked in several sentences to find the answer.

• Guide Practice. Use the Power Tool Flip Chart to help you develop other Look Closer! questions.

Focus on Vocabulary: Multiple-Meaning Words• Ask students to work with a partner to complete the

“Focus on Words” activity on page 21 using BLM 3. Have groups of students share their findings.




15 reckoned …he was a force to be reckoned with…

considered,judged (verb)

found the numberor value of,counted (verb)

16 coast ...George Weymouth, sailed along the coast…

the land beside an ocean (noun)

to slide or ride without the use of effort or power (verb)

17 board Once on board, Hunt tied up Squanto and the others.

on a ship (noun)

a flat, thin piece of wood using in building (noun)

19 harvest …Governor Bradford arranged a harvest celebration…

the gathering of a crop when it is ripe (noun, used as an adjective)

the result of an act, process, or event (noun)

20 spread …Squanto spread rumors among the settlers.

distributed (verb)

to put on in a thin layer (verb)


©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC biographies of two native americans 7

Before ReadingSet a Purpose for Rereading• Have students turn to page 14. Say: Until now, we

have been thinking about biographies from the perspective of the reader. Learning the features of biographies has helped us be critical readers. Now we are going to put on a different hat. We are going to reread “Squanto” and think like writers. We’re going to pay attention to the annotations in the margins. These annotations will help us understand what the authors did and why they did it.

Reread “Squanto”• Place students in groups based on their reading

levels. Ask students to reread the biography silently or whisper-read.

• Confer briefly with individual students to monitor their understanding of the text and annotations.

After ReadingAnalyze the Mentor Text• Explain to students that the text they have just read

is a mentor text. A mentor text is a text that teaches. This text is designed to help them understand what writers do to write a biography and why they do it.

• Read and discuss each mentor annotation with students. Encourage them to comment on the writer’s style, description of events and people in the subject’s life, and use of literary techniques such as direct quotes.

Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment • Use the Comprehension Question Card with small

groups of students to practice answering text-dependent questions.

• Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Prove It! questions. The answer to a Prove It! question is not stated in the book. You have to look for clues and evidence to prove the answer.

• Model. Read the first Prove It! question. Say: I will show you how I answer a Prove It! question. This question asks me to analyze character. I know because it says, “What clue tells you . . . Bradford felt grateful.” Now I need to look for other important information in the question. What information do you think will help me? Allow responses. Say: Yes, I need to reread page 20 to find out what Governor Bradford does for Squanto. I read that Governor Bradford refuses to give Squanto up to Chief Massasoit “even though Squanto had lied.” I have located the clue I need.

• Guide Practice. Use the Power Tool Flip Chart to help you develop other Prove It! questions.

Analyze the Writer’s Craft• Ask students to turn to page 22. Explain: Over

the next few days, you will have the opportunity to write your own biographies. First, let’s think about how the authors wrote “Squanto.” When they developed this biography, they followed certain steps. You can follow these same steps to write your own biography.

• Read step 1. Say: The first thing you’ll do is decide on the person you want to write about. The biographies we read focus on two extraordinary Native Americans who befriended early American colonists and helped them survive. What other people do we know who have had an impact on their own or another culture? Which person would you like to write a biography about? Why? Allow responses. Write down students’ ideas on chart paper.

• Read step 2. Say: In the biographies we read, other people played an important part in the subjects’ lives. For example, Squanto learned to speak English from the ships’ captains as he traveled back and forth to England. As a result, he was able to communicate with the settlers in their native language. What other people or groups were important to our subject’s life? Let’s make a list of people and groups and record some examples of their impact. Allow responses. Write down students’ ideas on chart paper.

• Read step 3. Say: Before you’re ready to write, you need to list important events in the subject’s life and the times and places they occurred. For example, after seeing the hardships the Pilgrims faced, Squanto immediately set out to help them. This shows that Squanto was caring and resourceful. When you write your biography, choose the events and settings that best represent your subject. Choose one of the subjects and some of the people the class has brainstormed, and work as a group to outline important settings and events in the subject’s life.

Build Comprehension: Evaluate Point of View• Explain: Point of view is the way an author

looks upon a subject. This point of view controls what information is provided and affects readers’ attitude toward the subject. In a biography, writers try to include primary sources and direct quotes to give a range of descriptions and opinions about the subject’s character and actions. Overall, though, the author decides what readers will learn about the subject and attempts to guide their opinions to align with his or her own.

Day 4


Analyze & SynthesizePractice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment • Use the Comprehension Question Card with small

groups of students to practice answering text-dependent questions.

• Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Take It Apart! questions. To figure out the answer to a Take It Apart! question, you must think like the author.

• Model. Read the second Take It Apart! question. Say: This question asks me to evaluate the authors’ purpose. I know because I must explain why the authors included a particular graphic feature. Now I need to look for other important information in the question. What information do you think will help me? Allow responses. Say: Yes, I need to look at the text and map on page 17. The text tells about Squanto’s travels. The map shows dates and routes of Squanto’s voyages across the Atlantic. I think the authors wanted readers to be able to see how and when Squanto crossed the Atlantic.

• Use the Power Tool Flip Chart to help you develop other Take It Apart! questions.

Summarize & Make Connections Across Texts• Engage students in a discussion about the two

biographies in this book. Invite a different student to summarize each biography. Encourage other students to add their ideas and details.

• Ask students to turn to the inside back cover of the book. Say: Good readers think about how literary works are related. We know, for example, that both of these biographies share certain features. They both describe the subject’s early life. They both include people who were important to the subject. What else do they have in common? Allow responses. Say: Today we will think about how the subjects and settings in both biographies are similar and different. We will summarize why we think people should learn about each subject’s life.

• Ask students to work individually or in small groups to complete BLM 4 (Make Connections Across Texts).

• Class Discussion or Literature Circles. Facilitate a whole-class discussion or keep students in their small groups for a literature circle discussion. If you choose to conduct literature circles, share the rules for good discussion below. Each group should discuss and be prepared to share its ideas about the following prompts. How are the subjects alike? How are they different? Which subject do you find more complex and interesting? What about the person fascinates you?

Which biography do you feel does the best job of demonstrating the historical importance of the subject? What details support your opinion?

• Model: In “Pocahontas,” the authors include John Smith’s description about how Pocahontas “took my head in her arms and laid her own upon it to save me from death.” They point out that the name Pocahontas means “playful” or “mischievous” one. They describe her as highspirited and warm. These details make us admire Pocahontas as the authors clearly do.

• Guide Practice. Invite students to work in small groups to find other details in “Pocahontas” that reveal the authors’ point of view toward Pocahontas and the colonists. Ask the groups to share and explain how these details affected their attitudes toward the people in the story. Then invite students to apply what they have learned about evaluating point of view in a biography to “Squanto.”

Reflect and Review • Ask and discuss the following questions.

How is reading a biography different from writing a biography? Do you think it is a good idea for a biographer to read other biographies? Why or why not? What new words have you added to your vocabulary this week? Which is your favorite? What actions or events in the life of Pocahontas or Squanto do you find most impressive or inspiring? Why? How can you use multiplemeaning words and direct quotes as a writer?

Fluency: Read with Anticipation and Mood• You may wish to have students reread the biography

with a partner during independent reading time. Have them focus on reading with appropriate expression to portray the mood and a sense of anticipation. Discuss Squanto’s second kidnapping and his time in Europe and England, described on page 17. Then, have students read aloud the first paragraph to create anticipation about what might happen to Squanto and the second paragraph to express an appropriate mood.

©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLCbiographies of two native americans8

Day 4 (cont.) Day 5


• Have a student from one group pull out a definition and read it aloud. The student then identifies the target word it defines and uses the word in a sentence with this meaning. Tape the definition to the target word’s circle as a “petal.”

• Rotate through the groups, having students select a definition, identify the word, use the word in context, and add another petal to the word on the chalkboard. Each student who correctly pairs a word with a meaning and uses the word appropriately gets a point for his or her team. When all the petals have been added to the chalkboard, the team with the most points wins.

Reread for Fluency: Oral Reading Performance• Discuss with students the events that seemed

most dramatic in the biographies. • Say: At different periods in their lives,

Pocahontas and Squanto experienced fear, anger, joy, and sadness. When you read the biographies aloud, you can demonstrate your understanding of these emotions through your expression. This helps your listeners appreciate the impact of key events and better understand the subjects.

• Invite individual students to read a section of one of the biographies with expression that helps listeners understand what the subject is feeling or the importance of an event.

• Encourage students to have fun with their readings and to make them as dramatic as possible.

• Invite students to share what they liked about each reader’s interpretation and what they would add to increase its dramatic impact.

Review Writer’s Tools: Direct Quotes• Ask students to look for other examples of direct

quotes in titles from your classroom library or the school’s library. Each student should select one title at his or her independent reading level. Ask students to read pages specifically to find an example of direct quotes.

• Invite students to share their examples with the class. Encourage students to discuss how the direct quotes give them a sense of what the subject or character was like. Point out that not all students will have found examples in the books they chose. Direct quotes are not a tool all writers use all of the time.

Directions: Fill in the chart. Use it to compare and contrast the two biographies.

Pocahontas Squanto

Time/Place1595–1617 in Jamestown colony and England

1585–1623 in Massachusetts/Rhode Island, Europe, England, Canada, and Plymouth colony

Why People Should Learn About Her or His Life

She may have saved Captain John Smith’s life. Her assistance to the colonists probably saved them from starvation. Her friendship meant peace instead of war.

His skill in speaking English and willingness to teach the Pilgrims likely saved their lives. His resilience and intelligence helped him survive incredible ordeals and adventures far from home.

• Tell students that at the end of their discussion, you will ask them to share the important text-to-text, text-to-world, and text-to-self connections they have made.

• While each small group of students discusses the book, confer with individuals or small groups of students. You may wish to revisit elements of the genre, take running records, or model fluent reading skills.

Reinforce SkillsIf time permits, choose from the following activities to reinforce vocabulary and fluency.

Reinforce Vocabulary: Pick a Petal• Place students in small groups and have each group

write as many definitions as they can think of for each target word, one per line. Then ask students to cut the definitions apart, fold them, and place them in a box.

• Write the target words on the chalkboard, leaving space around them. Circle each word.

9biographies of two native americans©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Day 5 (cont.)

Rules for Good Discussion• Pay attention to the person who is talking

and do not interrupt him or her.

• Think about what others are saying so you can respond and add to their ideas.

• Allow and encourage everyone in the group to speak.

• Be respectful of everyone’s ideas.


Write a Biography• Use the suggested daily schedule to guide students

through the steps of process writing. Allow approximately 45 to 60 minutes per day. As students work independently, circulate around the room and monitor student progress. Confer with individual students to discuss their ideas and help them move forward. Use the explicit mini-lessons, conferencing strategies, and assessment rubrics in Using Genre Models to Teach Writing for additional support.

• Before students begin planning their biographies, pass out copies of BLM 5 (Biography Checklist). Review the characteristics and conventions of writing that will be assessed. Tell students that they will use this checklist when they complete their drafts.

• This daily plan incorporates the generally accepted six traits of writing as they pertain to biographies.

Days 6–7: Plan • Ask students to use BLM 6 (Biography Planning

Guide) to brainstorm the subject (person) for their biography and the important people, places, and events in the subject’s life.

• Encourage students to refer to the “Features of a Biography” web on page 3 and to the steps in “The Writer’s Craft” on pages 22–23 of the book.

• Confer with individual students and focus on their ideas. Did students begin their biography with a strong “hook”? Did students include facts about the subject and quotes from or about the subject?

Days 8–9: Draft • Tell students that they will be using their completed

Biography Planning Guides to begin drafting their biographies.

• Say: Remember, when writers draft their ideas, they focus on getting their ideas on paper. They can cross things out and make mistakes in spelling. What’s important is to focus on the person’s early life and his or her accomplishments. You will have an opportunity to make corrections and improvements later.

• Confer with students as they complete their drafts. Use the Biography Checklist to draw students’ attention to characteristics of the biography genre that they may have overlooked. Did students include important facts about the subject’s life? Does the biography clearly portray the person’s impact on the world? Does it have a strong voice? Will the voice keep readers interested?

• Pair students for peer conferencing.

Days 10–11: Edit and Revise • Based on your observations of students’ writing,

select appropriate mini-lessons from Using Genre Models to Teach Writing.

• Remind students to use the Biography Checklist as they edit and revise their biographies independently.

• Confer with students focusing on sentence fluency, word choice, and conventions. Did students include both long and short sentences? Do the sentences read smoothly? Have students used interesting words and phrases? Did they use direct quotes? Did they use appropriate spelling, punctuation, and grammar?

• You may want students to continue their editing and revision at home.

Days 12–13: Create Final Draft and Illustrations • Ask students to rewrite or type a final draft of their

biographies.• Invite students to illustrate their final drafts with one

or more drawings that depict specific events detailed in their biographies.

• Confer with students about their publishing plans and deadlines.

Days 14–15: Publish and Share• Explain: Authors work long and hard to develop

their works. You have worked very hard. And one of the great joys of writing is when you can share it with others. Authors do this in many ways. They publish their books so that people can buy them. They make their work available on the Internet. They hold readings. We can share our writing, too.

• Use one or more of the ideas below for sharing students’ work. Make a class display of students’ completed biographies. Hold a class reading in which students can read their biographies to one another and/or to parents. Create a binder of all the biographies and loan it to the library so that other students can read them. Create a binder of all the biographies for your classroom library.

biographies of two native americans ©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC10

Days 6–15

BiographiEs of two nativE amEriCans ©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLCBLm 5

Features of the Genre Checklist Yes No� 1.��My��biography��has��a��strong��lead.� � � 2.��My��biography��is��logically��sequenced.� � � 3.��My��biography��includes��the��person’s��date��

and��place��of��birth.� � � 4.��My��biography��includes��important��events��

from��the��person’s��life.� � � 5.��My��biography��includes��people��who��have��

influenced��the��person.� � � 6.��My��biography��describes��the��person’s��

personality.� � � 7.��My��biography��quotes��the��person.� � � 8.��My��biography��quotes��people��who��knew��

or��know��the��person.� � � 9.��My��biography��explains��why��the��person��

is��worthy��of��a��biography.� � 10.��My��biography��has��a��strong��ending.� �

Quality Writing Checklist Yes No I��looked��for��and��corrected�.�.�.

•�run-on��sentences� � •�sentence��fragments� � •�subject/verb��agreement� � •�correct��verb��tense�� •�punctuation� � •�capitalization � •�spelling� � •�indented��paragraphs� �

Biography Checklist

Name Date

Title:

BiographiEs of two nativE amEriCans ©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLCBLm 6

Biography Planning Guide

Directions: Use the steps below to plan your own biography.

1.��Decide��on��someone��to��write��about.

2.��Decide��who��else��needs��to��be��in��the��biography.

3.��Recall��events��and��settings.

Person or Group Impact on Subject’s Life

Family��Members:

Friends:

Heroes:

Others:

Setting Important Events That Occurred

Setting��#1:

Setting��#2:

Setting��#3:

Name Date


©2011 benchmark education company, LLcbiographies of two native americans bLm 1

Direct QuotesDirections: Read each sentence. Underline each direct quote. Describe the scene you imagine in which the words were spoken.

1. �The��captain��said,��“Let��us��give��thanks��for��our��safe��journey��to��this��new��land.”�_______________________________________________________________

2. �“We��will�treat��these��white��men��as��friends��as��long��as��they��keep��peace��with��us,”��declared��the��chief.�_______________________________________________________________

3. ��The��colonist��asked,��“Have��you��brought��furs��and��food��to��trade��today?”��_______________________________________________________________

4. “I��will��marry��you,��John��Rolfe,”��Pocahontas��replied,��“and��I��hope��one��day��to��see��this��beautiful��Eng-Land��you��call��home.”�_______________________________________________________________

5. “Dear��Father,”��the��colonist��wrote.��“We��have��survived��a��terrible��winter��thanks��to��the��generosity��of��our��Indian��friends.”�_______________________________________________________________

Directions: Write two sentences that include direct quotes. Make the sentences part of a conversation between a colonist and a Native American.

6. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. ��________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name Date



©2011 benchmark education company, LLc

Compare and ContrastDirections: Use the charts below to compare and contrast the Native Americans and colonists as depicted in the two biographies.

bLm 2

Pocahontas

Views and Values

Native Americans Colonists

Survival

Adaptation

Relationships

Squanto

Survival

Adaptation

Relationships

Name Date


Focus on Multiple-Meaning Words

Directions: Use context clues to figure out the meaning of each word below as used in the text. Then find another meaning for each word in a dictionary.

©2011 benchmark education company, LLcbiographies of two native americans

bLm 3




6 meal

7 sound

9 ransom

11 trip




15 reckoned

16 coast

17 board

19 harvest

20 spread

Name Date


Make Connections Across TextsDirections: Fill in the chart. Use it to compare and contrast the two biographies.

biographies of two native americans ©2011 benchmark education company, LLcbLm 4

Pocahontas Squanto

Time/Place

Why People Should Learn About Her or His Life

Name Date



Features of the Genre Checklist Yes No� 1.��My��biography��has��a��strong��lead.� � � 2.��My��biography��is��logically��sequenced.� � � 3.��My��biography��includes��the��person’s��date��

and��place��of��birth.� � � 4.��My��biography��includes��important��events��

from��the��person’s��life.� � � 5.��My��biography��includes��people��who��have��

influenced��the��person.� � � 6.��My��biography��describes��the��person’s��

personality.� � � 7.��My��biography��quotes��the��person.� � � 8.��My��biography��quotes��people��who��knew��

or��know��the��person.� � � 9.��My��biography��explains��why��the��person��

is��worthy��of��a��biography.� � 10.��My��biography��has��a��strong��ending.� �

Quality Writing Checklist Yes No I��looked��for��and��corrected�.�.�.

•�run-on��sentences� � •�sentence��fragments� � •�subject/verb��agreement� � •�correct��verb��tense�� •�punctuation� � •�capitalization � •�spelling� � •�indented��paragraphs� �

Biography Checklist

Title:

Name Date



Name Date

Biography Planning Guide

Directions: Use the steps below to plan your own biography.

1.��Decide��on��someone��to��write��about.

2.��Decide��who��else��needs��to��be��in��the��biography.

3.��Recall��events��and��settings.

Person or Group Impact on Subject’s Life

Family��Members:

Friends:

Heroes:

Others:

Setting Important Events That Occurred

Setting��#1:

Setting��#2:

Setting��#3:


Genre: B Teacher’S Guide Pocahontas Squantolearn about this genre. First we’re going to focus on...

Documents

Transcript of Genre: B Teacher’S Guide Pocahontas Squantolearn about this genre. First we’re going to focus on...