Subjects
English Language Arts
--Informational text/nonfiction
History
Social Studies
Grade
4-6
Brief Description
Students read an informational text to learn about the lives of colonial children. Then they practice summarizing, determining the text’s main idea, and making inferences.
Objectives
Students will read an informational text describing the daily lives of colonial children, and then:
Keywords
Colonial, America, history, social studies, English language arts, Common Core, colonists, children, informational text, nonfiction, main idea, details, inferences, summarizing
Materials Needed
Lesson Plan
In colonial times, America was a very different place than it is now, particularly when it comes to the lives of children. While kids today might complain about strict bedtimes and being made to eat all of their vegetables, colonial children were more concerned with doing their chores and trying to remain silent at meals.
Introduction
Explain to students that they will be practicing close reading of an informational text by reading a passage that describes what life was like for children during the colonial period of American history (1600s to early 1700s).
An important part of their reading will be determining the passage’s main idea. Spend a few minutes going over this concept. A main idea can be explained as “the part of a passage, text or story that the author wants readers to walk away with.” A main idea is like the center or core, around which all the details are arranged. Details are all related in some way to the main idea—they help to explain the main idea, give examples of it, or give evidence to support it.
For more teaching strategies on main ideas, see pages 2 and 12 of Illinois State Board of Education’s Common Core Teaching and Learning Strategies: English Language Arts, Reading Informational Text, Grades 6-12, and try having students practice using the Sum It Up graphic organizer.
Next, review the concept of an inference. An inference is like an assumption or a conclusion that is not stated explicitly (obviously) in the text, but which can be drawn based on clues or evidence in the text. Making inferences helps us grasp a text’s deeper meaning as we read. As they’re reading, students should ask themselves: Why did the author include this particular detail? Was he or she trying to suggest a particular assumption, belief or conclusion? If so, what is that assumption, belief or conclusion? Is there one or more details pointing to that same assumption, belief or conclusion?
For more teaching strategies on inferences, see pages 1 and 11 of Illinois State Board of Education’s Common Core Teaching and Learning Strategies: English Language Arts, Reading Informational Text, Grades 6-12, and try having students practice using the It Says, I Say, and So graphic organizer linked to from page 11.
Finally, explain how to summarize a text and provide students with some examples. See Emily Kissner’s helpful guide Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Retelling, which explains the concept and defines a summary as “a shortened version of an original text, stating the main ideas and important details of the text with the same text structure and order of the original.”
Student Assignment
Ask students to carefully read the text, taking notes on any or all of the following (teachers can choose). If you’d like kids to take notes directly on the text and to be able to underline and highlight portions of the text, print out a copy of the Children in Colonial America handout for each student. Otherwise, they can read the document (and take notes) on computer.
Then discuss/complete the following as a class (see grade-level suggestions for each question):
Following class discussion, check student understanding with this quiz.
Quiz Answers:
1. b
2. a
3. b
4. c
5. c
6. b
7. a
8. a
Assessment
Evaluate students’ participation in class discussion, as well as the number of quiz questions answered correctly.
Submitted By
Celine Provini, Editor and Jason Tomaszewski, Associate Editor
Common Core State Standards
English Language Arts
Grade 4
Key Ideas and Details
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.2 Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.8 Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
Grade 5
Key Ideas and Details
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.2 Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.8 Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).
Grade 6
Key Ideas and Details
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
Craft and Structure
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
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