Unit 2 — Use Your Words

• Open-ended RACE responses using evidence from various texts
• Comparison of fiction and nonfiction text elements
• Identification of poetry elements in poems
• Text feature scavenger hunt activities
• Think-aloud discussions about figurative language

Expository Writing Task with Open-Ended Questions and Writing a Letter

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Students may respond orally to comprehension questions about text and graphic features with teacher or peer support, or use visual aids such as labeled diagrams to identify and explain the purpose of text features. Word meaning tasks may be completed using pre-made word cards, word banks, or pictures paired with context clues.

For this unit's focus on author's word choice, figurative language, and correspondence writing, students may benefit from graphic organizers that scaffold the process of identifying text and graphic features and connecting them to meaning. Providing visual supports such as anchor charts for figurative language types and sentence frames for RACE responses helps students access complex language concepts and organize their thinking. Where written output is a barrier, allowing dictation, oral responses, or a scribe supports students in demonstrating comprehension of poetry elements and text structure without being limited by writing demands. Breaking correspondence writing tasks into sequenced steps with checklists helps students manage the multi-part process of composing a letter.

Students in this unit benefit from extended time when completing open-ended responses and written correspondence tasks, as analyzing figurative language and organizing ideas for writing can require additional processing time. Preferential seating near the instructor during think-aloud discussions about word meaning and poetry supports focus and access to verbal instruction. Providing a printed copy of any text features or directions displayed on the board ensures students can reference materials independently throughout reading and writing tasks.

Because this unit centers on figurative language, poetry, and author word choice, pre-teaching key vocabulary and idiomatic expressions before introducing texts will help multilingual learners access meaning more effectively. Visual cues such as illustrated vocabulary cards, labeled text feature examples, and picture-supported anchor charts for literary terms like rhyme scheme and stanza provide essential context for language development alongside content learning. Allowing students to discuss ideas in their home language with a partner before responding in English supports deeper comprehension and builds confidence for participation in think-aloud conversations and correspondence writing tasks.

Students who need additional support in this unit benefit from starting with familiar, concrete examples of text features and everyday figurative language before moving to more abstract analysis, helping to activate prior knowledge and build confidence. Offering partially completed graphic organizers for main idea, retelling, or letter-writing structure reduces the cognitive load of getting started while still engaging students in meaningful thinking about words and their purposes. Chunking reading passages into shorter sections and providing check-ins after each segment helps students build comprehension incrementally rather than feeling overwhelmed by full texts.

Students who have demonstrated readiness can extend their study of author's word choice and figurative language by analyzing how multiple poets or authors use language differently to achieve similar or contrasting effects across texts. Correspondence writing can be enriched by exploring more sophisticated forms or purposes, such as persuasive letters, open letters to an author, or letters written from a character's perspective that require inference and interpretation of plot development. Encouraging students to investigate how text and graphic features function differently across genres or disciplines deepens their understanding of purposeful text structure in ways that go beyond identification toward critical analysis.