Unit 5 — Teamwork
Description
Students read realistic fiction texts that teach lessons about teamwork and collaboration. The unit emphasizes identifying and explaining author's purpose, asking and answering questions to deepen understanding, and recognizing character traits. Students identify theme and compare and contrast story elements in two stories within the same genre. They analyze text structure and explain the influence of setting on plot. The writing focus is argument writing where students support claims with reasons. Students examine multiple texts to understand different approaches authors take in presenting similar themes.
Essential Questions
- How can realistic fiction texts teach us important lessons? (teamwork)
- How can I identify and explain the author's purpose?
- How can I ask and answer questions to deepen understanding of a text?
- How can I recognize traits in characters?
- How can I identify the theme?
- How can I compare and contrast the five story elements in two stories in the same genre?
Learning Objectives
- Identify and explain author's purpose
- Ask and answer questions to clarify relevant information
- Recognize character traits in realistic fiction
- Explain the relationship among characters and character development
- Explain the influence of setting on a plot
- Explain the use of text structure
- Compare and contrast stories in the same genre
Suggested Texts
- Soccer Shootout — fiction
- Bend it like Bianca — fiction
- Running Rivals — fiction
- Brothers at Bat — fiction
- Magic Tree House Hour of the Olympics — fiction
- I Am Simone Biles — nonfiction
Supplemental Resources
- Venn diagram graphic organizer for comparing and contrasting stories
- Sticky notes for marking text evidence about character traits and theme
- Index cards with character trait vocabulary
- Printed passages from both required texts for close reading
Language
Reading: Literature
Speaking and Listening
Writing
Formative Assessments
- Author's purpose identification activities
- Question generation about texts
- Character trait analysis graphic organizers
- Theme identification discussions
- Venn diagrams comparing two stories
Summative Assessment
Compare and Contrast Essay (Soccer Shootout & Running Rivals)
Benchmark Assessment
Weekly Module Assessment
Alternative Assessment
Students may respond orally to questions about author's purpose and character traits instead of writing, with teacher recording responses. Visual supports such as character trait charts, purpose anchor charts, and sentence frames (e.g., 'The author wrote this to show that...') may be provided to scaffold understanding and written output.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
For students with IEPs, provide graphic organizers with sentence starters to help scaffold character trait analysis and theme identification, since organizing textual evidence in writing can be particularly challenging. When working toward the argument writing goal, allow students to dictate their claim and supporting reasons orally before transitioning to written form, or use a scribe as appropriate. Highlight key passages in realistic fiction texts that directly support character traits or setting details so students can locate evidence without having to scan entire pages. Break the compare-and-contrast essay into sequential steps with teacher check-ins at each stage to reduce cognitive load and support completion.
Section 504
Students with 504 plans should be provided extended time on the compare-and-contrast essay and any in-class reading tasks tied to character analysis or theme identification. Preferential seating near the teacher during read-alouds and text discussions supports focus and engagement with the teamwork-themed fiction. A printed copy of any graphic organizers or comparison frameworks displayed on the board should be provided so students can follow along without divided attention.
ELL / MLL
Multilingual learners benefit from pre-teaching the key vocabulary associated with teamwork, collaboration, and character traits before reading the realistic fiction texts in this unit, using visual supports such as illustrated word banks or vocabulary cards. Simplified directions for comparison tasks, paired with a visual model of what a completed Venn diagram looks like, help make the comparison structure concrete and accessible. When discussing author's purpose or theme, allow students to respond in their home language first and then bridge to English, and use think-alouds with visual aids to make the connection between a character's actions and their traits more comprehensible.
At Risk (RTI)
For students who need additional support, connect the themes of teamwork and collaboration to students' own experiences with group work or sports before reading, building the background knowledge they need to access the text. Provide partially completed graphic organizers for character trait and setting analysis so students can focus on identifying one strong example rather than generating a full response independently. For the argument writing component, offer sentence frames that support claim and reason structure, allowing students to experience success with the genre before working toward greater independence.
Gifted & Talented
Gifted students can be challenged to analyze how two different authors within the same realistic fiction genre make deliberate craft choices — such as narrative point of view or pacing — to convey similar themes about teamwork in distinct ways, going beyond surface-level comparison. Encourage these students to evaluate the strength of the arguments characters implicitly make through their actions, connecting the reading analysis to the unit's argument writing focus in a more abstract way. Students may also explore how changing a story's setting would alter the plot and theme, pushing their thinking about the interdependence of story elements at a deeper analytical level.