Grade and Subject: 4th Grade Literacy and Social Studies

Introductory
Performance(s)

UG
1
1,2
3,4,
5

Guided Inquiry
Performance(s)

Culminating
Performance(s)

1,2,
3
1,2,
3,4

1,2,
3,4,
5
1,5
1,3,
4,5

1,5

Understanding Performances
a. As a class, we will examine the poem The Blind
Men and the Elephant.
b. Students will watch clips from Finding Nemo to
examine POV and facts vs. opinion.
c. Students will create a KWL about Rosa Parks.
Teacher will read information about Rosa Parks
from a reliable and unreliable source.
d. Students will examine perspective from Voices
in the Park in groups and create a poster.
e. Teachers will act out a fictional scenario of a
minor crime happening with the students
watching. The students will write their firsthand
account.
f. Students will view different pieces of evidence
from the Rosa Parks historical event.
g. Snapshot autobiography of an event from
their perspective and a family member.
h. Students will hear a scenario and write down
what they think. They will have an opportunity to
interview one of the witnesses. Teacher will
introduce a new piece of evidence and
students will have an opportunity to re-assess
their views.
i. We will read The Blind Men and the Elephant
again.

5. How can thinking critically and

historically change my
perspective? (SWU that revising
your thinking based on new
information is what professionals
do. SW become questioners.)

4. What makes evidence

strong or compelling? (SWU
that not all evidence is equal
in terms of credibility.)

Sequence of
Understanding
Performances

3. Why is it important to analyze

and question sources? (SWU
that every person has previous
experience that may impact
their perception.)

Unit-Long
Understanding
Goals

Creating Critical and Historical Thinkers

2. Why is it difficult to determine
if something is factual or
true? (SWU the difference
between first and second-hand
accounts and facts vs.
opinions.)

Generative Unit
Topic

1. What does it mean to be a critical and historical thinker?

2. How can thinking critically and historically change who you are?
3. How can thinking critically and historically change how you interact
with others?
4. How can thinking critically and historically (focusing on multiple
perspectives) help you better understand the world?
5. How can thinking critically and historically about every day situations
help you problem solve?

1. What does it mean to examine

different points of view? (SWU the
difference between first, second,
and third person narratives.)

Overarching
Understanding
Goals

Ongoing Assessments
a. Students will write about what they
think point of view means (Informal).
b. Students will discuss POV and what is
fact and what is opinion (Informal).
c. Students will talk about which is a
reliable source and why (Informal).
d. Teacher will assess the poster based
on fact vs. opinion (Formal).
e. Teacher will examine what is fact and
opinion in their account (Formal).
Students will propose reasons for the
differences (Informal).
f. Students will examine what is fact, why
there are different accounts, question
sources (Formal).
g. Students will present and share what
insights they gained (Formal).
h. Students will formulate questions.
Teacher will see if the students revise
their thinking and if they are able to pick
out compelling evidence from the
scenario. Students will write a persuasive
piece about what happened (Formal).
i. Students will write about what they
think the poem means now (Informal).

Skill Strands
[X] Major Focus
[] Reinforced
[] Unsupported, required
[X] 1. Evaluating evidence
[] 2. Making claims and supporting with evidence in conversation and writing
[] 3. Standard English grammar and punctuation conventions