Focus: Introduction to Elisas Diary

Grade level: 5th

Standards:
1. Describe a theme or central idea of a text from details in the text,
including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges, how
the speaker in a poem reflects on a topic, or how key details support the
central idea (RL.5.2;RI.5.2)
2. Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly
and when drawing inferences from the text (RL.5.1;RI.5.1)
Day 1:
1. Give each table of students different diary books
a. What do you notice about the books?
i. Different time periods and places, shows fictional point of view
while depicting real events from certain times/places
b. How are these different/the same from the books you usually read?
2. Book and picture walk Elisas diary- have students make predictions to what
they think the story will be about?
3. The story is about a girl who moves from Guatemala and struggles to settle
into a new place.
a. Talk at your table- have any of you ever had to move and try and fit in
at a new place?
i. What was that like?
b. As a whole class- Would any students like to share any stories about
themselves or their families immigrating to America?
4. Partner talk then whole group share out-Imagine you come home today and
your parents tell you that you are moving to Japan next week. How would you
react? What do you think would be hard about moving to a new country?
What do you think would be fun?
5. Introduce vocabulary
officially - authorized by the people who make the rules
preliminary - something that comes before the final event
opponents - people who compete against each other in a contest
brutal - something that is overly rough
embarrassed - feeling ashamed and uncomfortable
typically - usually
gorgeous - something that stands out in beauty and grace
supposedly - thought to be true, or supposed to be true
sweeping - movement that covers a wide space from side to side
obvious - noticeable or easy to see