Michelle Andrus

EDLL484-E1
Reading Odyssey Outline
Unit of Study Theme/Concept: Perseverance Duration: 2 weeks
Grade Level: Third Ability Level: Low to high; modifications if necessary
Goals/Objectives:
Students will be able to define perseverance.
Students will be able to identify examples of perseverance in a variety of texts.
Students will be able to support the importance of perseverance.
Skills/Strategies: Discussion, Group work, Analyzing, Reading Comprehension
Rationale of Theme: Perseverance is the continued effort to achieve something despite
difficulties, failure, or opposition. Students will benefit from learning about perseverance
because they will face challenges in their life and will have to overcome them.
Introduction:
Perseverance is an important characters to have. Challenges are inevitable and students need to
learn and understand what perseverance is and how they can practice it in their own lives. I
decided to choose this theme and spread it across a variety of curriculum because challenges can
occur in all subjects. Therefore, students will benefit from this unit of study because they will
learn about perseverance and be able to witness it in action in a variety of text and curriculums.

Books to be used:

Day 1
Book: The Little Engine That Could
Author: Watty Piper
Genre: Fiction
Summary: In this famous children’s book, a train engine and its toys get stuck while travel and
are unable to continue on their path. The toys ask all of the approaching trains for help, and do
not give up when the trains do not help. Eventually, one small train engine comes along and
despite its smaller size he is determined to help the train and its toys. The train believed it could
and he did.
Cross- Curriculum Standards:
Communication
Standard 1: Interact with others to explore ideas and concepts, communicate meaning, and
develop logical interpretations through collaborative conversations; build upon the ideas of
others to clearly express one’s own views while respecting diverse perspectives.
Activity/Assessment:
Since this is a famous children’s book, most children should be familiar with the storyline.
Therefore, this book will act as an introduction to perseverance. When teaching this book, the
teacher should activate prior knowledge of the story in order for the students to have an
understanding of the book so that they can read it through the “author’s eyes”. After reading the
book, the teacher will guide a class discussion about the deeper meaning of the text and how it
exemplifies perseverance. The book shows perseverance because the toys and train did not give
up when their train stopped working and no one would help them. The toys persevered and
eventually a small blue train came along and helped. After the discussion, students will fill out a
worksheet about how they will face challenges that they come into contact with this school year.

Day 2
Book: Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors?
Author: Tanya Lee Stone
Genre: Literary Non-Fiction
Summary: This book retells the story about Elizabeth Blackwell. She was the first female doctor.
Through her journey of becoming a doctor, she faced many challenges and discrimination
because she was a woman and during the 1830s, women were expected to live domesticated lives
and serve their husbands. Despite the opposition, Elizabeth Blackwell was determined to become
a doctor and accomplished her goal.
Cross- Curriculum Standards:
Social Studies
Standard 3-5: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the major developments in South
Carolina in the late nineteenth and the twentieth century.
Writing
Standard 1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
1.1 Write opinion pieces that: a. introduce the topic or text, state an opinion, and create an
organizational structure that includes reasons;
Activity/Assessment:
After reading about Elizabeth Blackwell’s life and struggles in becoming a doctor, the class will
talk about how she displayed perseverance through not giving up despite all the opposition. The
class will also discuss the historical context of discrimination and women’s rights during the 19th
century. Next, the students will think about what they want to become when they grow up.
Students will write in their journals about their career goals and then list their reasoning. Also,
students should include the steps they need to take to achieve this goal.

Day 3
Book: Over in the Wetlands
Author: Caroline Starr Rose
Genre: Literary Non-fiction
Summary: This book is about a wetland environment in New Orleans. The story describes the
various animals in the environment and how they react to an approaching hurricane. The animals
have to accommodate and persevere through the storm.
Cross- Curriculum Standards:
Science
Standard 3.L.5: The student will demonstrate an understanding of how the characteristics and
changes in environments and habitats affect the diversity of organisms.
Activity/Assessment:
After reading this book, the class will have a full group discussion about how the animals adapt
and prepare for an upcoming storm. This related to perseverance because the animals have to
stay safe while in the storm. Adaptations are similar because the animal have changed in order to
be able to survive their environment. Next, students will be allowed to choose a different an
environment or ecosystem and explain how animals practice perseverance through adaptations in
their environment.

Day 4
Book: Let Them Play
Author: Margot Theis Raven
Genre: Literary Non-fiction
Summary: This book retells the story of the African American Little League team in 1955.
During this time, segregation separated blacks and white and it created difficulties for the
baseball team. The team was not allowed to participate in nationals due to their race, however the
coach and team did not give up. Years later, the team was recognized for their excellence in
baseball and received an honorary championship title.
Cross- Curriculum Standards:
Social Studies
Standard 3-5: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the major developments in South
Carolina in the late nineteenth and the twentieth century.
3-5.1 Summarize the social and economic impact of developments in agriculture,
industry and technology, including the creation of Jim Crow laws, the rise and fall of
textile markets, and the expansion of the railroad.
Language Arts - Informational Text
Standard 11: Analyze and critique how the author uses structures in print and multimedia texts to
craft informational and argument writing.
11.1 Identify problem and solution, description, and question and answer structures to
locate information and gain meaning
Language Arts- Literary Text
Standard 7: Analyze the relationship among ideas, themes, or topics in multiple media, formats,
and in visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modalities.
7.1 Explain how illustrations contribute to create mood or emphasize aspects of character
or setting.
Standard 8: Analyze characters, settings, events, and ideas as they develop and interact within a
particular context.
8.1 Use text evidence to: a. describe characters’ traits, motivations, and feelings and
explain how their actions contribute to the development of the plot; and b. explain the
influence of cultural and historical context on characters, setting, and plot development.
Activities/Assessment:
This book portrays perseverance through the actions of the coach and the team not giving up
when they are not allowed to attend and then not being able to participate in finals. The
illustrations in the text portray this perseverance through the segregation and feelings of
discouragement. For this book, students will work together to analyze pictures from the text.
Each group will be given a different picture from the book. As a group, the students will have to
discuss the importance of the picture and how it relates to the text. In addition, students will
make connections with the text/pictures and the historical context of the story (Jim Crow Laws)
and how it effects the problem and solution of the characters. Students will be assessed by their
explanations of the illustrations. As a whole group, the class will discuss how the story
exemplifies perseverance.
Pictures used for the book:
This first picture shows the “separate but equal”
law in action with segregated water fountains.

The second picture shows the feelings that the

characters have about not being able to participate
in nationals.

Day 5
Book: Giraffes Can’t Dance
Author: Giles Andreae
Genre: Fiction
Summary: Gerald the giraffe wants to dance so badly, but his long legs and awkward body
makes it difficult for him. When he goes to attend the jungle part, all of the animals laugh at him
trying to dance. Gerald is discouraged until he meets a cricket that suggests that he needs to just
find his own beat. Gerald gives it a try and becomes a great dancer.
Cross-Curriculum Standards:
Language Arts- Reading Literary Text
Standard 11: Analyze and provide evidence of how the author’s choice of point of view,
perspective, or purpose shapes content, meaning, and style.
11.2 Compare and contrast the reader’s point of view to that of the narrator or a character.
Activity/Assessment:
This book is at a lower reading level than third grade students and therefore they will be working
on point of view. Students will compare the point of view of the reader (us) to the point of view
of Gerald and how he feels. Through this, students will note on how Gerald perseveres through
the hate by the other animals. An activity for this standard is for students to break into two large
groups and one half of the class discusses the story from the reader’s view and then the other half
discusses it from Gerald’s view. After, they have a whole group discussion. Students will be able
to understand Gerald’s feelings and perspective better when looking at it from his point of view.
Day 6
Book: I am Gandhi (Ordinary People Change the World)
Author: Brad Meltzer
Genre: Non-fiction
Summary: This book tells the life story of the Gandhi. The biography is told from the perspective
of Gandhi. The cartoon illustrations and first person perspective allows readers to be entertained
as well as better understand Gandhi’s motivation and mission in helping others.
Cross- Curriculum Standards:
Inquiry- Based Literary
Standard 5: Reflect throughout the inquiry process to assess metacognition, broaden
understanding, and guide actions, both individually and collaboratively.
5.1 Acknowledge and value individual and collective thinking.
Language Arts- Reading Literary Text
Standard 5: Determine meaning and develop logical interpretations by making predictions,
inferring, drawing conclusions, analyzing, synthesizing, providing evidence, and investigating
multiple interpretations.
5.1 Ask and answer literal and inferential questions to determine meaning; refer explicitly
to the text to support inferences and conclusions.
Communication
Standard 1: Interact with others to explore ideas and concepts, communicate meaning, and
develop logical interpretations through collaborative conversations; build upon the ideas of
others to clearly express one’s own views while respecting diverse perspectives.
Activities/Assessment:
Prior to the activity, the whole group will discuss the story and how it relates to perseverance.
This story relates to perseverance through Gandhi’s determination to seek a better life for his
people through non-violence. He faced many obstacles, but continued with his mission. For this
activity, students will work together to discuss and determine the meaning of Gandhi’s quotes.
Each group will be given a random quote and they will have to collaboratively work together to
decode the meaning of the quote. Students should use information from the text to determine the
meaning of the quote and relate it back to Gandhi’s life.
Quotes to be used:
“Change yourself- you are in control.”
“A man is a product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.”
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Day 7
Book/Video: The Most Magnificent Thing
(Read Aloud Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdU34aPipxo
Author: Ashley Spires
Genre: Fiction
Summary: This story is about a young girl that decides to build a magnificent thing. She tries and
tries to make it, but each time it does not accurately represent her vision. She begins to be
discouraged but then her dog suggests to take a walk for creative inspiration and to calm down.
After the walk, the girl has calmed down and now sees the potential that her failures have.
Cross-Curriculum Standards:
Language Arts- Reading Literary Text
Standard 5: Determine meaning and develop logical interpretations by making predictions,
inferring, drawing conclusions, analyzing, synthesizing, providing evidence, and investigating
multiple interpretations.
5.1 Ask and answer literal and inferential questions to determine meaning; refer explicitly
to the text to support inferences and conclusions
ISTE (STEM/STEAM Standards)
Standard 4: Innovative Designer
Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by
creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.
4d Students exhibit a tolerance for ambiguity, perseverance and the capacity to work with
open-ended problems.
Activity/Assessment:
While reading the book, the teacher will ask questions about the meaning of the text and how the
girl in the story reacts to her challenges. The teacher will relate it to perseverance. It relates to
perseverance because when the girl gets discouraged about her project, her dog encourages to try
again and she is successful. Next, students will participate in a STEAM challenge that relates to
the story. Students will be given a baggy of various materials will have to create their “most
magnificent thing”. In doing so, students have to practice perseverance by working with limited
sources and using their imagination. At the end, students will present their creations.

Day 8
Book: Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black
Women and the Space Race
Author: Margot Lee Shetterly
Genre: Literary Non-Fiction
Summary: This book tells the story of four African American women that made a big impact on
the science field during the mid-20th century. The women were not granted the respect of their
work and efforts due to the fact that they were women and they were black. However, each of the
women were “really good at math” and used those skills to advance the nation in the space race.
Cross-Curriculum Standards:
Social Studies
Standard 3-5: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the major developments in South
Carolina in the late nineteenth and the twentieth century.
3-5.2 Explain the causes and impact of emigration from South Carolina and internal
migration from rural areas to the cities, including discrimination and unemployment; poor
sanitation and transportation services; and the lack of electricity and other modern
conveniences in rural locations.
Mathematics
3.ATO.7 Demonstrate fluency with basic multiplication and related division facts of products
and dividends through 100.
Activity/Assessment:
A reoccurring statement in the book is that the women were “really good” at math. Therefore,
after reading the story, the students will practice their math skills. Prior to completing a math
assignment, the class will have a full group discussion about the book and the overarching theme
and message of the book. They will use this inspiration of perseverance in their own math work.
This is an example of a worksheet. This particular one focuses on multiplication and decoding
the message or the “hidden figure”. The problems can be adapted to a variety of content.

Day 9
Book/Video: Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYD8WRJTFRY

Author: Doreen Cronin

Genre: Fiction
Summary: Farmer Brown has a problem and it is that his cows are always typing. ON day he
reads a note they wrote that says they want electric blankets because the barn gets cold at night.
Farmer Brown refuses, but the animals don’t give up.
Cross-Curriculum Standards:
Language Arts- Reading Literary Text
Standard 9: Interpret and analyze the author’s use of words, phrases, and conventions, and how
their relationships shape meaning and tone in print and multimedia texts.
9.1 Identify and explain how the author uses idioms, metaphor, or personification to
shape meaning and style.
Writing
Standard 1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence
1.1 Write opinion pieces that:
c. organize supporting reasons logically;
g. provide a concluding statement or section.
Activity/Assessment:
After reading the book, the class will discuss how the animals
used their skills (typing letters) to persevere through Farmer
Brown’s disagreement. Therefore, the activity for this book will
be the students writing their own letter for something that they
are wanting. They have to use supporting, logically reasoning
and add a conclusion to why they deserve whatever it may be
that they want. They will write this in their writing journals.

Day 10
Book: What Do You Do With A Problem?
Author: Kobi Yamada
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Summary: This book focuses on a single character that is dealing with a problem. They did not
want the problem and now they are afraid of it, but it is only getting worst. The character has to
face their problem in order to overcome it. Turns out that when you face a problem, it holds an
opportunity.
Cross-Curriculum Standards:
Writing
Standard 3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
techniques, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
3.1 Gather ideas from texts, multimedia, and personal experience to write narratives that:
a. develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive
details, and clear event sequences;
d. use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences
and events or show the response of characters to situations;
Communication
Standard 1: Interact with others to explore ideas and concepts, communicate meaning, and
develop logical interpretations through collaborative conversations; build upon the ideas of
others to clearly express one’s own views while respecting diverse perspectives.
1.2 Participate in discussions; ask questions to acquire information concerning a topic,
text, or issue.
Activity/Assessment:
As this will be the final book of the unit of study, I want the students to reflect on their own
experiences and what they have learned about perseverance. Therefore, after reading the book
we will have a class discussion about the meaning of perseverance and why it is important. Next,
students will write a personal narrative reflecting on a time they had a problem and they used
perseverance to get through. Students will work independently in flexible seating and then share
their personal narrative.