About Our New Themed Literature Unit

Hello Room 161 Families! 

            When we return from Spring Break, your children and I will begin our new literature unit!  The theme of the unit is, “Discovering the Treasures in our Lives,” and we will learn all about different things people treasure ranging from special relationships with family members to dinosaur bones! 

            Guided by the Reading Street curriculum, we will read and analyze five outstanding children’s book that will give us great examples of life’s treasures.  The books around which the unit is structured are Mama’s Birthday Present by Carmen Tafolla, The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds, Mister Bones: Dinosaur Hunter by Jane Kurtz, Lily Brown’s Painting by Angela Johnson, Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats, and Henry and Mudge and Mrs. Hopper’s House by Cynthia Rylant.   Along the way, your children will discover that sometimes treasures can be found in unexpected places!

            As part of the themed literature unit, I will be asking your child to give a short, 1-2 minute, show-and-tell like presentation on a personal or family treasure.  This assignment will require each student to bring in one item, or a representation of one item, that he or she considers to be a personal or family treasure and tell the class what the treasure is and why it is valuable to him or her.   I will send out more information on this assignment as the presentation day approaches. 

            In addition to the treasures theme, your children will be focusing on two key reading strategies – making inferences and predictions while reading, and asking questions while reading.  Actively practicing these important strategies will help your children become better readers, so I encourage you to ask your child to make predictions and ask questions about the text as your read together at home.  I have included some outstanding links to great online resources below if you would like to learn more about themed literature units or the reading strategies we will be focusing on in class for the next few weeks. 

            I am very excited to begin this new literature unit with your children, and, as always, if you have any questions regarding the resources, the unit, or would like to help out, please email me or call me at school (8-9am) or at home (6-9pm). 

 

J Kelli Marek       kellimarek@comcast.net     425.204.4619 (school)    425.269.2098(home)

 

 

Unit Learning Targets

  1. Students will understand that treasures are the things we value. 

  2. Students will understand that people treasure different things.

  3. Students will understand that treasures can be found in unexpected places.

  4. Students will be able to make inferences and predictions about text to help them learn about different kinds of treasures.

  5. Students will be able to ask questions about text to help them understand the reasons why people treasure different things.

 

Annotated Unit Book List

  • Mama’s Birthday Present Tafolla, C. (2007). Glenview, Illinois: Pearson Education, Inc.: Francisco throws a surprise party for his mother, but he cannot find the perfect gift.  He feels ashamed that he has nothing to give her until she tells him that spending a day with the people she loves is the greatest gift of all and one of life’s greatest treasures.
  • The Dot Reynolds, P. (2007). Glenview, Illinois: Pearson Education, Inc.:  Vashti feels discouraged because she can only draw dots in art class until her caring art teacher treasures dot and frames it.  Vashti soon discovers that she has a unique style of art and begins to appreciate the treasure that is her own unique talent.
  • Mister Bones: Dinosaur Hunter  Kurtz, J. (2007).Glenview, Illinois: Pearson Education, Inc.: Mister Bones follows his passion for archaeology and discovers treasures hidden under ground – dinosaur bones! 
  • Peter’s Chair  Keats, E. (2007). Glenview, Illinois: Pearson Education, Inc.:  Peter treasures his old blue chair and feels angry when his parents try to give it away to his new baby sister.  He runs away with his beloved chair, but, when he gets lonely and realizes that he cannot fit into the chair anymore, he learns that treasures are things to be shared.  He also realizes that family is a greater treasure than any material possession.
  • Henry and Mudge and Mrs. Hopper’s House  Rylant, C. (2007). Glenview Illinois: Pearson Education, Inc.  It is Valentine’s Day, and Henry and Mudge have to go to Old Mrs. Hopper’s house while Mom and Dad go out on a date.  Henry dreads the evening because he knows he will be bored all night.  However, when he arrives at Mrs. Hopper’s he discovers some exciting treasures in an unexpected place!