This cluster includes the following access points.
Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.
| Name |
Description |
| Friend or Foe: | Using the case study “Friend or Foe,” students will analyze the situation and then write a fictional narrative using dialogue. They will present their narratives in a variety of ways. |
| Disaster Relief: | Students will analyze data to develop a resupply schedule for a humanitarian mission following a natural disaster. They will apply mathematical operations over multiple steps to minimize the operational cost of the humanitarian mission.
This is an open-ended engineering design lesson where students will develop a model to help them solve a problem. There are no “right” answers as the lesson is focused on the process of developing a solution and the skills and reasoning behind the process. Students should be given the freedom to interpret the problem and parameters in unique ways to pursue their own lines of thinking in producing a solution. |
| Family Creations through Interactions: | Using the case study, "Family Creations through Interactions," students will engage in discussion of how our attitudes affect our behavior. The case study is intended to show the connection between attitudes and behaviors. The students will work in a cooperative learning group to complete a summary graphic organizer and rewrite the case study as a narrative writing piece. |
| The Great Seal of the United States: What Did these Authors Claim?: | This is lesson #5 in the paired text unit series for The Great Seal of the United States by Terri DeGezelle and The Great Seal of the United States by Norman Pearl. In this lesson, students will learn about the “unalienable rights” expressed in the Declaration of Independence, compare the claims made and evidence provided by both authors in each text about the Great Seal of the United States, and explain how both author’s arguments support the idea that the Great Seal, a symbol of the United States, is a reminder of some rights expressed in the Declaration of Independence. Then students will write an expository essay explaining why the Great Seal of the United States was created and how this symbol of the United States is a reminder of rights conveyed in the Declaration of Independence.
This ELA/Civics Integrated Text Unit is designed to support students with the integration of civics into the ELA classroom through the reading and studying of Norman Pearl’s book The Great Seal of the United States. Throughout the unit, students will identify new vocabulary, describe both Florida and USA seals, as well as the importance of national symbols and their meaning. Using timelines, graphic organizers, worksheets, and other activities they will connect these symbols to other documents like the Declaration of Independence and the understanding of unalienable rights. Each lesson in this series leads to a culminating activity in which students will use their knowledge and understanding of symbols and relevant details to create their own Great Seal.
This resource uses books that you will need to obtain before implementing the resource. The Great Seal of the United States by Terri DeGezelle is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. |
| The Great Seal of the United States: The Front of the Great Seal of the United States: | This is lesson #3 in the paired text unit series for The Great Seal of the United States by Terri DeGezelle and The Great Seal of the United States by Norman Pearl. In this lesson students will apply information from both texts to examine their observations and inferences made in prior lessons and determine the symbolism represented on the front of the Great Seal of the United States. Then students will write an expository paragraph explaining why the Great Seat of the U.S. is a symbol that represents the United States.
This ELA/Civics Integrated Text Unit is designed to support students with the integration of civics into the ELA classroom through the reading and studying of Norman Pearl’s book The Great Seal of the United States. Throughout the unit, students will identify new vocabulary, describe both Florida and USA seals, as well as the importance of national symbols and their meaning. Using timelines, graphic organizers, worksheets, and other activities they will connect these symbols to other documents like the Declaration of Independence and the understanding of unalienable rights. Each lesson in this series leads to a culminating activity in which students will use their knowledge and understanding of symbols and relevant details to create their own Great Seal.
This resource uses books that you will need to obtain before implementing the resource. The Great Seal of the United States by Terri DeGezelle is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. |
| The Great Seal of the United States: Comparing the U.S. Seal to the Florida State Seal: | This is lesson #7 in the text unit series for The Great Seal of the United States by Norman Pearl. In this lesson, students will recognize the Great Seal as a national symbol and then compare and contrast the Great Seal of the United States to the Great Seal of Florida. Students will complete a graphic organizer and then write to tell how the two seals are alike and different.
This ELA/Civics Integrated Text Unit is designed to support students with the integration of civics into the ELA classroom through the reading and studying of both The Great Seal of the United States by Terri DeGezelle and Norman Pearl’s book The Great Seal of the United States. Students will identify new vocabulary, describe both the Florida and the United States seals, as well as the importance of national symbols and their meanings. Using timelines, graphic organizers, worksheets, and other activities they will connect these symbols to other documents like the Declaration of Independence and the understanding of unalienable rights. Each lesson in this series leads to a culminating activity in which students will use their knowledge and understanding of symbols and relevant details to create their own Great Seal.
This resource uses a book that you will need to obtain before implementing the resource. |
| The Great Seal of the United States: Great Seal Expository Essay: | This is the last of 8 lessons in the text unit series for The Great Seal of the United States by Norman Pearl, focusing on pages 8-19 and 23. In this lesson, students will analyze the symbols used to create the Great Seal and will use the knowledge learned to deepen their understanding of symbols—what they represent and why they are chosen. As a culminating activity, students will develop a personal great seal by writing an expository essay that explains the symbols chosen to represent the country and why.
This ELA/Civics Integrated Text Unit is designed to support students with the integration of civics into the ELA classroom through the reading and studying of Norman Pearl’s book The Great Seal of the United States. Students will identify new vocabulary, describe both Florida and USA seals, as well as the importance of national symbols and their meaning. Using timelines, graphic organizers, worksheets, and other activities, they will connect these symbols to other documents like the Declaration of Independence and the understanding of unalienable rights. Each lesson in this series leads to a culminating activity in which students will use their knowledge and understanding of symbols and relevant details to create their own Great Seal.
This resource uses a book that you will need to obtain before implementing the resource. |
| Patriot, Loyalist, or Neutral- Part 3: | Students will giving and taking feedback to make edits to Scratch projects before presenting. Students will take in all learned information about the perspectives of the colonists to write a short claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph response on they would have chosen and why. Students will wrap up this lesson as part three of a three-part Civics and Coding integrated series. |
| Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution: Themes of the Grand Convention (Constitutional Convention): | This is lesson # 9 in the text unit for Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. The lesson focuses on planning an expository essay after reading and annotating the second text The Bill of Rights: A Transcription. The lesson utilizes an essay planning template to help students organize the details from each text to support a common theme/central idea shared between the two texts. As an extension, students can draft the essay or turn the planning notes into a presentation using digital programs. This lesson will help students understand why and how the Constitution was created, including: the thirteen states and important historical figures present during the creation, the challenges and conflicts that state representatives faced during writing the Constitution, motifs and themes during the “Grand Convention,” and the relationship between state and national constitutions.
The lessons in this text-based unit will allow students to identify citizens’ civic duties outlined by the Constitution, the relationship between the federal and state Constitutions, and important historical symbols. Each part of the unit will include an in-depth dive into vocabulary and how it applies to the meaning of the text.
This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource. |
| Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution: Researching our Representatives: | This is lesson #8 in the text unit for Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. After reading the text, students will choose a representative (historical figures in the text) to research further. Students will complete a graphic organizer pulling information from the text and then use online sources and books to gather further information about their chosen historical figure.
This unit will help students understand why and how the Constitution was created, including: the thirteen colonies and important historical figures present during the creation of the Constitution, the challenges and conflicts that state representatives faced during writing the Constitution, motifs and themes during the “Grand Convention,” and the relationship between state and national constitutions. Lessons will allow students to identify citizens’ civic duties outlined by the Constitution, the relationship between the federal and state Constitutions, and important historical symbols. Each part of the unit will include an in-depth dive into vocabulary and how it applies to the meaning of the text.
This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource. |
| Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution: Figurative Language During the Grand Convention: | This is lesson 3 in the text unit series for Shh! We're Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. This lesson allows students to interpret unknown words and figurative language including simile, metaphor, idioms, hyperbole, and personification within the text. Students will infer attitudes or perspectives reflected by state representatives toward the meeting, ideas expressed in speeches given by the state representatives, and challenges faced during the Grand Convention all while developing their understanding of figurative language.
This unit will help students understand why and how the Constitution was created, including: the thirteen states and important historical figures present during the creation, the challenges and conflicts that state representatives faced during writing the Constitution, motifs and themes during the “Grand Convention,” and the relationship between state and national constitutions. Lessons will allow students to identify citizens’ civic duties outlined by the Constitution, the relationship between the federal and state Constitutions, and important historical symbols. Each part of the unit will include an in-depth dive into vocabulary and how it applies to the meaning of the text.
This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource. |
| Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution: Historical Figures Character Traits: | This is lesson #7 in the text unit series for Shh! We're Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. In this lesson, students will research five historical figures who led the United States to a representative government by comparing and contrasting primary and secondary sources. The students will write and reflect on what makes a good leader.
This unit will help students understand why and how the Constitution was created, including: the thirteen states and important historical figures present during the creation, the challenges and conflicts that state representatives faced during writing the Constitution, motifs and themes during the “Grand Convention,” and the relationship between state and national constitutions. Lessons will allow students to identify citizens’ civic duties outlined by the Constitution, the relationship between the federal and state Constitutions, and important historical symbols. Each part of the unit will include an in-depth dive into vocabulary and how it applies to the meaning of the text.
This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource. |
| Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution: Summarize for Comprehension: | This is lesson # 11 in the text unit series for SHH! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. After reading the entire text, students will defend a claim on whether or not they would have ratified the Constitution.
This unit will help students understand why and how the Constitution was created, including: the thirteen states and important historical figures present during the creation, the challenges and conflicts that state representatives faced during writing the Constitution, motifs and themes during the “Grand Convention,” and the relationship between state and national constitutions. Lessons will allow students to identify citizens’ civic duties outlined by the Constitution, the relationship between the federal and state Constitutions, and important historical symbols. Each part of the unit will include an in-depth dive into vocabulary and how it applies to the meaning of the text.
This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource. |
| The Cyber Bully Chronicles Comic, Part 4: | Students will create a fictional narrative describing how someone can positively react to being a witness of cyberbullying, in this lesson plan. Students will create a comic book style scenario using drawing or digital tools and then describe the character’s actions using narrative style writing. |
| Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution: Compare and Contrast the Articles of Confederation and Constitution: | This is lesson 4 in the text unit series for Shhh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. Students will compare and contrast the information about two founding documents, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. They will complete a graphic organizer that shows how these documents are alike and different. Students will take information about the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution and use them to demonstrate understanding of text structure while completing a graphic organizer.
This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource. |
| The Articles of Confederation: | The purpose of this lesson is for students to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation while using primary and secondary sources that they will compare and contrast. The students will use the sources to explain through writing the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. The students will also identify and locate the original thirteen colonies. |
| Aaron and Alexander: Lesson 7: Create A Children’s Book: | Students will create a children’s book to explain Aaron Burr’s and Alexander Hamilton’s political participation and political views. Students will use carefully chosen text features and a specific text structure that best contributes to the overall meaning of the text. This is the culminating lesson in a unit using the text Aaron and Alexander: The Most Famous Duel in American History by Don Brown.
This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource. |
| Aaron and Alexander: Lesson 6: Compare and Contrast Two Significant Individuals: | After learning about The Revolutionary War and reading Aaron and Alexander: The Most Famous Duel in American History By Don Brown, students will write an essay either comparing and contrasting Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton's political participation or their political views. Students will engage in a cooperative learning activity to brainstorm, use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast and use a rubric to evaluate their final product.
This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource. |
| Calling All Student Leaders: | In this lesson, students will observe a speaker and analyze a piece of informational text (an excerpt from Bill Clinton's 1993 Inaugural Address) to further develop their knowledge of summarizing, identifying central ideas and relevant details, and identifying claims and supporting reasons with evidence. Students will then play the role of the speaker and create their own writing on a topic they think would be important to kids, why they would be a good candidate for president, or how they might motivate other kids. At the lesson's end, students will present their speech to the class. A graphic organizer, student handouts, and rubrics are provided for the writing and speaking activities. |
| Workouts That Work: | Students will create a rating system for workout DVD's according to weight loss, muscle toning, and increased physical condition.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Fly Runners Order of Operations MEA: | In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, the students will determine the best ad for a tennis shoe company.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx |
| Babysitter's Club Fun with Fractions MEA: | In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will apply their knowledge of adding, subtracting, and comparing fractions with like and unlike denominators. Babysitters 'R Us will require students to analyze data in the form of fractional units of time to select the best babysitter for the Cryin' Ryan family.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx |
| Camping Supply Innovators MEA: | In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, the students' will determine the best canteen for an outdoor hiking company.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx |
| Tall Tales: A Tale of Our Own: | Students will use tall tales to explore figurative language and to summarize important details to identify the theme. Students will create a narrative writing piece of their own using standard conventions and elements of tall tales. |
| We Learned About the Challenger: | This series includes four parts focused on the Challenger explosion. Students will read President Reagan’s address to the nation presented on the evening of the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion in January 1986. Students will then analyze the speech and determine which relevant details support Reagan’s central idea. Additionally, students will complete close reading activities individually, with partners, and in small groups as they prepare to draft an expository essay outlining the relevant details that support Reagan’s central idea. |
| Superhero Narratives: | Students create narratives inspired by comic strips. The narratives include all elements of the comic strip including the beginning, rising action, climax, falling action, and ending. Students provide feedback to one another using a rubric to improve their writing. They will also discuss how the setting, characters, characterization, and conflict contribute to the plot of the narrative. |
| Superhero Comic Strips: | This is lesson 2 in a series of 3 lessons where students create comic strips using superhero characters. Students plan their comic strips and analyze the importance of setting, characterization, and conflict to the development of the prompt. Students work together to revise their plans and create comic strips that include multimedia elements. |
| Create a Superhero: | In this lesson students will focus on character traits of well-known Superheroes before using character traits to create their own Superhero. They will create a digital version of the superhero highlighting multimedia elements that they will showcase additionally through writing. They will close the lesson by creating a fictional narrative writing piece that stars their Superhero. |
| Which Cell Phone for Mia?: | In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students help a 5th grader to decide which cell phone she will ask for as a birthday present. Students must use a chart to analyze information and make conclusions based upon their own ranking system within their cooperative group. They then must write a letter to the student justifying their conclusions.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Pourquoi Challenge: | During this lesson, students will learn about analyzing literary elements to see how they contribute to the plot and explaining themes of a text through Pourquoi tales. Students will identify these elements and use them to explain the development of themes in Pourquoi tales. Students will use their understanding of these elements to write their own narrative tale. |
| Tablets for Mrs. Tomlinson: | In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, the students' love of technology will hook them on completing the mission. Students will participate in a real-world exercise to determine the best value for the money.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx |
| Building a Better Baseball Team: | In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will be comparing fractions and comparing decimal numbers to recruit a baseball player(s).
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| More Bang for your Buck!: | In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will work in teams to determine a procedure for ranking recycling companies. Students will need to calculate their return on recycling, make decisions based on a table of data, and write a letter to the client providing evidence for their decisions.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx |
| Novel Study-Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan: | After reading the novel Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan, students will analyze the perspective of Esperanza while looking at important characterization features and other parts of the plot development. Students will create a narrative writing piece from the perspective of Esperanza based on the characterization features discussed. |
| Building Pools: | I
In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will work in teams to determine a the most suitable pool for a home construction company to build. Students will need to calculate the volume of the pool, make decisions based on a table of data, and write a letter to the customer providing evidence for their decisions.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx |
| Using Music & Poetry to Identify A Character’s Perspective: | In this lesson, students will listen to several versions of the same song. They will read a poem, and make an illustration to identify how the author develops a character's perspective and how that perspective influences the story. Students will write a narrative using dialogue and description to develop a character’s perspective throughout their story. |
| Fantastic Fable for Teamwork: | In this lesson, students will read and analyze the literary elements of the Aesop fable “The Four Oxen and the Lion” and discuss how they contribute to the plot. Students will then explain the development of the theme(s) of the fable based on their analysis of the literary elements. Students will discuss their findings in whole-and small-group settings. The lesson will culminate in an argumentative essay in which students answer the question: "Why didn't the oxen work together and how could they have changed their behavior to do so?" |
| Counting down from 11: Character's Perspective in "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros: | In this lesson, students will read the short story "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros to collect text evidence about the character’s perspective on her birthday and age. After collecting text evidence, students will develop their own claim about the character’s perspective in the story through discussion and writing. |
| EXplode A Moment - Using Sensory Details to Write with Imagery: | Exploding a moment is magnifying an event much like a film maker does when he zooms in on the action using slow motion. Through the use of photographs or text illustrations, students will become familiar with identifying sensory details and use this imagery to improve their writing. |
| I'm SENSING Some Improved Writing: | In this lesson, students will use their senses to include imagery into their writing. Students will describe an object using their five senses and then write a paragraph about the object. Students will work closely with a partner to improve their writing, providing feedback that enhances the imagery used in their writing. |
| Informational Texts: Analyzing Relationships and Perspectives Across Multiple Texts: | This lesson is an instructional routine for informational text in which teachers provide guided practice and students practice comparing perspectives from multiple texts.
Culminating activity includes writing an expository essay to compare and contrast the journey of two travelers using evidence from multiple sources to support the response. |
| Proverbs: From Understanding to Application—Using Proverbs to Create an Original Narrative: | In this lesson, students will identify and analyze common proverbs. They will create a definition and understanding of proverbs using vocabulary strategies for unknown words and phrases. Then using the literary text "The Story of Wang Li," students will identify the proverbs in the text, decipher them, and evaluate the appropriateness of them. The culminating activity will require students to use one of the proverbs from the literary text to create their own narrative in a present-day setting. |
Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this topic.
