Unit 2: Active Reading & Textual Evidence Page 2 of 6
Classwork Packets
Active Reading Rubric: _____/6
Directions: Actively read the nonfiction text below. Before reading, record your active reading focus.
Active Reading Focus: I will ____________________________________________________________
Feature Article
By Stateline.org, adapted by Newsela staff (Feb. 07, 2014, WASHINGTON)
Most Fourth-graders are better readers than they were 10 years ago. But few of them can actually read well. This comes from a new report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
The report showed some progress over the last 10 years. Slightly more fourth-graders are reading at grade level than before. This is considered a good thing, but there is a growing reading gap between richer and poorer students.
Massachusetts is the highest performing state, with more than half of fourth graders where they were supposed to be in reading. But just one out of five fourth-graders read at grade level last year in New Mexico and Mississippi.
“The gap between Mississippi and New Mexico and Massachusetts is pretty huge,” said Laura Speer, who works at the Casey Foundation.
But Speer warned the issue is more complicated. Some states scored well, but still had large numbers of students below grade level. And these states had some of the biggest reading gaps between poorer students and richer students.
Children from poorer families were worse readers than those from wealthier families. This was true in every state. The study found the gap between rich and poor students grew in most states. The District of Columbia, Hawaii and Tennessee saw the biggest gaps.
Over the 10 years, students from richer families made much quicker progress in reading. Students from poorer families made much slower progress. “We’re making progress,” Speer said. The progress just needs to come faster, she added.
ELA Active Reading Practice Page 3 of 6
Student Packet
1. Across the United States, how are fourth graders doing at reading on grade level?
Across the United States, fourth graders
2. What is the reading gap between rich and poor students?
3. CHALLENGE: As someone who recently completed fourth grade, how does this news make you feel?
Do you want to be a better reader? You need to read, read, read! The best way to improve your reading is to independently read. Students who read more have better reading skills. Reading for just 20 minutes makes a huge difference! Dana Gioia explains, “The habit of daily reading [results in] better reading skills and higher achievement.”
4. How does reading independently for 20 minutes a day make a difference? When a student reads independently for 20 minutes a day,
5. CHALLENGE: How many minutes will you read independently each day? Why?
Unit 2: Active Reading & Reflection Page 4 of 6
Independent Work
Directions: Actively read the text excerpt below, applying the annotation skills you practiced today. Underline key facts and circle vocabulary you do not know.
Reading can make you a better writer, improves your memory, and even helps you become nicer! Here are two of the biggest ways reading helps you:
Reading Is “Brain Food”: Our brains grow as we “feed” them with experiences. Reading exercises many areas of the brain. Your memory makes connections between what you already know and what you are reading.
Reading Can Chill You Out: In 2009, research showed that reading is the best way to beat stress. Reading beats stress better than listening to music or taking a walk. "By losing yourself in [an enjoyable] book you can escape from the worries... of the everyday world."
6. In your opinion, what is the most important benefit of reading? Why?
7. Textual Evidence: Cite one direct quote from the passage that supports "Brain Food" and one quote that supports "Chill You Out."
"Brain Food" Quote:
"Chill You Out" Quote:
Unit 2: Active Reading & Exit Tickets Page 5 of 6
Review
Directions: Actively read the passage below. Apply the 2.1 ELA annotation skills: underline key facts (not examples or lists) and answer the questions.
When you sleep, your brain is actually extremely busy! Scientists have discovered that while you are asleep, your brain processes the memories and ideas you learned during the day. This is called consolidation. It turns temporary information into permanent memories. Without enough sleep, it is much harder for your brain to remember what you studied. Sleep acts as the ultimate reset button, clearing out toxins and strengthening neural pathways.
1. What is "consolidation" as described in the text? Quote a direct phrase from the passage.
2. Why is sleep structurally important for remembering what you studied during the day?
Ms. Jackson's Daily Reading Log Tracker:
Reading Goal: 20 min/day
Book Title: ___________________
Pages Read: _________
Active Read Done!
All daily ELA homework logs must be signed by a parent/guardian. Page 6 of 6
Harlem & Cotton
"Harlem Renaissance" & "The Cotton Club" (Jessica McBirney). Dual close reading and citation of evidence.
9 Part A/B MC questions
Apollo Theater
Harlem venue contrast. Bracketing textual support.
Evidence bracketing
Hughes Legacy
Jazz rhythms poet.
2 Qs
RESOURCES:
Basics
Details
Conflict
Evidence
Instructional Blueprint Map • LPMS 2026-27
I will consistently practice reading and math even when it is highly challenging, because making errors and pushing through difficulty actually grows my neural pathways!
STAMP
Key Understanding: Reading is thinking! As your eyes are seeing the words, your brain is thinking.
Active readers “read with a pencil” in hand, annotating or marking up the text to help them understand.
Unit 2: Active Reading & Textual Evidence Page 2 of 6
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
[30 MINS]
Classwork Packets
Active Reading: 6/6
Directions: Actively read the nonfiction text below. Before reading, record your active reading focus.
Active Reading Focus: I will underline reading proficiency improvements and the reading gap between rich and poor.
Feature Article
By Stateline.org, adapted by Newsela staff (Feb. 07, 2014, WASHINGTON)
[Most Fourth-graders are better readers than they were 10 years ago.] But few of them can actually read well. This comes from a new report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
The report showed some progress over the last 10 years. Slightly more fourth-graders are reading at grade level than before. This is considered a good thing, but [there is a growing reading gap between richer and poorer students.]
[Massachusetts is the highest performing state, with more than half of fourth graders where they were supposed to be in reading.] But just one out of five fourth-graders read at grade level last year in New Mexico and Mississippi.
“The gap between Mississippi and New Mexico and Massachusetts is pretty huge,” said Laura Speer, who works at the Casey Foundation.
CFU Why are we bracketing Massachusetts? - It represents the highest performance detail!
But Speer warned the issue is more complicated. Some states scored well, but still had large numbers of students below grade level. And these states had some of the biggest reading gaps between poorer students and richer students.
Children from poorer families were worse readers than those from wealthier families. This was true in every state. [The study found the gap between rich and poor students grew in most states.] The District of Columbia, Hawaii and Tennessee saw the biggest gaps.
ELA Active Reading Practice Page 3 of 6
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
Annotated Key
1. Across the United States, how are fourth graders doing at reading on grade level?
Across the United States, fourth graders are generally reading better than they did ten years ago, but the report indicates that very few of them are actually reading well or strictly at grade level.
2. What is the reading gap between rich and poor students?
The reading gap is the disparity in literacy achievement where students from wealthier families make much quicker progress and score significantly higher than students from poorer families.
3. CHALLENGE: As someone who recently completed fourth grade, how does this news make you feel?
This news makes me realize how lucky I am to be practicing ELA skills. It also makes me feel determined to read independently for 20 minutes every single day so I can stay in the top 10 percent.
15 MINS
Do you want to be a better reader? [You need to read, read, read! The best way to improve your reading is to independently read.] Students who read more have better reading skills. Reading for just 20 minutes makes a huge difference!
4. How does reading independently for 20 minutes a day make a difference? When a student reads independently for 20 minutes a day, they learn up to 1,000 new words a year, read 1.8 million words, and score in the top ten percent on reading tests.
5. CHALLENGE: How many minutes will you read independently each day? Why? I will read for 20 minutes every day because it grows my brain pathways and is the best way to become a stronger ELA reader.
Unit 2: Active Reading & Reflection Page 4 of 6
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
[15 MINS]
Annotated Key
Reading can make you a better writer, improves your memory, and even helps you become nicer! Here are two of the biggest ways reading helps you:
Reading Is “Brain Food”: [Our brains grow as we “feed” them with experiences. Reading exercises many areas of the brain. Your memory makes connections between what you already know and what you are reading.] #Quote1
Reading Can Chill You Out: [In 2009, research showed that reading is the best way to beat stress. Reading beats stress better than listening to music or taking a walk.] #Quote2 "By losing yourself in [an enjoyable] book you can escape from the worries... of the everyday world."
6. In your opinion, what is the most important benefit of reading? Why?
In my opinion, the most important benefit of reading is that it acts as "brain food." This is because actively exercising the brain cells helps them grow new connections (dendrites) and permanently increases overall intelligence.
7. Textual Evidence: Cite one direct quote from the passage that supports "Brain Food" and one quote that supports "Chill You Out."
"Brain Food" Quote: "Our brains grow as we 'feed' them with experiences. Reading exercises many areas of the brain."
"Chill You Out" Quote: "In 2009, research showed that reading is the best way to beat stress."
Unit 2: Active Reading & Exit Tickets Page 5 of 6
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
Annotated Key
Directions: Actively read the passage below. Apply the 2.1 ELA annotation skills: underline key facts and answer the questions.
When you sleep, your brain is actually extremely busy! [Scientists have discovered that while you are asleep, your brain processes the memories and ideas you learned during the day. This is called consolidation.] #1 It turns temporary information into permanent memories. [Without enough sleep, it is much harder for your brain to remember what you studied.] #2 Sleep acts as the ultimate reset button, clearing out toxins and strengthening neural pathways.
1. What is "consolidation" as described in the text? Quote a direct phrase from the passage.
Consolidation is when "your brain processes the memories and ideas you learned during the day" and "turns temporary information into permanent memories."
2. Why is sleep important for remembering what you learned?
Sleep is critical because without enough sleep, the brain cannot clear out toxins or strengthen the neural connections formed during ELA practice, making it much harder to recall studied facts.
Ms. Jackson's Daily Reading Log Tracker:
Reading Goal: 20 min/day
The Lightning Thief
Pages 14-34 (20p)
Active Read Done!
All daily ELA homework logs must be signed by a parent/guardian. Page 6 of 6
• An ________________________________________ is a detail that is a part of the story but the story still makes sense without it.
Unit 2: Active Reading & Detail Classification Page 2 of 8
Classwork Packets
Active Reading: _____/6
Directions: Actively read the classic story below. Underline details as you read, keeping today's definitions of Important and Unimportant details in mind.
Active Reading Focus: I will underline: _____________________________________________________
Classic Fiction
By James Marshall
Once upon a time, an old sow sent her three little pigs out into the world to seek their fortune.
“Now be sure to write.” She said. “And remember that I love you.”
The first little pig met a man with a load of straw.
“I know,” said the little pig. “I’ll buy your straw and build a house.”
“That’s not a good idea,” said the man.
“Mind your own business, thank you,” said the little pig. And he bought the straw and set about building a house. It took him no time at all. Very soon a lean and hungry wolf happened by. Pig was just about his favorite food in the world.
So he knocked on the door and said, “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.” To which the little pig replied, “no, no, no, not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.”
This annoyed the wolf to no end, and he said, “Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.”
“Go right ahead,” said the little pig. So the wolf huffed and he puffed and he blew the house in. And he gobbled up the little pig.
The second pig met a man with a load of sticks.
“I’ve got it,” said the little pig.
“I’ll buy those sticks and build a house.”
“I’d think twice about that,” said the man.
The Three Little Pigs (Part 1) Page 3 of 8
Classwork Packets
Read & Annotate
“Oh pooh,” said the little pig. “What would you know?” And he bought the sticks and went to work building a house.
“Very pretty,” he said. No sooner had the little pig settled into his pretty house than the wolf happened by.
He was still hungry, and he said, “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”
To which the little pig replied, “No, no, no, not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.” The wolf didn’t care for that at all.
And he said, “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.”
“Ha, ha, ha,” said the little pig. So the wolf huffed and he puffed and he blew the house in. And he gobbled up the little pig.
Now the third little pig met a man with a load of bricks.
“These bricks will make a fine sturdy house,” said the man.
“Capital idea, my good fellow!” said the little pig. So he bought the bricks and set about building a house. It took him quite a bit of time, but it was well worth it.
“Nice and solid,” said the little pig. “Nice and solid.” But no sooner had the little pig moved in than he noticed a wolf loitering about.
And the wolf who was still hungry said, “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”
To which the little pig replied, “No, no, no, not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.”
Well the wolf had heard that before. And he said, “Than I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.”
“Oh don’t do that!” said the little pig. But the wolf huffed and he puffed until he was quite blue in the face. The house stood firm.
“I’ll try another approach,” muttered the wolf. And he climbed onto the roof.
When the little pig saw this, he put a big iron pot in the fireplace and quickly stoked the fire.
“Here I come!” cried the wolf. “Dinnertime!”
“You can say that again!” said the little pig. And he cooked the mean old wolf… and gobbled him up!
The Three Little Pigs (Part 2) Page 4 of 8
2.2 Classwork: Part 3 Detail Evaluation (Details 1-3) Analysis Sheets
1. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
The first pig bought straw to build his house.
This detail is because if it were removed __________________________________________________________________________________
2. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
The man that the first pig bought straw from told him it was a bad idea to build a house with it.
This detail is because if it were removed __________________________________________________________________________________
3. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
At the beginning of the story, the pigs’ mother reminds them to write.
This detail is because if it were removed __________________________________________________________________________________
Unit 2: Active Reading & Detail Classification Page 5 of 8
2.2 Classwork: Part 3 Detail Evaluation (Details 4-7) Analysis Sheets
4. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
Pig is the wolf’s favorite food.
This detail is because if it were removed _______________________________________________________________________
5. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
The house that the third pig makes out of bricks is “Nice and Solid.”
This detail is because if it were removed _______________________________________________________________________
6. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
The house that the second pig makes out of sticks is “very pretty.”
This detail is because if it were removed _______________________________________________________________________
7. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
When the wolf got onto his roof, the third pig put a pot into the fireplace and stoke the fire.
This detail is because if it were removed _______________________________________________________________________
Unit 2: Active Reading & Detail Classification Page 6 of 8
Independent Work
Aesop's Fable
A thirsty Crow, with feathers as black as pitch, found a pitcher with a little water in it. But the pitcher was deep, and he could not reach the water. He tried and tried, but in vain. At last, he saw some pebbles lying nearby. He took a pebble and dropped it into the pitcher. Then he dropped another, and another. With each pebble, the water rose higher, until at last, he could drink.
Detail 1: "The Crow had feathers as black as pitch."
Classification: ________________________
Detail 2: "The Crow saw pebbles nearby and dropped them into the pitcher."
Classification: ________________________
Completed daily exit tickets must be submitted before leaving class. Page 7 of 8
Review
Directions: Actively read the short mystery passage below. Apply the 2.2 ELA annotation skills: underline important details, double-underline unimportant background, and answer the questions.
While exploring her grandfather's dusty attic on a rainy Tuesday, Maya bumped her knee against an old oak chest. Inside the chest, covered by a worn blue wool blanket, she found a tarnished brass key and a hand-drawn map of Whispering Woods. The map marked a spot labeled "The Sentinel Oak" with a bold red 'X'.
1. Identify ONE important detail from the text. Why is it structurally important? (What plot event does it trigger?)
2. Identify ONE unimportant detail from the text. Why is it unimportant? (What stays exactly the same if it's removed?)
Ms. Jackson's Daily Reading Log Tracker:
Reading Goal: 20 min/day
Book Title: ___________________
Pages Read: _________
Active Read Done!
All daily ELA homework logs must be signed by a parent/guardian. Page 8 of 8
I will actively annotate and close read my texts every day. Pushing my limits on harder readings will force my neurons to grow stronger connections!
• An important detail is a detail in the text that causes something else to happen later in the story. If this detail was removed, the story would not make sense!
• An unimportant detail is a detail that is a part of the story but the story still makes sense without it.
Unit 2: Active Reading & Detail Classification Page 2 of 8
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
[30 MINS]
Classwork Packets
Active Reading: 6/6
Directions: Actively read the classic story below. Underline details as you read.
Active Reading Focus: I will underline material details (straw, sticks, brick) and warnings.
Once upon a time, an old sow sent her three little pigs out into the world to seek their fortune.
“Now be sure to write.” She said. “And remember that I love you.”
The first little pig met a man with a [load of straw.]
“I know,” said the little pig. “I’ll buy your straw and build a house.”
“That’s not a good idea,” said the man.
“Mind your own business, thank you,” said the little pig. And [he bought the straw and set about building a house.] It took him no time at all. Very soon a lean and hungry wolf happened by.
So he knocked on the door and said, “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.” To which the little pig replied, “no, no, no, not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.”
This annoyed the wolf to no end, and he said, “Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.”
“Go right ahead,” said the little pig. So [the wolf huffed and he puffed and he blew the house in. And he gobbled up the little pig.]
The second pig met a man with a [load of sticks.]
The Three Little Pigs (Part 1) Page 3 of 8
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
Classwork Packets
Annotated Key
“Oh pooh,” said the little pig. “What would you know?” And [he bought the sticks and went to work building a house.]
“Very pretty,” he said. No sooner had the little pig settled into his pretty house than the wolf happened by.
He was still hungry, and he said, “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”
To which the little pig replied, “No, no, no, not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.” The wolf didn’t care for that at all.
And he said, “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.”
“Ha, ha, ha,” said the little pig. So [the wolf huffed and he puffed and he blew the house in. And he gobbled up the little pig.]
Now the third little pig met a man with a [load of bricks.]
“These bricks will make a fine sturdy house,” said the man.
“Capital idea, my good fellow!” said the little pig. So [he bought the bricks and set about building a house.] It took him quite a bit of time, but it was well worth it.
“Nice and solid,” said the little pig. “Nice and solid.” But no sooner had the little pig moved in than he noticed a wolf loitering about.
And the wolf who was still hungry said, “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”
To which the little pig replied, “No, no, no, not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.”
Well the wolf had heard that before. And he said, “Than I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.”
“Oh don’t do that!” said the little pig. But [the wolf huffed and he puffed until he was quite blue in the face. The house stood firm.]
“I’ll try another approach,” muttered the wolf. And he climbed onto the roof.
When the little pig saw this, [he put a big iron pot in the fireplace and quickly stoked the fire.]
“Here I come!” cried the wolf. “Dinnertime!”
“You can say that again!” said the little pig. And he cooked the mean old wolf… and gobbled him up!
The Three Little Pigs (Part 2) Page 4 of 8
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
2.2 Classwork: Part 3 Detail Evaluation (1-3) Annotated Key
1. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
The first pig bought straw to build his house.
This detail is IMPORTANT because if it were removed the reader wouldn't know why the house was so weak that the wolf blew it down. The material chosen directly shapes the plot.
2. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
The man that the first pig bought straw from told him it was a bad idea to build a house with it.
This detail is UNIMPORTANT because if it were removed the pig would still have built the straw house, and the wolf still would have blown it down. The warning does not change what the pig does.
3. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
At the beginning of the story, the pigs’ mother reminds them to write.
This detail is UNIMPORTANT because if it were removed the pigs would still leave to seek their fortunes. The mother's reminder is background characterization rather than a plot driver.
Unit 2: Active Reading & Detail Classification Page 5 of 8
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
2.2 Classwork: Part 3 Detail Evaluation (4-7) Annotated Key
4. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
Pig is the wolf’s favorite food.
This detail is UNIMPORTANT because if it were removed, the wolf would still pursue and eat the pigs out of simple hunger.
5. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
The house that the third pig makes out of bricks is “Nice and Solid.”
This detail is IMPORTANT because if it were removed, the brick house would have blown down just like the others, resulting in the third pig being eaten.
6. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
The house that the second pig makes out of sticks is “very pretty.”
This detail is UNIMPORTANT because its prettiness doesn't change the structural fact that sticks are too weak to stop the huffing wolf.
7. Is the following detail important or unimportant? Explain.
When the wolf got onto his roof, the third pig put a pot into the fireplace and stoke the fire.
This detail is IMPORTANT because this defensive move directly causes the death of the wolf, resolving the central conflict.
Unit 2: Active Reading & Detail Classification Page 6 of 8
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
[15 MINS]
Annotated Key
A thirsty Crow, with feathers as black as pitch, found a pitcher with a little water in it. But the pitcher was deep, and he could not reach the water. He tried and tried, but in vain. At last, he saw some pebbles lying nearby. [He took a pebble and dropped it into the pitcher. Then he dropped another, and another. With each pebble, the water rose higher, until at last, he could drink.] #Important
Detail 1: "The Crow had feathers as black as pitch."
Classification: UNIMPORTANT
If the crow had green or brown feathers, he would still be thirsty and still drop pebbles to drink. The color of his feathers does not impact the plot.
Detail 2: "The Crow saw pebbles nearby and dropped them into the pitcher."
Classification: IMPORTANT
If this detail was removed, the crow would never have raised the water level and would have perished of thirst. This action resolves the conflict.
Completed daily exit tickets must be submitted before leaving class. Page 7 of 8
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
Annotated Key
Directions: Actively read the passage, underline important details, double-underline unimportant details, and answer.
While exploring her grandfather's dusty attic on a rainy Tuesday, Maya bumped her knee against an old oak chest. Inside the chest, [covered by a worn blue wool blanket,] #Unimportant she found a [tarnished brass key and a hand-drawn map of Whispering Woods.] #Important The map marked a spot labeled "The Sentinel Oak" with a bold red 'X'.
1. Identify ONE important detail from the text. Why is it structurally important?
Finding "a tarnished brass key and a hand-drawn map" is critical because it gives Maya the physical tools needed to unlock the oak chest and navigate Whispering Woods.
2. Identify ONE unimportant detail from the text. Why is it unimportant?
That the chest was "covered by a worn blue wool blanket" is unimportant. If the blanket were red or missing, she still would have found the key and map.
Ms. Jackson's Daily Reading Log Tracker:
Reading Goal: 20 min/day
The Lightning Thief
Pages 35-55 (20p)
Active Read Done!
All daily ELA homework logs must be signed by a parent/guardian. Page 8 of 8
Unit 2: Active Reading & Conflict Page 2 of 7
Classwork
Team: ______________
Directions: Actively read the passage below and answer the questions throughout the reading that follow. Use the notes Ms. Jackson gave you in class to complete the assignment. Ms. Jackson's model is included in the reading in red.
Personal Narrative
By Jennifer Owings Dewey
It was the middle of July. [I had spent two days exploring a bat cave in the Jornada del Muerto desert in southern New Mexico.]
The cave was part of an ancient flow of lava, now hardened into solid rock. The lava had gurgled out of the ground like liquid metal 250 thousand years ago. The cave was tucked away in what had once been an air bubble in the flow. The top side of the bubble had fallen in, creating an opening in the roof of a long, narrow cave that led back into the lava two hundred feet, a perfect home for bats.
I had left the cave and was driving my pickup truck on a rough track across the hard, jagged surface of the lava flow. [Suddenly the steering wheel jerked and my hands slipped. The truck ground to a halt, caught on a black lava boulder.]
A quick inspection of the underside proved the worst: the truck’s axle was bent, nearly broken in two.
MN Example: The narrator is exploring a bat cave in New Mexico and finds herself in an accident.
1. What is the conflict in the beginning of the story? The conflict in the beginning of the story is that the narrator has found herself in a car accident in the desert after exploring a bat cave.
I could not expect rescue in such remote country. I put my remaining food and canteens of water into my day pack and set off on foot, going north, the direction of the main highway.
Walking For My Life (Part 1) Page 3 of 7
Classwork Packets
Read & Annotate
I was low on water. Too little food did not matter but hiking across the desert in July without water could be fatal.
[As I set out, I hatched unreasonable fears in my mind. I was afraid of everything around me. Grasshoppers hopped, beetles crawled, rodents scurried. Each creature made my heart jump. In my mind, every movement was a scary animal about to strike and kill me.]
I walked for hours in this state of mind. I cried and groaned until I realized that nobody was around to hear me. Complaining was useless.
A change came over me, a gradual transformation. I began to feel less afraid. [Fear was replaced by curiosity.]
MN: The narrator transitions from fear to curiosity, allowing her to appreciate the quiet desert world.
2. Why is the narrator originally fearful while walking through the desert?
a. The narrator worries that any living thing could be dangerous. b. The narrator doesn't know where to go in order to find help. c. The narrator dislikes the desert and everything in it. d. The narrator doesn't have enough clothing for a long trip.
I went on, and slowly but surely [began to see the desert world differently, through interested eyes, not frightened ones.]
A rattlesnake slithered past, scales glistening in the sun. The wild beauty of the snake steadied me. I might have run but didn’t, realizing the animal meant me no harm. It never even saw me.
The snake slid over the ground and vanished. In the silence and hazy heat of that moment, I noticed how peaceful the arid land was. Desert dwellers large and small went on with their lives, paying no attention to me.
That night I lay on the warm sand, using my day pack as a pillow. The sky went dark. The stars began to shine, zillions of tiny fires spinning reassuringly in the hugeness of the heavens. With a burned-lip smile I thought how little there was to fear, after all.
Walking For My Life (Part 2) Page 4 of 7
Classwork Packets
Final Reading Section
MN: The narrator
By noon the following day I was out of water. I continued north, forging a delicate balance in my mind between fear of death and the certainty I would live. I began to think how lucky I was to see the wild desert world. A wrecked truck and a forced hike across the desert gave me a chance to see what few others ever saw.
Late in the day, miles from the road, I came to a ranch house. It stood at the edge of the lava flow, low against the desert scrub, half-invisible through the waves of heat rising from the ground.
I walked into the yard and was greeted by a skinny hound dog. The rancher was close behind. He tipped the brim of his cowboy hat. “Care for some lemonade?” he said.
I drank all the lemonade that he and his wife had in their refrigerator. When it ran out, I drank tap water until my belly was swollen and sore.
“I liked it out there,” I told them when we got to talking. “I just wish I had been less frightened. I would have noticed more that way. Being scared made me miss things I would have seen otherwise.”
“I know what you mean,” the man said thoughtfully, scratching his chin whiskers with the fingers of one hand. “It’s a rare sight, that desert wilderness, a rare sight.”
The next morning the three of us rode out on horseback to check on my truck. “It’s a goner,” the rancher said. “Totaled,” I agreed. “Too bad,” his wife said. “Such a pretty color, too.”
We spent the night by the cave, watching the bats fly out. Hawks and owls were diving and trying to catch a late-in-the-day meal. The three of us sat thinking, saying little.
I knew that I might have perished on the bone-dry desert. Unlike the bats, hawks, and owls, I was not equipped for life with little water. All I could think about was how I wanted to take the same walk a second time.
When the day ended, the rancher said, “Too bad more folks can’t see this. Might make them think twice about what’s beautiful in the wild.” “Yes sir,” his wife said, “that’s the truth of it.”
Walking For My Life (Part 3) Page 5 of 7
Independent Work
Scenario Segment
As the blizzard closed in, blocking out the trail ahead with whiteout conditions, Leo realized his heavy winter coat had a torn seam at the shoulder, letting freezing air seep in. He had only a few matches left in his pocket and a handful of dry kindling. His fingers were stiff with frost, but he knew he must keep moving to prevent hypothermia. Panic rose in his chest, urging him to run blindly, but he forced himself to slow down and check his map.
1. Character vs. Nature (Climate/Physical environment struggle)
Cite direct evidence of the environmental threat:
Explain how this threat forces him to make life-saving decisions:
2. Character vs. Self (Psychological/Emotional struggle)
Cite direct evidence of Leo's internal panic or emotional struggle:
Explain how Julian overcoming this panic is crucial for his physical survival:
Completed daily exit tickets must be submitted before leaving class. Page 6 of 7
Review
Directions: Actively read the short realistic fiction scenario below. Apply the 2.2 ELA conflict-annotation skills: underline internal struggle details, bracket external pressures, and complete the analysis.
Julian stood by the broken showcase window, his baseball bat still resting on his shoulder. He knew that if he told the truth to his coach, he would be suspended from the championship game tomorrow. His team depended on him to win, and his parents were excited to see him play. But his grandfather's voice echoed in his mind, reminding him that a person's integrity is worth far more than a gold medal.
1. Identify Julian's internal conflict (Character vs. Self). What are the two opposing paths and desires competing in his mind?
2. Identify the external social pressure (Character vs. Society). How do the expectations of his coach, team, and parents worsen his dilemma?
Ms. Jackson's Daily Reading Log Tracker:
Reading Goal: 20 min/day
Book Title: ___________________
Pages Read: _________
Active Read Done!
All daily ELA homework logs must be signed by a parent/guardian. Page 7 of 7
A conflict is a struggle between opposing forces. It is the engine that drives a narrative plot forward. Without conflict, a story has no action or tension!
Unit 2: Active Reading & Conflict Page 2 of 7
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
[30 MINS]
Classwork
Active Reading: 6/6
Directions: Actively read the passage below. Ms. Jackson's model is in red.
It was the middle of July. [I had spent two days exploring a bat cave in the Jornada del Muerto desert in southern New Mexico.]
The cave was part of an ancient flow of lava, now hardened into solid rock.
I had left the cave and was driving my pickup truck on a rough track across the hard, jagged surface of the lava flow. [Suddenly the steering wheel jerked and my hands slipped. The truck ground to a halt, caught on a black lava boulder.]
A quick inspection of the underside proved the worst: the truck’s axle was bent, nearly broken in two.
MN Example: The narrator is exploring a bat cave in New Mexico and finds herself in an accident.
1. What is the conflict in the beginning of the story? The conflict in the beginning of the story is that the narrator has found herself in a car accident in the desert after exploring a bat cave.
Walking For My Life (Part 1) Page 3 of 7
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
Classwork Packets
Read & Annotate
I was low on water. Too little food did not matter but hiking across the desert in July without water could be fatal.
[As I set out, I hatched unreasonable fears in my mind. I was afraid of everything around me. Grasshoppers hopped, beetles crawled, rodents scurried. Each creature made my heart jump. In my mind, every movement was a scary animal about to strike and kill me.]
I walked for hours in this state of mind. I cried and groaned until I realized that nobody was around to hear me. Complaining was useless.
A change came over me, a gradual transformation. [Fear was replaced by curiosity.]
MN: The narrator transitions from fear to curiosity, allowing her to appreciate the quiet desert world.
2. Why is the narrator originally fearful while walking through the desert?
a. The narrator worries that any living thing could be dangerous. Correct b. The narrator doesn't know where to go in order to find help. c. The narrator dislikes the desert and everything in it. d. The narrator doesn't have enough clothing for a long trip.
Walking For My Life (Part 2) Page 4 of 7
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
Classwork Packets
Annotated Key
MN: The narrator
By noon the following day I was out of water. I continued north, forging a delicate balance in my mind between fear of death and the certainty I would live. I began to think how lucky I was to see the wild desert world. A wrecked truck and a forced hike across the desert gave me a chance to see what few others ever saw.
Late in the day, miles from the road, I came to a ranch house. It stood at the edge of the lava flow, low against the desert scrub, half-invisible through the waves of heat rising from the ground.
I walked into the yard and was greeted by a skinny hound dog. The rancher was close behind. He tipped the brim of his cowboy hat. “Care for some lemonade?” he said.
I drank all the lemonade that he and his wife had in their refrigerator. When it ran out, I drank tap water until my belly was swollen and sore.
“I liked it out there,” I told them when we got to talking. “I just wish I had been less frightened. I would have noticed more that way. Being scared made me miss things I would have seen otherwise.”
Walking For My Life (Part 3) Page 5 of 7
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
[15 MINS]
Annotated Key
As the blizzard closed in, blocking out the trail ahead with whiteout conditions, Leo realized his heavy winter coat had a torn seam at the shoulder, letting freezing air seep in. He had only a few matches left in his pocket and a handful of dry kindling. His fingers were stiff with frost, but he knew he must keep moving to prevent hypothermia. Panic rose in his chest, urging him to run blindly, but he forced himself to slow down and check his map.
1. Character vs. Nature (Climate/Physical environment struggle)
Leo is fighting whiteout blizzard conditions, severe freezing cold, frostbite on his fingers, and a "torn seam at the shoulder" that lets cold air seep in.
2. Character vs. Self (Psychological/Emotional struggle)
Leo battles panic rising in his chest "urging him to run blindly" through the blizzard, which would cause him to get hopelessly lost and die.
Completed daily exit tickets must be submitted before leaving class. Page 6 of 7
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
Annotated Key
Directions: Actively read the realistic fiction scenario below and complete the conflict analysis.
Julian stood by the broken showcase window, his baseball bat still resting on his shoulder. [He knew that if he told the truth to his coach, he would be suspended from the championship game tomorrow.] #SelfPressure His team depended on him to win, and his parents were excited to see him play. [But his grandfather's voice echoed in his mind, reminding him that a person's integrity is worth far more than a gold medal.] #MoralDuty
1. Identify Julian's internal conflict (Character vs. Self). What are the two opposing paths in his mind?
Julian is torn between lying to play in the ELA/sports championship game and protect his team's chance of winning, versus telling the truth to preserve his integrity as his grandfather taught him.
2. Identify the external social pressure (Character vs. Society). How do the expectations of his coach, team, and parents worsen his dilemma?
The external pressure is the severe expectations from his peers and family who count on him to play and win. This social weight amplifies his internal conflict and makes lying highly tempting.
Ms. Jackson's Daily Reading Log Tracker:
Reading Goal: 20 min/day
The Lightning Thief
Pages 56-76 (20p)
Active Read Done!
All daily ELA homework logs must be signed by a parent/guardian. Page 7 of 7
Textual Evidence: Evidence, or _______________, for an answer directly in the _______________.
Unit 2: Active Reading & Evidence Citing Page 2 of 9
Classwork
Active Reading: _____/6
Historical Text
By Jessica McBirney
[The Harlem Renaissance was an artistic and cultural explosion among African Americans living in Harlem, New York in the 1920s.] It produced some of the greatest Americans artists, musicians, and writers of all time, and expanded the identity and culture of a group that had been marginalized for hundreds of years.
After the Civil War ended and slavery was abolished in 1865, many African Americans remained in southern states where their families had once been slaves on plantations. [Most found jobs as farm laborers – doing essentially the same work they had done as slaves, but now for a meager wage.] #1 Over the next few decades, even though the federal government made some attempts to give African Americans a decent life, segregation, as well as racist attitudes and racial violence, kept freed slaves and their families from improving their own circumstances. The governments of southern states often ignored the hardships faced by African Americans.
In the early 1900s African Americans began moving north where they could find better paid jobs working in city factories instead of on farms. This movement was known as The Great Migration. Neighborhoods that were mostly black popped up in cities all over the North, including Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. It was originally built for a white, upper middle-class population, but in 1910 a group of African American realtors purchased several blocks in the area and opened the neighborhood to the new black migrants from the south. Not only did African Americans settle there, but dark-skinned immigrants from the Caribbean also came to seek a better life. These immigrants, often former slaves as well, also faced discrimination and oppression in their home countries.
Even though the north did not have as much overt and institutionalized racism as the south, African Americans still faced some level of discrimination and encountered stereotypes about their people and culture. One of the most common stereotypes was that they were primitive, wild people still closely connected to the “jungle roots” of their origins in Africa.
The first major cultural event of the Harlem Renaissance, a 1917 theater production called “Three Plays for a Negro Theater,” tore down these stereotypes for its viewers. It was written by the white playwright Ridgely Torrence and cast African Americans to portray complex human events and emotions. Two years later poet Claude McKay published the sonnet “If We Must Die.” Although the poem never addressed race directly, African-American readers found its message of defiance inspiring as they continued to hear about racially motivated violence around the country. Literature in the Harlem Renaissance portrayed African Americans as complex human beings with intelligence and emotions, just like any other person. It provided insight into the everyday life of African Americans. These ideas were revolutionary for many white spectators because they countered the typical, stereotypical depictions of African Americans in popular culture.
Harlem Renaissance (Part 1) Page 3 of 9
2.2 Classwork: Harlem Renaissance Questions Verbatim Day 4 Packet
1. Which of the following does NOT describe America following the abolition of slavery?
a. African Americans were paid for their work. b. African Americans faced discrimination. c. African Americans left the South for more opportunities. d. African Americans received equal pay as whites.
2. Art during the Harlem Renaissance was … (complete the sentence with the statements below)
a. ignored by most Americans. b. changed commonly held views about African Americans. c. encouraged a revolutionary style of art. d. focused on the culture of Africa
3. PART A: Which of the following identifies the central idea of the text, regarding the Harlem Renaissance?
A. It encouraged African Americans to leave the South. B. It worked to change white citizens’ perceptions of African Americans as primarily laborers. C. It provided African Americans an opportunity to create a new identity by using art to express feelings. D. It reminded white citizens that African Americans continued to suffer.
4. PART B: Which section from the text best supports the answer to Part A?
A. “In the early 1900s African Americans began moving north...” (Paragraph 3) B. “One of the most common stereotypes was that they were primitive...” (Paragraph 4) D. “Artists held the belief that through intellect, literature, art, and music...” (Paragraph 6)
Harlem Renaissance Questions Page 4 of 9
Classwork
Schema Building
Co-Anchor Text
By Jessica McBirney
In the 1920s and 1930s jazz clubs were extremely popular social gathering spots, especially in big cities like New York City. [One of New York’s most famous jazz clubs was the Cotton Club.]
Originally located in Harlem, a majority-African American neighborhood in New York City, the Cotton Club opened in 1920. It was started by Jack Johnson, the first African American boxing champion, but three years later Owney “The Killer” Madison bought the club. Madison was a famous white gangster and bootlegger. [His primary goal was to use the Cotton Club to illegally sell alcohol.] #1
In the 1920s the U.S. government passed a law outlawing the manufacture and sale of alcohol across the country. The era came to be known as Prohibition. Because alcohol was illegal, gangsters like Owney Madison could make a lot of money by selling it to people willing to take the risk. The Cotton Club was briefly shut down for selling alcohol, but it restarted without much trouble.
MN Example: The Cotton Club was a famous jazz club in Harlem that was owned by Owney Madison and used to sell illegal alcohol.
The Cotton Club was “whites-only” — only white people were allowed to come inside and enjoy the atmosphere and entertainment. On one hand, this rule was not too surprising, because during the 1920s most of the U.S. was racially segregated. White Americans did not want to see African Americans in their social gathering places.
But on the other hand, the rule was quite surprising. First, Harlem was about 70% African American, yet none of those African Americans could go to the famous club right in their own neighborhood. Second, most of the performers at the Cotton Club were African American. The managers coordinated this intentionally. Madison wanted to give “authentic black entertainment to a wealthy, whites-only audience.”
Unfortunately, his view of African American culture was simplistic and racist. Most of the Cotton Club shows included a “jungle” theme, based on a common idea of the time that non-Western cultures were wild and savage. Dancers wore exotic clothes and were made to move like animals. Other shows recreated the southern plantations of the early 1800s, where African Americans had been enslaved.
The dancing, music, and entertainment were extremely popular, but they reinforced negative stereotypes of modern African Americans.
Today the Cotton Club is remembered as a cultural hotbed that groomed some of the greatest jazz musicians in the world, while also perpetuating harmful racial relationships.
The Cotton Club (Part 1) Page 5 of 9
2.4 Classwork: Cotton Club Questions Verbatim Analysis Sheets
1. Why did Owney Madison decide to buy the Cotton Club?
a. He wanted to give back to his community through music. b. He wanted to use the club to sell alcohol illegally. c. He was always the owner and started the business for selling alcohol
2. PART A: What does the word “hotbed” mean as it is used in paragraph 10?
a. a place of decline b. a place of growth c. a place of shame d. a place of diversity
3. PART B: Which detail from paragraph 10 best supports the answer to Part A?
a. “groomed some of the greatest jazz musicians in the world” b. “perpetuating harmful racial relationships.” c. “reducing its African American performers to zoo animals” d. “forcing the closure of other local African American bars...”
The Cotton Club Questions (Part 1) Page 6 of 9
2.4 Classwork: Cotton Club Questions Verbatim (Continued) Analysis Sheets
4. PART A: Which of the following identifies the central idea of the text?
a. The Cotton Club allowed African American talent to gain popularity, while also encouraging racial stereotypes and segregation. b. The Cotton Club caused more harm than good, as the attention that African American performers received was all negative. c. The Cotton Club played a key role in breaking down the divide between African American and white performers. d. The Cotton Club exposed whites to important African American history and culture during a time when it was not discussed.
5. PART B: Which section of the text best supports the answer to Part A?
a. “The Cotton Club was ‘whites-only’ — only white people were allowed to come inside and enjoy the atmosphere and entertainment.” (Paragraph 4) b. “Second, most of the performers at the Cotton Club were African American. The managers coordinated this intentionally.” (Paragraph 5) c. “Other shows recreated the southern plantations of the early 1800s, where African Americans had been enslaved.” (Paragraph 6) d. “Despite the racist undertones, the Cotton Club featured many of the most famous African American musicians and performers of the time.” (Paragraph 8)
The Cotton Club Questions (Part 2) Page 7 of 9
Independent Work
Harlem Landmarks
Unlike the Cotton Club, the Apollo Theater was a fully integrated venue in Harlem that welcomed black audiences and performers alike. Opening its doors to black theatergoers in 1934, it became a cultural sanctuary. Performers like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday gained absolute fame on its legendary stage. The Apollo didn't rely on racist caricatures; it celebrated raw, genuine artistic talent, making it a true monument of the Harlem Renaissance.
1. Contrast the Apollo Theater's audience policy and cultural presentation with that of the Cotton Club. Cite direct evidence and bracket `[ ]` it in the text above.
2. Explain why the Apollo Theater was considered a "true monument of the Harlem Renaissance" while the Cotton Club "perpetuated harmful relationships." Bracket your evidence above and label with #E1# and #E2#.
Completed daily exit tickets must be submitted before leaving class. Page 8 of 9
Review
Directions: Actively read the ELA biography below. Apply the 2.4 ELA bracketing `[ ]` and labeling `# NUMBER #` skills: identify key details showing literary innovation, and complete the analysis.
Langston Hughes revolutionized poetry by breaking away from classic British structures. Instead, he wrote his poems using the rhythmic structures of blues and jazz music. By incorporating the syncopated beats and emotional themes of African American music, Hughes captured the everyday struggles, hopes, and authentic voices of the Harlem community.
1. How did Langston Hughes innovate poetic forms? Quote a specific phrase from the text, and bracket it above with #H1#.
2. Why did he incorporate blues and jazz rhythms instead of classic ELA metrics? Bracket it above with #H2#.
Ms. Jackson's Daily Reading Log Tracker:
Reading Goal: 20 min/day
Book Title: ___________________
Pages Read: _________
Active Read Done!
All daily ELA homework logs must be signed by a parent/guardian. Page 9 of 9
Key Understanding: Strong readers are active when they answer questions about their reading. They find and mark evidence directly in the text to support, or prove, every answer.
Textual Evidence: Evidence, or words/quotes, for an answer directly in the text.
Unit 2: Active Reading & Evidence Citing Page 2 of 9
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
Classwork
Active Reading: 6/6
[The Harlem Renaissance was an artistic and cultural explosion among African Americans living in Harlem, New York in the 1920s.] It produced some of the greatest Americans artists, musicians, and writers of all time, and expanded the identity and culture of a group that had been marginalized for hundreds of years.
After the Civil War ended and slavery was abolished in 1865, many African Americans remained in southern states where their families had once been slaves on plantations. [Most found jobs as farm laborers – doing essentially the same work they had done as slaves, but now for a meager wage.] #1 Over the next few decades, even though the federal government made some attempts to give African Americans a decent life, segregation, as well as racist attitudes and racial violence, kept freed slaves and their families from improving their own circumstances. The governments of southern states often ignored the hardships faced by African Americans.
In the early 1900s African Americans began moving north where they could find better paid jobs working in city factories instead of on farms. This movement was known as The Great Migration. Neighborhoods that were mostly black popped up in cities all over the North, including Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. It was originally built for a white, upper middle-class population, but in 1910 a group of African American realtors purchased several blocks in the area and opened the neighborhood to the new black migrants from the south. Not only did African Americans settle there, but dark-skinned immigrants from the Caribbean also came to seek a better life. These immigrants, often former slaves as well, also faced discrimination and oppression in their home countries.
Harlem Renaissance (Part 1) Page 3 of 9
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
2.2 Classwork: Harlem Renaissance Questions Verbatim Annotated Key
1. Which of the following does NOT describe America following the abolition of slavery?
a. African Americans were paid for their work. b. African Americans faced discrimination. c. African Americans left the South for more opportunities. d. African Americans received equal pay as whites. Correct
2. Art during the Harlem Renaissance was …
a. ignored by most Americans. b. changed commonly held views about African Americans. Correct c. encouraged a revolutionary style of art. d. focused on the culture of Africa
3. PART A: Which of the following identifies the central idea?
A. It encouraged African Americans to leave the South. C. It provided an opportunity to create a new identity. Correct
4. PART B: Which section best supports Part A?
A. “In the early 1900s African Americans...” D. “Artists held the belief that through...” Correct
Harlem Renaissance Questions Page 4 of 9
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
Classwork
Annotated Key
In the 1920s and 1930s jazz clubs were extremely popular social gathering spots, especially in big cities like New York City. [One of New York’s most famous jazz clubs was the Cotton Club.]
Originally located in Harlem, the Cotton Club opened in 1920. It was started by Jack Johnson, the first African American boxing champion, but three years later Owney “The Killer” Madison bought the club. Madison was a famous white gangster and bootlegger. [His primary goal was to use the Cotton Club to illegally sell alcohol.] #1
MN Example: The Cotton Club was a famous jazz club in Harlem owned by white gangster Owney Madison to sell illegal alcohol.
The Cotton Club was “whites-only” — only white people were allowed to come inside. Second, most of the performers were African American. [Madison wanted to give “authentic black entertainment to a wealthy, whites-only audience.”]
Unfortunately, his view of African American culture was simplistic and racist. Most of the Cotton Club shows included a “jungle” theme, based on a common idea of the time that non-Western cultures were wild and savage. Dancers wore exotic clothes and were made to move like animals. Other shows recreated the southern plantations.
The Cotton Club (Part 1) Page 5 of 9
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
2.4 Classwork: Cotton Club Questions Annotated Key
1. Why did Owney Madison decide to buy the Cotton Club?
a. He wanted to give back to his community. b. He wanted to use the club to sell alcohol illegally. Correct
2. PART A: What does the word “hotbed” mean as it is used in paragraph 10?
a. a place of decline b. a place of growth Correct c. a place of shame
3. PART B: Which detail from paragraph 10 best supports the answer to Part A?
a. “groomed some of the greatest jazz musicians in the world” Correct b. “perpetuating harmful racial relationships.”
The Cotton Club Questions (Part 1) Page 6 of 9
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
2.4 Classwork: Cotton Club Questions (Continued) Annotated Key
4. PART A: Which of the following identifies the central idea of the text?
a. The Cotton Club allowed African American talent to gain popularity, while also encouraging stereotypes and segregation. Correct b. The Cotton Club caused more harm than good, as the attention was all negative.
5. PART B: Which section of the text best supports the answer to Part A?
a. “The Cotton Club was ‘whites-only’...” (Paragraph 4) d. “Despite the racist undertones, the Cotton Club featured many of the most famous...” (Paragraph 8) Correct
The Cotton Club Questions (Part 2) Page 7 of 9
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
[15 MINS]
Annotated Key
[Unlike the Cotton Club, the Apollo Theater was a fully integrated venue in Harlem that welcomed black audiences and performers alike. Opening its doors to black theatergoers in 1934, it became a cultural sanctuary.] #Quote1 Performers like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday gained absolute fame on its legendary stage. [The Apollo didn't rely on racist caricatures; it celebrated raw, genuine artistic talent, making it a true monument of the Harlem Renaissance.] #Quote2
1. Contrast the Apollo Theater's audience policy and cultural presentation with that of the Cotton Club. Cite direct evidence and bracket `[ ]` it in the text above.
While the Cotton Club was strictly "whites-only" and utilized degrading racist stereotypes, the Apollo Theater "was a fully integrated venue in Harlem that welcomed black audiences and performers alike."
Completed daily exit tickets must be submitted before leaving class. Page 8 of 9
Teacher Model Document (TMD)
Annotated Key
Directions: Actively read the biography. Bracket `[ ]` and label direct evidence.
[Langston Hughes revolutionized poetry by breaking away from classic British structures. Instead, he wrote his poems using the rhythmic structures of blues and jazz music.] #H1 [By incorporating the syncopated beats and emotional themes of African American music, Hughes captured the everyday struggles, hopes, and authentic voices of the Harlem community.] #H2
1. How did Langston Hughes innovate poetic forms? Quote a specific phrase from the text, and bracket it above with #H1#.
Hughes innovated forms by "breaking away from classic British structures" and writing "using the rhythmic structures of blues and jazz music."
2. Why did he incorporate blues and jazz rhythms instead of classic ELA metrics? Bracket it above with #H2#.
He incorporated these rhythms to "capture the everyday struggles, hopes, and authentic voices of the Harlem community" in an organic, real way.
Ms. Jackson's Daily Reading Log Tracker:
Reading Goal: 20 min/day
The Lightning Thief
Pages 77-97 (20p)
Active Read Done!
All daily ELA homework logs must be signed by a parent/guardian. Page 9 of 9
