Genre: I t Teacher’S Guide Before You Play Women’s …€¦ · are going to read informational...

1 Four InFormatIonal texts ©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLCB e n c h m a r k e d u c a t i o n c o m p a n y

Skills and Strategies

Anchor Comprehension Strategies• Distinguish and evaluate fact

and opinion• Summarize or paraphrase

information

Genre Study• Recognize genre features• Analyze genre texts• Make text-to-text genre connections

Tier Two Vocabulary• See book’s glossary

Word Study• Word origins

Fluency• Read with varied speed/pacing

Writing• Writer’s tools: A strong lead• Write an informational text using

writing-process steps

Before You Play

Women’s Soccer: Keeping the Dream Alive

Fast and Furious Futsal

World’s Favorite Sport

Teacher’S Guide

Level R/40

Unit at a Glance

Day 1 Prepare to Read Day 4 Reread “World’s Favorite Sport”*

Day 2 Read “Before You Play” and “Women’s Soccer: Keeping the Dream Alive”*

Day 5 Literature Circle Discussion/Reinforce Skills*

Day 3 Read “Fast and Furious Futsal” and “World’s Favorite Sport”*

Days 6–15 Write an informational text using the writing-process steps on page 10

*While you are meeting with small groups, other students can:• read independently from your classroom library• reflect on their learning in reading response journals• engage in literacy workstations

Genre: InformatIonal text

Y06627_G4_InfoSoccer_TGCB_Rev4.indd 1 10/10/10 11:11 PM

2 Four InFormatIonal texts ©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

this anchor chart. We will look for how these features appear in each informational text we read.

• Ask students to turn to pages 4–5. Say: This informational text discusses the team sport of soccer. Let’s read about the different positions players fill on a soccer team.

• Have a student read aloud the description while others follow along.

• Say: No player except the goalie may touch the ball with his or her hands. What can you infer, or tell, from this? Allow responses. Prompt students to understand that soccer players must be highly skilled and deft at handling the ball with their feet, legs, chests, and heads.

Introduce the Tools Writers Use: A Strong Lead• Read aloud “Tools Writers Use” on page 5. • Say: Nonfiction writers strive to begin texts with a

strong lead, or opening paragraph. A strong lead grabs readers’ attention and motivates them to keep reading. In addition, the lead informs readers about the text’s topic. The informational texts in this book begin with strong leads. Let’s practice identifying their characteristics so we can understand what makes the leads in these texts strong.

• Distribute BLM 1 (A Strong Lead). Read aloud the lead with students.

• Model Identifying a Strong Lead: This lead captures readers’ attention with an interesting quote. It makes readers wonder, “What could soccer have to do with peace?” The lead goes on to tell about the beginning of the World Cup soccer tournament in 1930 and how its planners hoped it would be important to the world. The author uses a strong lead to create interest, reveal the topic, and hint at its importance.

• Ask students to work with a partner or in small groups to answer the questions about the lead and write their own strong lead.

• Bring the groups together to share their findings. Point out that although this strong lead uses both direct and indirect techniques, not every lead will use both.

• Ask the groups to read the strong leads they wrote and explain their technique. Use the examples to build their understanding of how and why writers use strong leads. Remind students that a strong lead helps readers prepare to read and understand an informational text.

• Ask groups to hand in their leads. Transfer the leads to chart paper, title the page “A Strong Lead,” and post it as an anchor chart in your classroom.

Prepare to ReadBuild Genre Background• Write the word genre on chart paper. Ask: Who

can explain what the word genre means? Allow responses. Say: The word genre means “a kind of something.” Baseball and basketball are different kinds of team sports. Each has its own characteristics that we can use to identify the sport. In the same way, we can identify genres, or kinds, of literature by their characteristics. As readers, we pay attention to the genre to help us comprehend. Recognizing the genre helps us anticipate what will happen or what we will learn. As writers, we use our knowledge of genre to help us develop and organize our ideas.

• Ask: Who can name some literary genres? Let’s make a list. Allow responses. Post the list on the classroom wall as an anchor chart.

• Draw a concept web on chart paper or the chalkboard. Write Informational Text in the center circle of the web.

• Say: Informational text is one example of a literary genre. Think of any informational texts you know. How would you define what an informational text is?

• Turn and Talk. Ask students to turn and talk to a classmate and jot down any features of an informational text they can think of. Then bring students together and ask them to share their ideas. Record them on the group web. Reinforce the concept that all informational texts have certain common features.

Introduce the Book• Distribute a copy of the book to each student. Read

the title aloud. Ask students to tell what they see on the cover and table of contents.

• Ask students to turn to pages 2–3. Say: This week we are going to read informational texts that will help us learn about this genre. First we’re going to focus on this genre as readers. Then we’re going to study informational texts from a writer’s perspective. Our goal this week is to really understand this genre.

• Ask a student to read aloud the text on pages 2–3 while others follow along. Invite a different student to read the web on page 3.

• Point to your Informational Text web on chart paper. Say: Let’s compare our initial ideas about informational texts with what we just read. What new features of this genre did you learn? Allow responses. Add new information to the class web.

• Post this chart in your classroom during your informational text unit. Say: As we read informational texts this week, we will come back to

Day 1

©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Teachers may photocopy the reproducible pages for classroom use. No other part of the guide may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.ISBN: 978-1-4509-0027-0


©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC 3Four InFormatIonal texts

Reflect and Review • Turn and Talk. Write one or more of the following

questions on chart paper. What is a literary genre, and how can understanding

genres help readers and writers? What did you learn today about the informational

text genre? How can readers recognize a strong lead? Ask partners or small groups to discuss their ideas

and report them back to the whole group as a way to summarize the day’s learning.

Before ReadingIntroduce “Before You Play” and “Women’s Soccer: Keeping the Dream Alive”• Reread the Informational Text anchor chart or

the web on page 3 to review the features of informational text.

• Ask students to turn to page 6 and page 10. Ask: Based on the titles and graphics, what do you predict these informational texts might be about? Allow responses.

• Invite students to scan the text and look for the boldfaced words (uniforms, ejected, professional, captured, spectators, victory, marquee). Say: As you read, pay attention to these words. If you don’t know what they mean, try to use clues in the surrounding text to help you define them. We’ll come back to these words after we read.

Set a Purpose for Reading• Ask students to read the informational texts,

focusing on the genre elements they noted on their anchor chart. They should also look for evidence of a strong lead and think about how the author’s use of a strong lead creates interest and helps them understand what the text will discuss.

Read “Before You Play” and “Women’s Soccer: Keeping the Dream Alive”• Place students in groups based on their reading

levels. Ask students to read the informational texts silently, whisperread, or read with a partner.

• Confer briefly with individual students to monitor their understanding of the text and their use of fixup strategies.

Management TipAsk students to place selfstick notes in the margins where they notice characteristics of a strong lead or features of the genre.

After ReadingBuild Comprehension: Evaluate Fact and Opinion• Lead a student discussion using the “Analyze

the Texts” questions on page 13. Then, use the following steps to provide explicit modeling of how to evaluate fact and opinion in an informational text.

Day 2

Name Date

Four InFormatIonal texts ©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLCBlm 1

A Strong LeadDirections: Read the lead. Then answer the questions.

“Soccer could reinforce the ideals of a permanent and real peace,” declared Jules Rimet, the 1926 president of the World Football Federation. Plans for a world soccer tournament were underway. Both professional and amateur players would be allowed to play. On July 13, 1930, the first game of the first World Cup kicked off. If Rimet’s dream were to come true, it would be the beginning of a regime of international peace.

1. Is this lead direct, indirect, or both? Explain. Both;theopeningquoteisindirect,buttherestoftheparagraphstates

factsabouttheoriginoftheWorldCuptournament.

2. Does this lead make you want to read on? Explain why or why not.

Possibleanswer:Yes;wanttofindoutmoreaboutfirstWorldCuptournamentandRimet’sdream

3. What would you expect to learn if you read the rest of this article?

Possibleanswer:resultsofthefirstWorldCupandwaysthetournamenthasimprovedrelationshipsamongcountriesaroundtheworld

Directions: Think of a topic that interests you and that you know something about. Write a strong lead for an informational text about this topic.

Paragraphswillvarybutshouldbeadirectlead,anindirectlead,ora combinationofthetwo.



• Guide Practice. Work with students to find other opinions in “Before You Play” and “Women’s Soccer: Keeping the Dream Alive” and the facts, details, and examples the author uses to support them. Then, help students evaluate whether the facts convincingly support the opinions.

• Have students keep BLM 2 in their genre studies folders.

Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment• Remind students that when they answer questions

on standardized assessments, they must be able to support their answers with facts or clues and evidence directly from the text.

• Use the Comprehension Question Card with small groups of students to practice answering textdependent comprehension questions.

• Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Find It! questions. The answer to a Find It! question is found in one place in the text.

• Model. Read the second Find It! question. Say: When I read the question, I look for important words that tell me what to look for in the book. What words in this question do you think will help me? Allow responses. Say: Yes, I’m looking for the words won, gold medal, soccer, and 1996 Olympics. On page 10, I read “The U.S. team won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics, too.” This sentence answers the question.

• Guide Practice: Use the Power Tool Flip Chart to help you develop other Find It! questions.

Focus on Vocabulary: Word Origins• Explain/Model: Many English words came from other

languages. These words’ origins, or histories, offer clues that help explain what the words mean today. For example, the word rectangle (page 6) comes from the Latin words rectus, meaning “right” and angulus, meaning “angle.” Today, rectangle is the name for a four-sided figure with four right angles.

• Practice. Ask students to find the word maintain on page 6. After they read the sentence with the word in context, have them find it in a dictionary. Guide them in reading its origin, or history. Say: Maintain comes from the phrase manu tenere, which means “to hold in the hand.” You can protect something when you hold it in your hand. We can see how this meaning relates to the current meaning of maintain, “to keep or preserve in existing condition.”

• Say: Let’s find the boldfaced words in these informational texts. What can you do if you don’t know what these words mean? Allow responses. Say: Along with looking for clues in the text, you can look in a dictionary to learn the origin of the word. Analyzing a word’s origin can help you understand how today’s meaning of a word came to be.

• Ask students to work with a partner to complete the “Focus on Words” activity on page 13 using BLM 3

Day 2 (cont.)• Explain: We learned yesterday that an informational

text uses accurate, reliable facts and examples to describe and explain a topic. The author forms opinions based on this information and often presents other people’s opinions as well. Readers must decide whether these opinions are sensible and well supported. Evaluating facts and opinions helps readers better understand the author’s thoughts and form their own ideas about the topic.

• Distribute copies of BLM 2 (Evaluate Fact and Opinion) and/or draw a chart like the one below.

Opinion Facts and Examples Used to Support Opinion

Before You Play

Serious soccer players need special shoes called cleats.

Cleats have studs that grip the ground; players can better maintain footing as they play.

It [soccer] is not a wild free-for-all.

If players trip, grab shirts, or tackle from behind, referee calls foul and awards free kick to opposing team. Player who commits foul can get warning or be ejected from game.

There is one very tricky rule in soccer called offside.

Attacker cannot wait in front of other team’s goal; need at least one defender in front of attacker when pass received or offense is offside and ball awarded to other team.


More than 90,000 fans . . . were treated to a nail-biter.

Neither team scored; tension mounted; game went into overtime; still no score. It came down to penalty kicks. U.S. scored on all five kicks. China scored four times. Spectators went wild!

American Mia Hamm, already a soccer superstar, stood out.

Marquee player of first pro women’s soccer league. In 2004, U.S. women’s team won Olympic gold, playing for world audience of millions.

The dream is alive and kicking.

Hamm retired but other young women are taking her place. In 2009, Women’s Professional Soccer league (WPS) was formed.

• Model: In “Before You Play,” the author states that serious soccer players need special shoes called cleats. What evidence supports this opinion? First, the author describes cleats and their role in helping shoes grip the ground. Then, she explains that this grip helps players maintain their footing. Serious soccer players run and turn quickly, so I agree that having cleats is necessary to avoid slipping and falling. In an informational text, accurate, clearly stated facts and examples should lead logically to the opinions the author states.



(Focus on Word Origins). Explain that they should look in a dictionary to find the origin and meaning of each boldfaced word. They should be able to see a connection between the original and current meaning.

• Transfer Through Oral Language. Ask groups of students to share their findings. Then challenge individual students to make a connection between the dictionary definitions and the Latin or French word or words from which the target word originated. Ask other students to listen carefully and contribute any additional connections they see. Finally, have students take turns using the target words in context in a conversation about soccer.

• Ask students to save their work in their genre studies folders to continue on Days 3 and 4.

Page Word Origin and Meaning

Dictionary Definition

6 uniforms Latin uni-, “one” + -formis, “form”

matching outfits that all members of a team wear

8 ejected Latin e-, “out” + jacere, “to throw”

removed

9 professional Latin profession, “public declaration”

participating in for money earned

11 captured Latin capere, “to seize”

caught; won

12 spectators Latin spectare, “to watch”

ones who look on or watch

12 victory Latin vincere, “to conquer”

a win or success over an opponent or enemy

12 marquee French marquis, “nobleman, noblewoman”

big name; star

Reflect and Review • Turn and Talk. Ask partners or small groups to

reread the “Features of Informational Text” web on page 3 and decide whether all of these features are present in “Before You Play” and “Women’s Soccer: Keeping the Dream Alive.” Ask groups to share and support their findings.

Fluency: Read with Varied Speed/Pacing• You may wish to have students reread the articles

with a partner during independent reading time. Have them focus on varying their speed as they read—slowing for passages with denser meaning to digest and speeding up for exciting or more narrative passages. For example, students might read the last paragraph on page 11 and first paragraph on page 12 at a faster pace to mimic the tension and excitement felt by the players and fans.

Before ReadingIntroduce “Fast and Furious Futsal” and “World’s Favorite Sport” • Ask students to turn to pages 14 and 16.

Say: Today we are going to read two more informational texts. The last article is written in a different format. Notice the notes in the margins. First, we will read to understand the articles. Tomorrow, we will read the second article like a writer and think about how the notes in the margins can help us write our own texts.

• Say: Let’s look at the titles and photographs of these articles. What do you predict they’re about?

• Ask students to scan the text and look for the boldfaced words (opponent, furious, generation, colleges, organization, competition). Ask: What do you notice about these words? Why do you think they appear in boldfaced type? (All of these words contain a root, or part, that appears in other English words.)

• Say: As you read, try to figure out the meanings of these words. Think about other words you know that share a root or word part with the boldfaced word. Look in a dictionary to find the origin of the word and the origin’s meaning.

Set a Purpose for Reading• Ask students to read the informational texts,

focusing on the organization, accuracy, and presentation of multiple perspectives. Encourage them to notice the author’s use of a strong lead.

Read “Fast and Furious Futsal” and “World’s Favorite Sport”• Place students in groups based on their reading

levels. Ask students to read the informational texts silently, whisperread, or read with a partner.

• Monitor students’ understanding of the text and their use of fixup strategies.

After ReadingBuild Comprehension: Evaluate Fact and Opinion• Say: What opinions does the author state in

“Fast and Furious Futsal” and “World’s Favorite Sport?” How does she support her opinions? Record responses on a wholegroup chart like the one below.

• Discuss Facts and Opinions Across Texts. Lead a discussion using the following questions: Which article includes the most facts? The most opinions? What types of facts do “Fast and Furious Futsal” and “Before You Play” have in common? What is the organ izational plan of each article? Has the author used a strong lead in each article? How does this help you as a reader? Which article does the

Day 3



several sentences to find the answer. • Guide Practice. Use the Power Tool Flip Chart to

help you develop other Look Closer! questions.

Focus on Vocabulary: Word Origins• Ask students to work with a partner to complete the

“Focus on Words” activity on page 21 using BLM 3.• Transfer Through Oral Language. Pairs of students

review the history of each word and explain how the historic meaning and dictionary definition are similar. Partners list words that might share a root with the target word. Partners share lists with another pair and use a dictionary to confirm their thinking.



14 opponent Latin ob-, “against” + ponere, “to place”

someone on another team

15 furious Latin furia, “madness” intense

15 generation Latin genus, “descent, birth”

group of people born and living in the same time period

17 colleges Latin college, “colleague”

universities

18 organization Greek organon, “tool, instrument”

people who work together for a common purpose

18 competition Latin competere, “to seek together; to come together”

activity in which people play against one another

Reflect and Review • Turn and Talk. Ask partners or small groups to

discuss the following questions and report their ideas to the whole group: What do all four articles have in common? How is each article different from the rest? What makes soccer the world’s most popular sport? Why do you think it has such wide appeal? Think of a time you participated in a team sport competition. How did your experience change the way you view the sport?

Fluency: Read with Varied Speed/Pacing• You may wish to have students reread the articles

with a partner, focusing on varying their pace as they read. Ask students to discuss which parts of “World’s Favorite Sport” require concentration and which are easier to understand on first reading. Then each student should find a passage in the text that contains both kinds of information and read more difficult portions at a slower pace and easier portions at a faster pace.

Day 3 (cont.)best job of including multiple perspectives? Why do you think so?



How did . . . best soccer players . . . learn their best moves? They played . . . Futsal.

Superstar Pelé credits Futsal for his success. Futsal helped him develop ball control, quick thinking, passing. All the best players in his generation began with Futsal.

The action is fast and furious.

Five players on Futsal team. One plays goalkeeper, other four defend own goal; try to score goals against opposite team.

[Futsal] is good for kids . . .

Field smaller; fewer players; gives kids more chances to play and improve skills.


The U.S. team did something extraordinary in the 1950 [World Cup] event.

U.S. against England, one of best teams in world. Newspaper called U.S. team “a band of nohopers.” Haitian-born Joe Gaetjens scored a goal for U.S. to win 1-0. Many consider it biggest upset in international soccer.

Something magical happened on the field that day (1966 World Cup match, Italy vs. N. Korea).

Low-ranked N. Korean team vs. Italian team, then considered one of best in world. N. Korean Pak Doo-Ik scored only goal. Mighty Italian team lost 1-0.

Pelé, considered to be the perfect footballer . . .

Participated in three World Cups for his country. Scored a phenomenal 77 goals in 91 World Cup games.

Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment • Use the Comprehension Question Card to practice

answering textdependent questions.• Say: Today we will learn how to answer Look Closer!

questions. The answer to a Look Closer! question is in the book. You have to look in more than one place. You find the different parts of the answer. Then you put the parts together to answer the question.

• Model. Read the first Look Closer! question. Say: This question asks me to compare and contrast. I know because it has the clue word same. Now I need to look for other important information to find in the book. What information do you think will help me? Allow responses. Say: Yes, I’m looking for ways Futsal is like soccer. On page 14, I read that players kick a ball into a goal to score. The goalkeeper defends the goal and can use both hands. There is a penalty area, and there are fouls for tripping or pushing an opponent. These rules apply to soccer, too. I have found the answer in the book. I looked in



Before ReadingSet a Purpose for Rereading• Have students turn to page 16. Say: Until now, we

have been thinking about informational texts from the perspective of the reader. Learning the features of informational texts has helped us be critical readers. Now we are going to put on a different hat. We are going to reread “World’s Favorite Sport” and think like writers. We’re going to pay attention to the annotations in the margins. These annotations will help us understand what the author did and why she did it.

Reread “World’s Favorite Sport”• Place students in groups based on their reading

levels. Ask students to reread the informational text silently or whisperread.

• Confer briefly with individual students to monitor their understanding of the text and annotations.

After ReadingAnalyze the Mentor Text• Explain to students that the text they have just read

is a mentor text. A mentor text is a text that teaches. This text is designed to help them understand what writers do to write an informational text and why they do it.

• Read and discuss each mentor annotation with students. Encourage them to comment on the writer’s style, use of facts to support different perspectives or opinions, and strong lead and conclusion.

Practice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment • Use the Comprehension Question Card with small

groups of students to practice answering textdependent questions.

• Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Prove It! questions. The answer to a Prove It! question is not stated in the book. You have to look for clues and evidence to prove the answer.

• Model. Read the first Prove It! question. Say: I will show you how I answer a Prove It! question. This question asks me to identify an unstated main idea. I know because it says, “paragraph . . . is mainly about.” Now I need to look for other important information in the question. What information do you think will help me? Allow responses. Say: Yes, I need to reread the second paragraph on page 14. I read that Juan Ceriani is considered the “father” of Futsal. In 1930, Ceriani began holding an indoor soccer competition for kids. The game caught on in Brazil and spread throughout South America. These clues tell about how Futsal started.

• Guide Practice. Use the Power Tool Flip Chart to help you develop other Prove It! questions.

Analyze the Writer’s Craft• Ask students to turn to page 22. Explain: Over

the next few days, you will have the opportunity to write your own informational texts. First, let’s think about how the author wrote “World’s Favorite Sport.” When she developed this article, she followed certain steps. You can follow these same steps to write your own informational texts.

• Read steps 1, 2, and 3. Say: First you’ll decide on a general topic that interests you, and then you’ll narrow it to a topic that you can handle well in a short article. The general topic of “World’s Favorite Sport” is soccer, but its focus is the popularity of soccer through the ages. What are some general topics we might choose? How can we focus those topics? Allow responses. Write down students’ ideas on chart paper. Now let’s write each of our focused topics as a question we want to answer. Write down questions students suggest and select one as a class.

• Read step 4. Say: Next, we need to gather accurate, reliable information that answers our focus question. What resources could we use to find appropriate information? List resources students suggest. Discuss Internet safety and techniques for finding reliable information. Guide students in finding contact information for interviews.

• Read step 5. Say: Before you’re ready to write, you must organize your information. Let’s list our main points in a logical order. Then we’ll decide what facts, examples, and other evidence we will use to support each main point. Model choosing an appropriate text structure and creating an outline for the informational text.

• Read step 6. Say: Write at least one paragraph for each main point you discuss, and include the supporting details you listed. Model writing a body paragraph that includes a topic sentence and supporting details. Then work as a group to write additional body paragraphs for the informational text. When the body is complete, help students create a strong opening paragraph, or lead, and a strong conclusion.

Build Comprehension: Summarize or Paraphrase Information• Explain: Nonfiction writers provide varying

amounts of detail about their main points. One way to better understand and remember the information is to summarize these main points in your own words. To summarize text, determine what it is “mostly about” and paraphrase, or restate, the information in a few sentences. A summary does not include all the details.

• Model: In the second paragraph of “Women’s Soccer: Keeping the Dream Alive,” the author

Day 4



Analyze & SynthesizePractice Text Comprehension Strategies for ELA Assessment • Use the Comprehension Question Card with small

groups of students to practice answering textdependent questions.

• Say: Today I will help you learn how to answer Take It Apart! questions. To figure out the answer to a Take It Apart! question, you must think like the author.

• Model. Read the first Take It Apart! question. Say: This question asks me to think about the text structure and organization. I know because I must determine why the writer started an article a certain way. Now I need to look for other important information in the question. What information do you think will help me? Allow responses. Say: Yes, I need to reread the opening sentences on page 16. I find out that three billion people are half the Earth’s population. That staggering number makes it clear that soccer is the world’s most popular sport. The writer has hooked readers with an interesting fact. I figured out the answer by thinking about how the writer organized the text.

• Guide Practice. Use the Power Tool Flip Chart to help you develop other Take It Apart! questions.

Summarize & Make Connections Across Texts• Engage students in a discussion about the four

informational texts in this book. Invite a different student to summarize each article. Encourage other students to add their ideas and details.

• Ask students to turn to the inside back cover of the book. Say: Good readers think about how literary works are related. We know, for example, that all of these articles share certain features. They all include accurate facts. They are all logically organized. What else do they have in common? Allow responses. Say: Today we will think about how the articles are alike and different and what we can learn from them.

• Ask students to work individually or in small groups to complete BLM 4 (Make Connections Across Texts).

• Class Discussion or Literature Circles. Facilitate a wholeclass discussion or keep students in their small groups for a literature circle discussion. If you choose to conduct literature circles, share the rules for good discussion below. Each group should discuss and be prepared to share its ideas about the following prompts. Which article do you think includes the best supporting evidence for its main points? Which article will be most useful to you in your daily life? Why? Which opinion or perspective in the articles do you agree with most strongly? Why?

• Tell students that at the end of their discussion, you will ask them to share the important texttotext, texttoworld, and texttoself connections they have made.

uses five sentences to explain how women’s soccer started in the United States. Here is one way to summarize the information: The 1970s Title IX law required that U.S. females have the same opportunity as males to participate in soccer and other sports.

• Guide Practice. Invite students to work in small groups to summarize and paraphrase information in at least one paragraph from each article. Ask the groups to explain how they decided what main points and details to include.

Reflect and Review • Ask and discuss the following questions.

How are reading an informational text and writing an informational text similar? How are they different? What new words have you added to your vocabulary this week? Which is your favorite? Why? Which article interested you the most? Why? How can you use word origins and a strong lead as a writer?

Fluency: Read with Varied Speed/Pacing• You may wish to have students reread an article

with a partner during independent reading time. Have them focus on varying their speed as they read to add interest or dramatic effect and to suit the density of ideas or facts listeners must process. For example, have students read the opening paragraph on page 14 quickly to draw readers in, the second paragraph at a conversational speed, and the next three paragraphs more slowly so listeners can better absorb the rules of the game.

Day 4 (cont.) Day 5



• Divide students into two teams. Draw a card and read it to the first team. The team earns one point for correctly matching the origin with the correct target word, one point for making a valid connection between the two, and one point for each additional word they can name that shares the word’s history. Repeat the process with the second team. Once all the words are used, the team with the most points wins.

Reread for Fluency: Oral Reading Performance• Discuss with students the dramatic appeal and

emotions suggested by some of the information in “Women’s Soccer: Keeping the Dream Alive” and “World’s Favorite Sport.” For example, point out shocking facts in the lead on page 16 and model how to use dramatic expression to show surprise and wonder as you read the first two paragraphs aloud.

• Say: These articles contain interesting facts and examples designed to capture and hold readers’ interest. You can demonstrate your understanding of the emotions portrayed in these passages through your expression as you read aloud to help your listeners better appreciate and understand the information.

• Invite individual students to read a passage from one of the articles with expression that helps listeners understand the dramatic impact or emotional appeal of the text.

• Encourage students to have fun with their readings and to make them as dramatic as possible.

• Invite students to react to each reader’s interpretation. Discuss alternate ways to interpret the drama or emotions in the passages.

Review Writer’s Tools: A Strong Lead• Ask students to look for other examples of strong

leads in titles from your classroom library or the school’s library. Each student should select one title at his or her independent reading level. Ask students to read pages specifically to find an example of a strong lead.

• Invite students to share their examples with the class. Ask the other students whether they agree that each lead is strong and if so, why the lead gets their attention and makes them want to read what follows. Point out that students will not find strong leads in all the books they chose. A strong lead is not a tool all writers use all of the time.

• While each small group of students discusses the book, confer with individual or small groups of students. You may wish to revisit elements of the genre, take running records, or model fluent reading skills.

Directions: Fill in the chart. Use it to compare and contrast the four informational texts.

Article Before You Play




Topic Playing soccer today; rules

Women’s soccer in the U.S.

How soccer is different from Futsal; describing Futsal

History of soccer

Lead (Direct or Indirect?)

direct indirect (anecdote)

indirect (question)

indirect (interesting fact)

History included?

no yes yes yes

People included?

not applicable

Mia Hamm Juan Carlos Ceriani, Pelé

Joe Gaetjens, Pak Doo-Ik, Pelé

Rules included?

yes no yes no

Ending (What do you think about as you finish the text?)

Where can I watch soccer or play it?

What does the future of women’s soccer hold? Is the WPS thriving?

What will happen at the Futsal World Cup competition?

Who will make history at the next World Cup competition?

Rules for Good Discussion• Pay attention to the person who is talking

and do not interrupt him or her.

• Think about what others are saying so you can respond and add to their ideas.

• Allow and encourage everyone in the group to speak.

• Be respectful of everyone’s ideas.

Reinforce SkillsIf time permits, choose from the following activities to reinforce vocabulary and fluency.

Reinforce Vocabulary: Happy Birthday, Word!• Write the words from the glossary in a column on the

board. Have students use BLM 2 to record the origin for each word on index cards. Mix the cards and place them face down on a table.

Day 5 (cont.)


10Four InFormatIonal texts ©2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Write an Informational Text• Use the suggested daily schedule to guide

students through the writingprocess steps. Allow approximately 45 to 60 minutes per day. As students work independently, circulate around the room and monitor student progress. Confer with individual students to discuss their ideas and help them move forward. Use the explicit minilessons, conferencing strategies, and assessment rubrics in Using Genre Models to Teach Writing for additional support.

• Before students begin planning their texts, pass out copies of BLM 5 (Informational Text Checklist). Review the characteristics and conventions of writing that will be assessed. Tell students that they will use this checklist when they complete their drafts.

• This daily plan incorporates the generally accepted six traits of writing as they pertain to informational texts.

Days 6–7: Plan • Ask students to use BLM 6 (Informational Text

Planning Guide) to brainstorm the topic, record facts and evidence from research, and organize information for their informational texts.

• Encourage students to refer to the “Features of Informational Text” web on page 3 and to the steps in “The Writer’s Craft” on pages 22–23 of the book.

• Confer with students, focusing on their ideas. Did students begin their texts with a strong lead? Did they include varying perspectives on the topic and support conclusions with facts and evidence?

Days 8–9: Draft • Tell students that they will be using their completed

Planning Guides to begin drafting their articles. • Say: Remember that when writers draft their ideas,

they focus on getting their ideas on paper. They can cross things out. They can make mistakes in spelling. What’s important is to focus on organizing your information logically and developing main points with supporting details. You will have an opportunity to make corrections and improvements later.

• Confer with students as they complete their drafts. Use the checklist to draw students’ attention to characteristics of the genre they may have overlooked. Focus on organization and writer’s voice. Did students capture readers’ interest and identify the topic at the beginning of the text? Did they set up each main idea and develop it with supporting details? Does the text have a strong voice? Will the voice keep readers interested?

• Pair students for peer conferencing.

Days 10–11: Edit and Revise • Based on your observations of students’ writing,

select appropriate minilessons from Using Genre Models to Teach Writing.

• Remind students to use the Informational Text Checklist as they edit and revise their articles independently.

• Confer with students focusing on sentence fluency, word choice, and conventions. Did students include both long and short sentences? Do the sentences read smoothly? Have students used interesting words and phrases? Did they use a strong lead? Did they use appropriate spelling, punctuation, and grammar?

• You may want students to continue their editing and revision at home.

Days 12–13: Create Final Draft and Illustrations • Ask students to rewrite or type a final draft of their

informational texts.• Invite students to illustrate their final drafts with

one or more drawings or other graphics that depict specific people, objects, or ideas explained in their informational texts.

• Confer with students about their publishing plans and deadlines.

Days 14–15: Publish and Share• Explain: Authors work long and hard to develop

their works. You have worked very hard. And one of the great joys of writing is when you can share it with others. Authors do this in many ways. They publish their books so that people can buy them. They make their work available on the Internet. They hold readings. We can share our writing, too.

• Use one or more of the ideas below for sharing students’ work: Make a class display of students’ completed informational texts. Hold a class reading in which students can read their articles to one another and/or to parents. Create a binder of all the articles and loan it to the library so that other students can read them.

Create a binder of all the articles for your classroom library.

Days 6–15

Name Date


Title:

Features of the Genre Checklist Yes No1. My informational text has a strong lead. 2. The information in my text is accurate. 3. I fact-checked my information. 4. I included graphics to support my information. 5. My informational text includes multiple perspectives so

that I do not sway my readers to think one way. 6. My informational text is logically sequenced. 7. I used subheadings to separate sections in my

informational text. 8. My informational text has a strong ending that keeps

readers thinking. 9. My voice shows through my writing.

Quality Writing Checklist Yes No I looked for and corrected . . .

• run-on sentences • sentence fragments • subject/verb agreement • correct verb tense • punctuation • capitalization • spelling • indented paragraphs

Informational Text Checklist

Name Date


Informational Text Planning GuideDirections: Use the steps below to plan your own informational text.

1. Decide on a topic. ___________________________________________

2. Narrow your focus. ____________________________________________

3. Write a question about your focus. ___________________________ ________________________________________________________________

4. Research your focus. Books Newspaper Articles Internet Experts Other Sources

5. Organize your information.

Main Point Details

Introduction

1st Point:

2nd Point:

3rd Point:

Conclusion

6. Write your informational text.


Name Date


A Strong LeadDirections: Read the lead. Then answer the questions.

“Soccer could reinforce the ideals of a permanent and real peace,” declared Jules Rimet, the 1926 president of the World Football Federation. Plans for a world soccer tournament were underway. Both professional and amateur players would be allowed to play. On July 13, 1930, the first game of the first World Cup kicked off. If Rimet’s dream were to come true, it would be the beginning of a regime of international peace.

1. Is this lead direct, indirect, or both? Explain. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

2. Does this lead make you want to read on? Explain why or why not. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

3. What would you expect to learn if you read the rest of this article? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

Directions: Think of a topic that interests you and that you know something about. Write a strong lead for an informational text about this topic.


Name Date


Evaluate Fact and OpinionDirections: Use the chart below to evaluate facts and opinions in the informational texts.


Before You Play





Name Date


Focus on Word OriginsDirections: Use a dictionary to find the origins, meanings, and definitions of the words from the texts.



6 uniforms

8 ejected

9 professional

11 captured

12 spectators

12 victory

12 marquee



14 opponent

15 furious

15 generation

17 colleges

18 organization

18 competition

20 phenomenal


Name Date


Make Connections Across TextsDirections: Fill in the chart. Use it to compare and contrast the four informational texts.

Article Before You Play




Topic Playing soccer today; rules

Women’s soccer in the U.S.

How soccer is different from Futsal; describing Futsal

History of soccer

Lead (Direct or Indirect?)

History included?

People included?

Rules included?

Ending (What do you think about as you finish the text?)


Name Date


Title:

Features of the Genre Checklist Yes No1. My informational text has a strong lead. 2. The information in my text is accurate. 3. I fact-checked my information. 4. I included graphics to support my information. 5. My informational text includes multiple perspectives so

that I do not sway my readers to think one way. 6. My informational text is logically sequenced. 7. I used subheadings to separate sections in my

informational text. 8. My informational text has a strong ending that keeps

readers thinking. 9. My voice shows through my writing.

Quality Writing Checklist Yes No I looked for and corrected . . .

• run-on sentences • sentence fragments • subject/verb agreement • correct verb tense • punctuation • capitalization • spelling • indented paragraphs

Informational Text Checklist


Name Date


Informational Text Planning GuideDirections: Use the steps below to plan your own informational text.

1. Decide on a topic. ___________________________________________

2. Narrow your focus. ____________________________________________

3. Write a question about your focus. ___________________________ ________________________________________________________________

4. Research your focus. Books Newspaper Articles Internet Experts Other Sources

5. Organize your information.

Main Point Details

Introduction

1st Point:

2nd Point:

3rd Point:

Conclusion

6. Write your informational text.


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