Sequence and Character Action

Figure 1 BookFlix

Unit Overview

This unit focuses on Sequence, Character Actions, Simple, Compound, Complex Sentences, and Narrative Writing. You will be able to accomplish the following objectives by the end of this unit:

1. I can use spelling patterns and rules to help me spell new words. L.3.2.F

2. I can ask and answer questions to show that I understand the stories that I am reading. RL.3.1

3. I can find the answers to specific questions within the stories that I read. RL.3.1

4. I can describe characters in stories and explain how their actions affect the story. RL.3.3

5. I can describe how new parts of fiction build on the parts that have already happened. RL.3.5

6. I can edit my writing with the help of peers and adults. W.3.5

7. I can write for short time frames or over a more extended period, depending on my purpose, audience, and topic. W.3.10

8. I can say and write simple, compound, and complex sentences. L.3.1.I

Spelling List

under	use	few
such	your	new
much	you	fuel
young	unit	human
touch	cute	music

Let's Practice

Click on Spelling Training to practice your spelling words. Add each of your spelling words to the list. Then, complete one of the activities below the list.

Vocabulary List

brave	To not be afraid; to have courage
moon	A rocky sphere that orbits Earth
owl	A kind of bird of prey that hunts at night
quiet	The absence of sound
shadow	An image that is made from light
statues	Forms that are like models of the real thing
train	A kind of transportation that has cars that run on tracks
whistle	A kind of high-pitched sound

Above is your list of vocabulary words with their definitions.

Be sure to study and practice these words daily before you begin your reading lessons.Above is your list of vocabulary words with their definitions.

Let's Practice

Below is a Quizlet activity on your vocabulary words for the unit. You should practice the Flashcard and Learn activities each day during the week of this unit.

Sequence

The sequence is the order of events in a story. The sequence of events includes what happens at the beginning of the story, in the middle, and at the end. If the events happened in a different order, the story would be different. Words such as first, next, then, after, last, and finally are clue words that will help you understand the events' sequence. Look for those words as you read. When you retell a story, be sure to tell what happened in the correct order.

Below is a list of signal words:

first	second	next
last	another	finally
after that	before	then

Let's Practice

IXL Skill Check – Go to the Unit Resource tab on the left and click Put the sentences in order to complete the skill.

Character Actions

When you think about a character's actions, you think about how the character behaves. You use what you know about how people behave in different situations to understand why or how a characters in a story act the way they do. Character motivations are the reasons characters do something. Motivations can be love, anger, or ambition (a goal or desire). A character's actions affect the sequence of events in a story.

For example, if a character is late to school, this may affect what happens at school.

As you read, think about how a character's actions affect the events in the story.

Let's Practice

IXL Skill Check – Go to the Unit Resource tab on the left and click Use actions and dialogue to understand characters to complete the skill.

Reading Log & Journal

Writing journals can be compelling to you as a student. It helps you respond to your Read-Aloud and Oral Readings to gain further understanding. You must write at least one journal per unit in this course based on one of your readings. Click on the Unit Resource icon to the left of your screen to download the Reading Log & Journal template. Also, you have an option to create your journal book for this course.

Reading

The above two stories will be used for your Read Aloud and Oral Reading activities.

Read-Aloud

Your read-aloud is a realistic fiction story called "Owl Moon." Realistic fiction is a genre consisting of stories that could have occurred to people or animals in a believable setting. These stories resemble real life, and fictional characters within these stories react similarly to real people.

Owl Moon is the story of a girl and her father who go in search of an owl. To find an owl, they wait until dark. Then the girl and her father begin a silent adventure. They get all bundled up, head out into the snow, walk through the woods, and wait. They have to be very quiet if they are going to find an owl. Sometimes owls come, and sometimes they don't. When you go owling, all you can do is head outside and hope that it will be your lucky night.

Make sure to listen and look for the vocabulary words as you listen and read the stories below.

Remember learning about the plot in unit 4? See if you can figure out the plot (turning point or climax in this story.)

Our focus skills in this unit are sequencing and character structure. Pay special attention to the little girl in the story. You will also be asked to put events from this story in the order in this unit's questions section.

Click the image below to begin your read-aloud activity.

Were you able to identify the vocabulary words from the story?

Let's Practice

Oral Reading

Your oral reading is a nonfiction text called "Owls." This text introduces readers to the behaviors of nocturnal owls and other animals with exceptional eyesight. You will be reading (or listening to) a nonfiction book about owls. A nonfiction book contains facts about a subject.

Click the image below to begin your oral reading activity.

Owls are nocturnal and have excellent eyesight. Do you know of any other nocturnal animals that are busy hunting, playing, and building their homes when people are fast asleep?

Let's Practice

Simple, Compound, and Complex Sentences

Every sentence has two parts: a subject and a predicate.

· The subject tells who or what the sentence is about. It contains a noun or pronoun.

· The predicate tells something about the subject in the sentence. It contains a verb.

A simple sentence is a single, independent clause, and it expresses ONE single complete thought.

· Tip: a simple sentence is also called an independent clause

A compound sentence contains TWO or more independent clauses, which we can also call a simple sentence.

· the two independent clauses are joined by a comma (,)

· Tip: look for these conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet

A complex sentence combines TWO or more related ideas into a single sentence.

· A complex sentence has at least one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

· Tip: look for these subordinating conjunctions: after, before, because, although, when, since, if, unless, while

Let's Practice

IXL Skill Check – Go to the Unit Resource tab on the left and click Create compound sentences to complete the skill.

Narrative Writing: Editing

Learning to write is like learning to read. Both follow a sequential process. The Writing Process includes several steps to guide you from writing to creating a finished piece. We will be using the writing process to write a narrative essay. In this unit, we are focusing on editing.

Prewriting à	draw a picture talk it out make a web or diagram
Draft à	get ideas on paper guess and go
Revise à	vary beginning sentences vary the length of sentences use more vivid words avoid overused words
Edit à	correct misspelled words correct capitalization correct punctuation indent paragraphs

Let's Practice

IXL Skill Check – Go to the Unit Resource tab on the left and click Commas: review to complete the skill.

IXL Skill Check – Go to the Unit Resource tab on the left and click Capitalization: review to complete the skill.

Cursive Handwriting

Do you see the two arches in the picture? If you squint your eyes just a bit and use your imagination, can you see the downcurve, the overcurve, and the undercurve in the arches? With your finger, trace the curves in the picture.

Quite likely, you remember that there are four basic strokes in cursive writing. The overcurve is just one of them.

Now, we are going to take a look at all of the strokes.

Now, let's try to identify the four strokes as we see them in letters. Click on the Unit Resource icon to the left of your screen to practice the Four Strokes.