Welcome to Unit 6 of Benchmark Advance! In this blog post, you will find an anchor chart, read-aloud titles, and extension ideas for this unit centered around cultures, tales, and identifying and learning lessons.
First, let’s dive into the unit themes and concepts across all the grade levels and see how this unit builds each year.
Essential Questions
In this unit, each grade level has an essential question that builds an understanding of the overall themes of culture, tales, and lessons. The essential questions for Unit 6 across all grade levels, taken directly from the Teacher’s Resource System (TRS), are as follows:
Kindergarten: How do we know what is right?
1st Grade: What can we learn from a mistake?
2nd Grade: What can different cultures teach us?
3rd Grade: What helps us solve problems?
4th Grade: How do we overcome obstacles?
5th Grade: What compels us to survive?
6th Grade: What inspires a quest?
Anchor Charts
You should know by now I love anchor charts! Anchor charts are great tools for unit introduction and can be used for reference and modeling throughout a unit! I created an anchor chart for this unit centered around culture, tales, and lessons that align well with the second-grade unit! I would use this chart to build background knowledge before digging into our unit and then use it to help make connections and reinforce concepts throughout the unit! If you would like anchor chart ideas for your grade level, look at Planned For Me. This resource features ready-made anchor chart plans that can be duplicated and used in your classroom!
Read Alouds
Read alouds can be a powerful tool for helping with learning and development. They can help to build literacy skills and encourage a love of reading. When students hear their teacher read with enthusiasm, expression, and enjoyment, they are more likely to develop an appreciation for literature. This is also helpful in reinforcing concepts in the units and allowing students to make connections across multiple texts. Here are some books I have found that would be great additions to unit 6:
- The Struggle Bus by Julie Koon
- David Goes to School by David Shannon
- The Bad Seed by Jory John
- Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
- The Wild Robot and The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown
- What Should Danny Do? by Air Levy
- What if Everybody Did That? by Ellen Javernick
- My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook
- The Mine-O-Saur by Sudipta Bardhan – Quallen
- Norse Mythology for Kids: Tales of Gods, Creatures, and Quests by Mathias Nordvig
Extension Ideas
Finding ways to extend lessons allows more time to review and reinforce important concepts and skills, which can be crucial for deeper learning and understanding. Here are a few ideas to extend learning in unit 6:
- Kindergarten: A Wrinkled Heart: This activity provides students with a powerful visual that shows the effects hurtful words or behaviors have on somebody and is a simple and great reminder to be kind to others. After cutting out a paper heart, students will share examples of times when somebody has said something hurtful to them, folding the heart each time. They will then shift their focus to sharing positive experiences unfolding the heart each time others have made them feel good is shared.
- First Grade: Pick one of the characters from a story within this unit. Fold a piece of blank copy paper into thirds. In the first section, draw/write the original beginning of the story. In the 2nd section, draw/write the middle of the story, but change the character’s choice to a good one. Then in section 3, draw/write the new ending to the story -see how that choice affected the ending.
- Second Grade: Host “Culture Around the World” Day. Have students make a poster of languages your classroom speaks, including a Country Flag, how to say “hello,” and a “paper doll” showcasing traditional dress.
In the upper grades, the focus shifts to overcoming challenges.
- Third Grade: Have students think about a place in school where many other students struggle to be kind and get along. Have them design a poster to be displayed in that area to encourage others to be thoughtful and nice to others. Research and include an inspiring quote to put on paper and include illustrations so younger students can understand them as well.
- Fourth Grade: Have students write their own folktale, legend, or myth where the main character must overcome a challenge.
- Fifth Grade: Survival Simulation: Have students work in pairs or groups to sort a list of 12 survival supplies (or students can generate their own lists) in order of importance. All students in the group must agree on the order.
- Sixth Grade: Have students write their own quest using students in the class as characters.
If you like these ideas, you can find even more extension ideas in Planned For Me!
Unit 6 YouTube Video
Prefer to watch or listen? You can also watch our YouTube video that features all of these tips here:
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