5th Grade Literature Unit 3: Return to Sender Lesson 4
Standard Target Task Content Objective Text Explain how the letter helps RL5.1 Writing Target Task a reader better understand RL5.3 Mari uses letter writing as a tool to Mari and her relationship process her emotions and Return to with her family by experiences. How does the letter Sender, paraphrasing a text help a reader better understand accurately when explaining 17-22 Mari and her relationship with her what the text says explicitly family? and when drawing inferences from the text. EXEMPLAR STUDENT RESPONSE Claim ● Mari feels like she cannot express her thoughts and emotions to the people around her, so the letters provide a voice for her. Her writing also gives the reader insight into what Mari is thinking and reveals that she feels responsible for keeping her family together while they wait to be reunited with their mother. Evidence (Evidence should be paraphrased) ● As for me, Mamá, it is the place where I have been waiting. Waiting for you to return. (18) ● Papá worries most about what would happen to my sisters and me if he was taken away, especially with you not around to at least be one parent in the family. (18) ● Don’t worry, Mamá, I have taken good care of my little sisters when he is done. (19) ● Even at home, I feel so alone sometimes. (21) ● I cannot speak to my little sisters, as I don’t want to worry them any more than they are. ● Papá says I am to be the mother to my little sisters. “But who will be my mother?”…I’m not going to make him more sad by asking him that again. (21) ● That is why I am writing, Mamá…because I have nowhere else to put the things that are in my heart. (22) ● “El papel lo aguanta todo.” Paper can hold anything. (22) ● And I write you for the same reason, so you will know me through these words. (22) Writing Focus ● Brainstorm: Organized with text evidence ● Claim: Correct answer with clear position Criteria for Success for Target Task ● Scholars must infer that Mari feels isolated and that she has no one to talk to ● Scholars must infer that writing makes her voice clear to the reader ● KEY CRAFT MOVE: Point of view and perspective. Author uses it to distinguish which character is “telling the story” and give insight into Mari’s feelings Except as otherwise noted, © 2015-2017 Match Education, and licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.
KEY VOCABULARY AND DEFINITIONS Word Part of Speech Definition Console Verb
Word in Context
To comfort someone at a time of grief Emmanuel had to console or disappointment Caden after they lost the championship game.
BEFORE READING Stop and Jot: Describe Tyler’s reaction to almost losing the farm. Why did he react this way? ● Tyler was stressed and distraught from learning that his family might lose the farm because the farm is very important to his family’s history. Annotation mini-lesson: Author’s Perspective Great readers pay attention to the perspective, or point of view, of characters because it gives insight into who they are as people and why they do what they do. Notes ● Before reading this chapter explain to scholars how the “Queridisima Mama” signifies that the letter was originally written in Spanish. ● Review/teach the term “illegal alien.” The way that kids at school and the teacher respond to Mari highlights a misconception about what it means to be an “illegal alien.” It is important that scholars begin to build a factual understanding of what the term means. ● Continue the focus on paraphrasing details from the text when answering a question. DURING READING (PAGES 17-22) Pg # Key moment Annotation Question/scaffold 17 At first, none of us Mari=worried that mom would not be able to find Both Papa and them if they leave, wants to be reunited with Mari are filled with wanted to move mother, wants old life back worries. Compare because we feared and contrast their that you would come Papa=worries that girls will have no parents if he worries. back and not find us is taken by immigration where you left us. 21 Even at home, I feel Mari has no one to talk to or express herself with, Mari says that she “feels so alone so alone sometimes. has to carry burden alone, big and stressful responsibility sometimes.” What causes her to feel alone? 21 Papá says I am to be As the oldest Mari has a responsibility to take care Analyze Mari’s of her little sisters since her mother is gone. She relationship with the mother to my her sisters. Why is little sisters. “But who shows pride in taking care of them because she knows it is what her mother wants. their relationship will be my mother?” the way that it is? 22 And I write you for Mari is writing letters to her mother so her mom Why is Mari writing can get to know her when they are reunited. The letters to her the same reason, so letters will give her mom a glimpse into who Mari mother? you will know me
5th Grade Literature Unit 3: Return to Sender Lesson 4
through these words is. AFTER READING Discussion Writing About Reading Focus: What point of view are Mari’s letters written in? What point of view are Tyler’s Materials sections written in? Why would the author make this decision? ● Mari struggles to express her emotions with the people closest to her because she does not want to burden them. The letters are written from her point of view and this is the best way the author could show Mari’s innermost thoughts. Tyler’s sections are written from the point of view of a thirdnarrator. This juxtaposition gives us clear insight into Mari’s thoughts and makes it clear when she is the one telling the story. ● Here, focus on highlighting the evidence from the exemplar response section ● Push habits of discussion CLOSING What is something that great readers and writers do?
Except as otherwise noted, © 2015-2017 Match Education, and licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.
Name: _________________________________ Stop and Jot: Describe Tyler’s reaction to almost losing the farm. Why did he react this way? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Target Task: Mari uses letter writing as a tool to process her emotions and experiences. How does the letter help a reader better understand Mari and her relationship with her family? Brainstorm ● Is it organized correctly to address the prompt? ● Does it include details that prove my position? Claim:
