Dr. Michael Kester-Haynes

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 14 (Grade 2 ELA): Poetry Sound & Meaning

Second graders explore rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration to understand how poets create sound and meaning. They read poems with phrasing, use context to clarify words, and perform expressive readings supported by simple visuals.

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 13 (Grade 2 ELA): Informational Structures – Sequence & How-To

Second graders explore how ideas connect by sequencing steps in procedures and explaining how visuals clarify meaning. They create a shared how-to project using clear order words, cause–effect links, and helpful diagrams.

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 12 (Grade 2 ELA): Organizing & Concluding Opinions

Second graders strengthen opinion writing by using linking words like because and also to connect their ideas. They organize opinions with clear reasons and write closings that logically follow, creating complete, polished paragraphs.

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 11 (Grade 2 ELA): Reasons that Support Points

Second graders learn to identify an author’s point and supporting reasons in informational texts, ask clarifying questions, and use text-based evidence to explain or write opinions that connect ideas with “because.”

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 10 (Grade 2 ELA): Launching Opinion Writing

Second graders learn to express opinions clearly with strong reasons and closings. They use linking words like because, and, and also to connect ideas, writing complete, persuasive sentences with confidence.

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 9 (Grade 2 ELA): Phonics & Fluency Boost – Long Vowels & Vowel Teams

Second graders strengthen decoding and fluency by mastering long-vowel teams (ai/ay, ee/ea, oa/ow, oo), reading two-syllable words smoothly, and using prosody and context clues to confirm meaning with confidence.

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 8 (Grade 2 ELA): Informative Writing – All-About Paragraphs

Second graders learn to write clear informational paragraphs with strong topic sentences, accurate facts or definitions, and matching closures—building organized, polished all-about writing through guided revision and editing.

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 7 (Grade 2 ELA): Main Topic and Key Details

Second graders learn to identify the main topic of informational texts and the focus of each paragraph. They ask and answer key questions, select supporting details, and give clear oral retells to show full comprehension.

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 6 (Grade 2 ELA): Introducing Nonfiction Text Features

Second graders explore nonfiction text features—headings, captions, glossaries, and indexes—to locate key facts quickly and explain how images and diagrams add information, building confident, independent informational readers.

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 5 (Grade 2 ELA): Strong Beginnings & Endings in Narratives

Second graders learn to craft stronger stories by writing clear beginnings, smooth transitions, and endings that follow from events. They revise for order and verb accuracy—turning simple drafts into well-structured, polished narratives.

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 4 (Grade 2 ELA): Building a Small-Moment Narrative

Second graders write vivid small-moment stories with clear beginnings, middles, and ends—using temporal words and sensory details to bring experiences to life while revising and editing for clarity and conventions.

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 3 (Grade 2 ELA): Characters and Settings in Stories

Second graders learn to describe characters, settings, and events using both pictures and words. Build vocabulary with vivid adjectives and adverbs while connecting visual and textual clues to understand stories deeply.

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 2 (Grade 2 ELA): Asking & Answering Questions About Stories

Second graders become story detectives—asking who, what, where, when, why, and how to uncover meaning! Practice retelling stories with clear beginnings, middles, and ends while building comprehension and fluency.

Paid-members only

Grade 2 ELA Units

Unit Plan 1 (Grade 2 ELA): Launching Our Reading–Writing Community

Kick off second grade with joyful reading and writing routines! Build stamina, practice partner talk, and establish writer’s workshop habits while improving fluency, sentence skills, and revision confidence.

Paid-members only

Grade 5 ELA Units

Unit Plan 36 (Grade 5 ELA): Publishing Celebration & Reflection

Celebrate fifth-grade writing achievements with a polished digital portfolio and author talk. Students refine language for effect, showcase growth, and present formal reflections with clarity and confidence.

Paid-members only

Grade 5 ELA Units

Unit Plan 35 (Grade 5 ELA): Author Study – Style and Craft

Fifth-grade literature study: analyze how one author’s tone and style evolve across works, compare shared themes, and craft your own imitation paragraph that mirrors the author’s signature voice.

Paid-members only

Grade 5 ELA Units

Unit Plan 34 (Grade 5 ELA): Revising & Editing for Clarity

Fifth-grade writers polish their grammar, punctuation, and spelling through focused revision and editing. Strengthen sentence clarity, tense consistency, and mechanics to create flawless final drafts.

Paid-members only

Grade 5 ELA Units

Unit Plan 33 (Grade 5 ELA): Summarizing & Synthesizing Information

Fifth-grade students master how to summarize key ideas, connect multiple texts, and write concise, evidence-based responses. Build synthesis and analytical writing skills in one engaging week.

Paid-members only

Grade 5 ELA Units

Unit Plan 32 (Grade 5 ELA): Writing Informational Reports with Visuals

Grade 5 informational writing unit: guide students to craft multi-paragraph reports with organized sections, precise vocabulary, clear transitions, and teaching visuals with captions that explain and enhance understanding.

Paid-members only

Grade 5 ELA Units

Unit Plan 31 (Grade 5 ELA): Extended Research Project

Grade 5 research and technology unit: guide students through planning inquiry questions, gathering reliable sources, paraphrasing accurately, and using digital tools to organize, cite, and present their findings effectively.

Paid-members only

Grade 5 ELA Units

Unit Plan 30 (Grade 5 ELA): Reading History/Science Texts with Visuals

Grade 5 informational reading and listening unit: interpret charts, diagrams, and maps, connect visuals to text meaning, and master domain vocabulary through context clues, word parts, and media summaries.

Paid-members only

Grade 5 ELA Units

Unit Plan 29 (Grade 5 ELA): Procedural/How-To Writing

Grade 5 informative writing unit: craft clear, step-by-step procedural texts with precise verbs, transitions, relative clauses, and correct grammar to guide readers through logical, well-edited instructions.

Paid-members only

Grade 5 ELA Units

Unit Plan 28 (Grade 5 ELA): Cause & Effect and Explaining Connections

Grade 5 informational reading and listening unit: analyze cause-and-effect relationships, evaluate how authors use reasons and evidence to support points, and summarize speakers’ claims with linked supporting proof.

Paid-members only

Grade 5 ELA Units

Unit Plan 27 (Grade 5 ELA): Synthesizing Across Sources

Grade 5 informational reading and writing unit: synthesize ideas from multiple texts and media, cite evidence accurately, and write concise, evidence-based responses that connect information into one clear understanding.

Paid-members only

Grade 5 ELA Units

Unit Plan 26 (Grade 5 ELA): Multiple Accounts & Point of View in Informational Text

Grade 5 informational reading and writing unit: compare multiple accounts of the same event, analyze differences in perspective and focus, and write evidence-based comparisons with clear textual support.