Unit Plan 3 (Grade 5 ELA): Characters, Settings, and Plot
Grade 5 ELA unit: describe and compare characters, settings, and events while analyzing word choice, figurative language, and tone through evidence-based writing.
Focus: Describing characters, settings, events; word choice and tone
Grade Level: 5
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Reading Literature, Language)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
This week zooms in on how stories work. Students will track characters, settings, and key events, then analyze how an author’s word choice and figurative language shape tone and meaning. They’ll also practice sentence-level revisions to convey tone and precision in their own responses. By Friday, each learner can compare or contrast story elements with text evidence, explain how specific words/phrases affect tone, and revise sentences to be clearer and more purposeful.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Describe and compare two or more characters, settings, or events using concrete textual details (RL.5.3).
- Determine the meaning and effect of words/phrases (including similes/metaphors) and explain how they build tone (RL.5.4).
- Use knowledge of language to revise for precision and tone (expand/combine sentences; choose words that fit audience/purpose) (L.5.3).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 5
- RL.5.3, RL.5.4, L.5.3
Success Criteria — student language
- I can point to lines that show how a character changes or how setting drives events.
- I can explain what a phrase means and how it affects the tone (e.g., tense, hopeful).
- I can revise a sentence to be clearer and to match the tone I want.