Unit Plan 11 (Grade PreK ELA): Reasons that Support Points
PreK opinion and evidence unit: students learn to use pictures and simple text to give reasons for their ideas, saying “I think/like ___ because ___.” They practice pointing to visual evidence and asking or answering clarifying questions to build comprehension and communication skills.
Focus: Use pictures/text to find a reason; ask/answer to clarify
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Early Opinion with Evidence • Listening/Clarifying • Informational Comprehension)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session (use two short blocks if needed)
I. Introduction
This week children learn to look for evidence in pictures and simple text to support what they say. They practice stating a preference or idea (“I think/like…”) and adding a reason grounded in the picture or words (“…because I see ___ / the words say ___”). Students also learn to ask and answer clarifying questions to make meaning together.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Identify a detail in a picture or short text and use it as a reason (RI.PK.1; W.PK.1).
- State an opinion and connect it to the reason with because (W.PK.1).
- Ask and answer simple questions to clarify what a speaker means (SL.PK.3).
- Point to evidence (picture/word) while sharing the reason (RI.PK.1).
Standards Alignment — PreK
- RI.PK.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about details in a text.
- W.PK.1 Use drawing/dictating/writing to state an opinion or preference and give a reason.
- SL.PK.3 Ask and answer questions to seek help, get information, or clarify something not understood.
Success Criteria — student language
- “I can show my reason in the picture or words.” (RI.PK.1)
- “I can say, I think/like ___ because ___.” (W.PK.1)
- “I can ask ‘What do you mean?’ or ‘Where do you see that?’ and answer with pointing.” (SL.PK.3)