The lesson objectives stated in theses activities are in alignment with Common Core Standards and are formulated from the essential questions of the New Haven Curriculum Binder for grades 3-5. The activities in this unit should be taught during reading and writing of the first and second marking periods according to New Haven's curriculum. However, using details from an image to support responses to open-ended questions is a skill that students continuously work on during the school year. Students should be given the opportunity to respond to critical thinking questions while reading fiction and nonfiction text.
This unit primarily focuses on the Common Core Standards for Reading Literature and Informational Text for grade three students. The Reading for Literature Standards RL.3.1 through RL3.10 are the basis for these activities which can be developed or adapted to the needs of students across grade levels. This unit has a primary focus on RL3.7, which states that students will "explain how specific aspects of text's illustration contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)." This particular standard corresponds with the use of
Billy the Bully
in the second activity of this unit. Standards RI 3.1-RI3.7 with the exception of RI3.5 are standards that are in alignment with the development of lessons and activities based on this unit.
Connecticut Common Core Standards can be found at http://www.sde.ct.gov/. The Common Core is also available as an app for tablet and other smart devices.