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A Lesson on Staying in Phoenix Export Lesson as PDF | Save As Favorite

A Lesson on Staying in Phoenix Grade: Grade 4
Subject: English Language Arts
Created by: Autumn White
Lesson Length: 2 hours 30 minutes
Keywords/Tags: Reading, writing, vocabulary, discussion
Lesson Description: The goal of this lesson is intended to develop students reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. The lesson engages learners in determining meanings of specific vocabulary from reading the given passage. Their comprehension of keywords will be tested with the quiz provided. In addition, this lesson has students participate discussions and a written activity regarding the content of the passage.
Common Core Standards Covered with This Lesson
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1b: Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2b: Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2d: Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2e: Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1g: Correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their).
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4a: Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
 
     
     
 
Lesson Content: Reading
Instructions: Please read the following reading passage as many times as needed (aloud and silent) before starting to go through other lesson pages. Understanding the content of this passage is very important since the lesson activities will be all about this content. Feel free to print the passage if needed.

Staying in Phoenix

Long ago, Native Americans lived in the state of Arizona. They lived in a place that is called Phoenix today. They were farmers. Their environment was very dry. It was a desert. A desert is an environment that gets less than ten inches of rain during a year. They dug great canals. They were ten feet deep and 30 feet wide. Canals are like man-made rivers--they are paths water flows in. The canals brought water from a river to the land. They used it to farm. That was long ago, and many years later the Native Americans left. 

Then in 1867, more than 100 years ago, more people came. They were settlers who moved to the area. They saw where the canals had been. Dirt had fallen into them, but they dug them again. Just as before, they got 
water to their land from the river. They named their new town Phoenix. 

For a while people were glad to settle in Phoenix, but then there was a drought. In summer the river dried up. Then they had no water, crops died, and it was difficult to get food. Some people gave up and moved away since they knew they might not have water all the time. 

People who stayed figured out a way to solve their problem. They built a dam. A dam is a wall that goes across a river. Some of the water can flow through it, but more water stays behind it. That water makes a kind of 
lake, which is called a reservoir. The people of Phoenix had water they could count on. They would open the dam when they needed more water for their crops. 

Today if you go to Phoenix you will see farms. You can buy fresh fruit and vegetables that grow there. You can see them growing all year. That is because it is always warm in Phoenix. In summer it is very hot because it is a desert. 
Today there are many more people living in Phoenix even though it is so hot and dry. They have the water they need and they also solved another problem. It was so hot in summer that people did not want to live here, 
but then someone invented a solution. He invented the air conditioner. Now that there is air conditioning, people can live in this very hot climate. They have come to stay in Phoenix. 

 
     
     
 
Task 1: Vocabulary Activity (20 points)
Instructions: Please complete the following vocabulary activity by choosing the correct meaning of each word selected from the passage and use of each word correctly in a sentence.

Vocabulary Questions

Word/Phrase: Climate | Tier: 2 | Points: 5
Q1 The author in our story says, “Now that there is air conditioning, people can live in this very hot climate..." What does the word "Climate" mean in the sentence?
A. Temperture
B. Desert
C. Canal
D. Weather *

Which one of the sentences below uses the word "climate" correctly?
A. I could move to a climate because I like hot places.
B. It is a difficult job to dig the hot climate.
C. The climate here is warm and sunny. *
D. The climate of the river is really high in June.

Word/Phrase: Desert | Tier: 3 | Points: 5
Q2 The author states in the passage "A desert is an environment that gets less than ten inches of rain during a year." What does the word "desert" mean?
A. A very dry place that doesn’t get much rain. *
B. A very wet place that rains a lot.
C. A very cold place that rains a lot.
D. A very wet place that doesn't get much rain.

Use the word "desert" correctly in a sentence.
A. Would you like to try some of my desert?
B. It's too hot for me to live in the desert. *
C. You can get another desert by the canal.
D. I forgot my desert at the river.

Word/Phrase: Invented | Tier: 2 | Points: 5
Q3 The author in the passage says, "It was so hot in summer that people did not want to live here, but then someone invented a solution." What does the word "invented" mean in this sentence?
A. found
B. broke
C. created *
D. fixed

Which one of the sentences below uses the word "invented" correctly?
A. The girl liked to be invented to places.
B. The boy invented a robot to help with chores. *
C. The girl lost her phone but she invented it under her bed.
D. The boys toy was invented because a big truck ran it over.

Word/Phrase: Reservoir | Tier: 3 | Points: 5
Q4 The author states in the passage, "That water makes a kind of lake, which is called a reservoir." What does the word "reservoir" mean?
A. A dam that leaves more water behind than water that flows through and forms a lake. *
B. A dam where more water flows through than water it leaves behind and forms a lake.
C. A dam that forms a lake from the water that flows through it.
D. A dam that left behind water so none can flow through.

Use the word "reservoir" correctly in a sentence.
A. People from Phoenix live in a reservoir.
B. I went to the reservoir to get some water for my plants. *
C. The reservoir makes water for the desert.
D. Reservoirs are made from canals.

Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4a,
 
     
     
 
Task 2: Discussion Activity (35 points)
Instructions: This discussion forum will have questions for students to respond. Read the posted questions, and respond to each. Students are responsible for posting one initial and and two peer responses for each topic.

  Topic Title Replies

Message What are some problems people lived with in the Phoenix over 100 years ago?
What are some problems people lived with in the Phoenix over 100 years ago? How did their problems affect the way they live? Give examples and support your answer.
Sent on: Feb 18, 2015 by: Autumn White
0

Message What caused the people to build a dam?
What caused the people to build a dam? How did the dam help or make things worse? Use examples and vocabulary from the passage.
Sent on: Feb 18, 2015 by: Autumn White
0

Message Why does the author say "Today there are many more people living in Phoenix..."?
Why does the author say "Today there are many more people living in Phoenix..."? Why do more people live in Phoenix now than over 100 years ago?
Sent on: Feb 19, 2015 by: Autumn White
0

Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1b, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2b,
 
     
     
 
Task 3: Writing Activity (45 points)
Instructions: You are to write and post here 500 words essay comparing and contrasting the way people lived in Phoenix before they came up with solutions to their problems. Make sure to provide specific examples and vocabulary from the passage. 
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2d, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2e, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1g,
 
     

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