Grade: Grade 4 Subject: English Language Arts Created by: Kady Schlemmer Lesson Length: 1 hour Keywords/Tags: Reading, writing, astronaut, space Lesson Description: In this lesson, students will read and answer questions relevant to the story, “The Astronaut’s Diary”. The goal of the lesson is to provide students practice with previously modeled close reading of text and to increase critical thinking by questioning and comprehending the author’s point of view. Students are asked to answer vocabulary and text dependent questions, make inferences, and analyze the author’s purpose.
Common Core Standards Covered with This Lesson
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.2: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4.4: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
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.
The Astronaut's Diary
We were exhausted from all the work. We slept in shifts. One of us had to be awake all the time. There was so much work to do.
Finally, we got to our destination. We had reached the space station. There, we would do more work, but we would have less pressure. We had so much to do every day on our ship. Now there would be more people to help us. We would be on a collaborative team. We would be able to share the work.
When we moved into the space station, I felt great. There was so much more space. We would have real beds to sleep in. We would have better food. They had a garden on the space station. They grew vegetables.
The six astronauts on the space station were happy to see us. They said, “We have been waiting for you.” We were glad to see them, too. We had been worried. We heard that one of them had been sick.
We asked how she was feeling. She said she was better now. It had been a cold. We were relieved. We could stop worrying now.
That first night on the space station wa s great. We had good food. We had a good dinner. Then we were going to sleep. But one of the astronauts said, “We need to give you a job. Each person has to take turns staying awake. Here is the schedule.” So I had a shift again.
I saw I was first. I would have to stay awake tonight. I was disappointed. I felt fatigued. I had been awake and work ing for 20 hours. But I knew it was my duty. So I sighed and said, “See you in the morning.”
I became an astronaut so that I could travel in space. Now I’m here. It is hard work. It’s even more challenging than I expected.
Task 1: Vocabulary Activity
(40 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: Pressure | Tier: 3 | Points: 10
Q1
The author said that once they reached the space station, they “would do more work, but we would have less pressure. We had so much to do every day on our ship. Now there would be more people to help us.” In this passage, what is the correct meaning of “pressure”?
A. The applying of constant force upon a surface
B. An influence or burden on the mind *
C. Time for reading
D. Contact home
Which one of the sentences below uses the word “pressure” properly?
A. He felt pressure to win the game so that his parents would be proud of him. *
B. Sallie and her brother walked the dog around the pressure every day after school.
C. The school of pressure had many graduates.
D. She stopped at the store to pick up a box of pressure.
Word/Phrase: Collaborative | Tier: 3 | Points: 10
Q2
The author said “we would be on a collaborative team. We would be able to share the work.” What does the word “collaborative” mean in this sentence?
A. Solo project
B. Relating to cauliflower
C. Working together to accomplish a common goal *
D. Family time
Which one of the sentences uses the word collaborative properly?
A. Everybody should take time to stop and smell the collaborative.
B. Collaborative is her favorite flavor of ice cream.
C. Ben painted the collaborative with blue and green.
D. The group of students worked on a collaborative project to share information on endangered species of the rain forest. *
Word/Phrase: Space | Tier: 2 | Points: 10
Q3
The author said that “when we moved into the space station, I felt great.” What does the word “space” mean in this sentence?
A. Neighborhood park
B. Area outside the universe containing the stars, galaxies, and solar systems *
C. An empty area or place
D. Cafeteria
Which one of the sentences below uses the word “space” properly?
A. It was very sunny outside, so she put on her space to cover up from the sun.
B. Franny heard a space outside her window last night.
C. It was his favorite hobby to stay up late at night and look into space to see the stars *
D. Her dad drove the space up and down the street.
Word/Phrase: Relieved | Tier: 2 | Points: 10
Q4
The author said that they “were relieved. We could stop worrying now.” What does the word “relieved mean in this sentence?
A. Feeling ease or reduced in pain, suffering, need, or worry *
B. Increasing in size
C. A kind of fish
D. On a routine schedule
Which one of the sentences below uses the word “relieved” properly?
A. There are three types of relieved coconuts.
B. Monkeys and horses are relieved cousins.
C. She wore her brand new relieved when she went to the movies.
D. The mother was relieved to know that her child only had a cold and not a serious illness. *
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4,
Task 2: Discussion Activity
(30 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
Why was the astronaut so tired?
Why was the astronaut so tired? What do you think a day in the life of an astronaut is like?
Sent on: Jun 27, 2016 by: Kady Schlemmer
0
At the space station
The author was really excited to reach the space station. What was he happy about at the space station? Why was it better than being in a shuttle?
Sent on: Jun 27, 2016 by: Kady Schlemmer
0
Main points and main ideas
What do you think the main idea of the text is? Explain the main points of the story and explain how they support the main idea.
Sent on: Jun 27, 2016 by: Kady Schlemmer
0
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1,
Task 3: Writing Activity
(30 points)
Instructions: The final statements of this reading is: “I became an astronaut so that I could travel in space. Now I’m here. It is hard work. It’s even more challenging than I expected.” In what ways do you think the author finds being an astronaut more challenging that he expected? Use clues from the reading to support your answer. Also, what would you find most difficult about being an astronaut? Share three examples.
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1,
