ELA / 1st Grade / Unit 5: Inspiring Artists and Musicians
In this inspirational biography unit, students read and learn about a diverse assortment of artists, musicians, and dancers, while focusing on identifying evidence from texts and illustrations.
ELA
Unit 5
1st Grade
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In this biography-based unit, students read and learn about a diverse assortment of artists and musicians. By reading a wide variety of biographies, students will be challenged to think about where people get their inspiration, and how a person’s decisions and actions can change his or her life, especially when facing instances of prejudice and discrimination. Students will also be challenged to think about how a person can be influential and how reading about other people’s lives can help them in their own lives. It is our hope that this unit will open students’ eyes to different life paths and passions, particularly those in the arts.
It is assumed that, by the time students engage with this unit, they are inquisitive consumers of an informational text, asking and answering questions about key details. In this unit, students focus on understanding connections between individuals, events, ideas, and information in a text to better understand a person’s life. While the standards do not name a particular way in which details may be connected, students are learning about cause and effect, chronology, and sequence when thinking about how different events in a person’s life are connected. Students also begin to think about reasons an author gives to support a particular point in a text, noticing details in both the text and the illustrations that support a particular point about the artist or their life.
When discussing the text, students transition from focusing on clarifying and sharing their thoughts during a discussion to engaging with the thinking of others. Students learn how to build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others. Students also learn how to ask questions to clear up confusion about the topics or texts under discussion. Both focuses allow students to get a deeper understanding of the content and their classmates’ ideas.
Students continue to build their writing fluency by writing daily in response to the Target Task question using a variety of simple and complex sentences to show a nuanced understanding of the content. Students also have chances to practice their narrative, informational, and opinion writing and are given the opportunity to craft their own unique poems, inspired by the artwork from the unit. The unit concludes with students participating in a shared research project on Misty Copeland, building on the research and informational writing skills learned in previous units.
Please Note: The text Piano Starts Here: The Young Art Tatum by Robert Andrew Parker used in Lesson 16 is out of print. If you can't access this text, this lesson can be skipped.
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Book: A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2013) — 610L
Book: Action Jackson by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan (Square Fish; 1st edition, 2007) — 750L
Book: Diego Rivera: His World and Ours by Duncan Tonatiuh (Harry N. Abrams; First Edition edition, 2011) — AD1040L
Book: Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos by Monica Brown (NorthSouth Books; Illustrated edition, 2017)
Book: Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan Tonatiuh (Harry N. Abrams; Illustrated edition, 2015) — NL
Book: Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by Andrea Davis Pinkey (Hyperion Book CH; 1 edition, 2006) — AD800L
Book: When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson by Pam Munoz Ryan (Scholastic Press; 1st edition, 2002) — 920L
Book: When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana by Michael Mahin — 610L
Book: When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill (Roaring Brook Press; First Edition edition, 2013) — AD770L
Book: Piano Starts Here: The Young Art Tatum by Robert Andrew Parker (Dragonfly Books; Illustrated edition, 2016) — 750L
Book: Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews (Harry N. Abrams, 2015) — 760L
Book: Rock & Roll Highway: The Robbie Robertson Story by Sebastian Robertson (Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); Illustrated edition, 2014) — NL
Book: Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; First Edition edition, 2016) — 1050L
Book: Misty Copeland (You Should Meet Series) by Laurie Calkhoven (Simon Spotlight; Illustrated edition, 2016)
Book: Firebird by Misty Copeland (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers; First Edition edition, 2014)
Book: Misty Copeland: Ballet Star by Sarah Howden (Collins; Illustrated edition, 2020)
Book: Bunheads by Misty Copeland (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers; Illustrated edition, 2020)
Assessment Text: “Mahalia Jackson: Walking with Kings and Queens” by Nina Nolan and illustrated by John Holyfield (HarperCollins) — HL500LL
Painting: School Studies by Horace Pippin (1944)
Painting: One: Number 31 by Jackson Pollock (1950)
Painting: Tenochtitlán by Diego Rivera (1945)
Painting: Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird by Frida Kahlo (1940)
Painting: Untitled by Jean-Michel Basquiat
Painting: Calaveras by José Guadalupe (Lupe) Posada
Song: “Black, Brown and Beige”
Song: “Yesterdays”
Song: “My Country Tis of Thee”
Song: “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”
Song: “Oye Como Va”
Song: “Let Me Clear My Throat”
Song: “Where Y’At”
Song: “The Weight”
Video: “Misty Copeland: An Unlikely Ballerina’s Story”
K-2 Narrative Brainstorm
Rubric: Grade 1 Writing Rubrics (Narrative, Opinion & Informational)
These assessments accompany this unit and should be given on the suggested assessment day or after completing the unit.
Download Content Assessment
Download Content Assessment Answer Key
Download Cold Read Assessment
Download Cold Read Assessment Answer Key
Suggestions for how to prepare to teach this unit
Unit Launch
Prepare to teach this unit by immersing yourself in the texts, themes, and core standards. Unit Launches include a series of short videos, targeted readings, and opportunities for action planning.
The central thematic questions addressed in the unit or across units
To understand events in a text, readers need to think about how multiple details are connected.
Authors include specific reasons in the text and illustrations to support points in a text.
Write prose that includes details.
Use rhyming words and/or repetition.
Name a topic.
Supply facts about the topic.
State an opinion.
Include two to three reasons to support the opinion.
Provide a sense of closure.
Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text
awe biography compose courageous deny dignity enraged genius humiliations improvise influential inspiration intrigued mural original passionate persistent prejudice radiant remarkable resourceful segregation successful technique
rhyme
To see all the vocabulary for Unit 5, view our 1st Grade Vocabulary Glossary.
In order to ensure that all students are able to access the texts and tasks in this unit, it is incredibly important to intellectually prepare to teach the unit prior to launching the unit. Use the intellectual preparation protocol and the Unit Launch to determine which support students will need. To learn more, visit the Supporting all Students teacher tool.
Fishtank ELA units related to the content in this unit.
Observe and describe paintings by different artists.
SL.1.1 SL.1.4 SL.1.6
Describe two key events from Horace’s childhood or early life.
L.1.1.j RI.1.3 RI.1.6 RI.1.7 SL.1.1
Describe what makes Horace Pippin’s art remarkable.
L.1.1.g L.1.1.j RI.1.3 RI.1.6 RI.1.8 SL.1.1
Explain why Jackson’s work is original.
L.1.1.g L.1.1.j RI.1.3 RI.1.8 SL.1.1
Describe two key facts about Don Lupe’s early life.
L.1.1.j RI.1.2 RI.1.3 SL.1.1
Explain why Don Lupe, or Posada, was influential.
Explain why Diego Rivera’s art is important.
Explain why Frida Kahlo was resourceful.
Explain what Jean-Michel was courageous.
Writing – 2 days
Write an opinion piece stating which artist is your favorite.
L.1.1.g L.1.1.j L.1.2.a L.1.2.b L.1.6 SL.1.1 W.1.1 W.1.5 W.1.7 W.1.8
Narrative – 3 days
Write a poem that describes one of the paintings studied in the unit.
L.1.2 SL.1.1 SL.1.2 W.1.3 W.1.5
Listen to and describe music by different artists.
Explain how the author shows that Duke Ellington was a genius.
L.1.1.j RI.1.3 RI.1.8 SL.1.1
Explain how prejudice and segregation influenced Marian.
Explain why Marian Anderson was courageous.
Describe Art Tatum using vocabulary from the unit.
Analyze why Robbie was persistent.
Explain why Robbie Robertson is an important part of the music world.
Explain what experiences Carlos had with music as a child and how they influenced him.
Analyze why the author titled the book When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana by Michael Mahin.
Explain three of the key elements of Hip Hop and how DJ Kool Herc helped to create each of them.
Explain what makes Trombone Shorty remarkable.
Opinion Writing – 3 days
Write an opinion piece stating which musician is your favorite and why.
L.1.1.g L.1.1.j L.1.2.a L.1.2.b L.1.2.c L.1.6 SL.1.1 W.1.1 W.1.5 W.1.7 W.1.8
Discussion & Writing
Discuss and debate unit essential questions.
SL.1.1 SL.1.4 SL.1.6 W.1.2
Assessment
Writing – 5 days
Participate in a shared research project about Misty Copeland.
W.1.2 W.1.5 W.1.7 W.1.8
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Create a mural tile inspired by Diego Rivera.
RI.1.2 SL.1.1
Write a letter to an artist sharing what they’ve learned and asking questions based on unit knowledge.
L.1.2 SL.1.1
Experience how artists show feelings using drumming as a medium.
SL.1.1
Create protest signs to experience how art can encourage change.
SL.1.1 SL.1.4
Create and present an individual artist statement using what they've learned about artists and their inspiration from throughout the unit.
L.1.1 L.1.2 L.1.6 SL.1.1 SL.1.2 SL.1.4 SL.1.5 SL.1.6
The content standards covered in this unit
L.1.1 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L.1.1.g — Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or, so, because).
L.1.1.j — Produce and expand complete simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in response to prompts.
L.1.2 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.1.2.a — Capitalize dates and names of people.
L.1.2.b — Use end punctuation for sentences.
L.1.2.c — Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.
L.1.6 — Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships (e.g., because).
RI.1.2 — Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
RI.1.3 — Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
RI.1.6 — Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and information provided by the words in a text.
RI.1.7 — Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
RI.1.8 — Identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text.
RI.1.9 — Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
SL.1.1 — Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups
SL.1.2 — Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
SL.1.4 — Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
SL.1.6 — Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation.
W.1.1 — Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.
W.1.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
W.1.3 — Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.
W.1.5 — With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
W.1.7 — Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of "how-to" books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence of instructions).
W.1.8 — With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit
L.1.1.b — Use common, proper, and possessive nouns.
L.1.1.c — Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic sentences (e.g., He hops; We hop).
L.1.1.e — Use verbs to convey a sense of past, present, and future (e.g., Yesterday I walked home; Today I walk home; Tomorrow I will walk home).
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
L.1.2.e — Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic awareness and spelling conventions.
L.1.4 — Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
RI.1.1 — Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
RI.1.4 — Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.
RI.1.10 — With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1.
SL.1.5 — Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Unit 4
Love Makes a Family
Unit 6
The Power of Reading
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