ELA / 1st Grade / Unit 1: The Seven Continents
Students read informational texts about the seven continents, and what makes each of them unique, while working to understand text features and develop skills in writing about informational texts.
ELA
Unit 1
1st Grade
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In this unit, students learn about the seven continents and what makes each continent unique. A large part of the 1st grade English Language Arts curriculum is focused on communities and understanding communities around the world. In order to understand the differences between communities around the world, students need to understand what the world is, identify the different continents, and explain some of the differences between continents. Students will use the facts learned in this unit to deeply connect with the characters and information they learn in later units.
This unit will serve as the foundational unit for creating a strong Read Aloud, discussion, and writing culture in the informational block. Students will learn to identify facts from informational texts and use those facts to describe places and ideas. Students will also learn how to use text features to locate and understand information in a text. By the end of the unit, students should be able to name different text features and explain how the text features help a reader better understand an informational text.
In writing, students will write daily in response to the text. The focus for this unit is on building student stamina and routines in regard to writing about reading. After learning about each continent, students will participate in a variety of independent and shared writing activities in order to develop skills in informational writing while simultaneously solidifying understanding of new material.
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Book: Explore North America by Bobbie Kalman (Crabtree Publishing Company, 2007) — IG720L
Book: Explore South America by Bobbie Kalman (Crabtree Publishing Company, 2007) — IG700L
Book: Explore Africa by Bobbie Kalman (Crabtree Publishing Company, 2007) — IG650L
Book: Explore Antartica by Bobbie Kalman (Crabtree Publishing Company, 2007) — IG700L
Book: Explore Australia and Oceania by Bobbie Kalman (Crabtree Publishing Company, 2007) — IG640L
Book: Explore Europe by Bobbie Kalman (Crabtree Publishing Company, 2007) — IG690L
Book: Explore Asia by Bobbie Kalman (Crabtree Publishing Company, 2007) — IG610L
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
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
Specific skills to focus on when giving feedback on writing assignments
In this unit, students begin their exploration of complete sentences. Over the course of the unit, students will learn to distinguish between complete and incomplete sentences. After learning the difference, students will be challenged to use complete simple sentences orally and in writing. Students will also learn how to add details to simple sentences, particularly using proper nouns to tell about specific places on each continent.
Throughout the unit students will write short informational pieces to teach others about each continent.
At the end of the unit, students will write their first opinion piece about which continent they would most like to visit and why.
In this unit, students learn how to use discussion and oral discourse to show their understanding of texts. Since this is the first unit of the year, the goal is to begin to establish clear routines and procedures that allow students to share their thinking and ideas. The focus areas and discourse in this unit align with Tier 1 of the three tiers of academic discourse and row 1 and 3 of the Academic Discourse Rubric (K-2). See the Teacher Tool on Tiers of Academic Discourse to help support students with the focus areas for this unit.
Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text
architecture climate continent culture desert forest grassland island lake landform mountain natural resource ocean river rural sea tundra urban
To see all the vocabulary for Unit 1, view our 1st Grade Vocabulary Glossary.
Fishtank ELA units related to the content in this unit.
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.
Notes to help teachers prepare for this specific unit
The texts in this unit were selected because of the text features and broad overview of the continents. Reading books with the same structure and author allows students to build a deep understanding of the author's craft and why they use certain structures. We believe the content of this unit is important, but we also acknowledge that there are some problematic representations of the people living on each continent in some of the texts. Instead of removing the texts we have added notes throughout the unit to help lead students in critically analyzing the text. See notes in each lesson about how to address these stereotypes with your students. You may choose to omit certain sections of text, or you may choose to call out the text intentionally with your students. Here are some suggestions for how to do this:
Using the Creating Questions to Engage Critically with Texts guide from Learning for Justice, develop a set of questions to ask with each continent text. For example:
Include supplemental texts about the continent that include more details about the people who live there. Ask students to compare the details they read in each text.
Identify different things you might see in North America.
L.1.4 L.1.6 RI.1.1 RI.1.2 RI.1.4 RI.1.5 SL.1.1 SL.1.2
Identify different things you can see in North America.
L.1.4 L.1.6 L.1.6 RI.1.1 RI.1.2 RI.1.4 RI.1.5 SL.1.1 SL.1.2
L.1.4 L.1.6 L.1.6 RI.1.1 RI.1.2 RI.1.4 RI.1.4 RI.1.4 RI.1.5 SL.1.1 SL.1.2
Writing
Create a postcard of what you saw on your visit to North America.
L.1.1 L.1.1.b L.1.2 L.1.6 RI.1.1 RI.1.2 W.1.2 W.1.8
Describe two to three different things you can see on the continent of South America.
L.1.1.b L.1.6 RI.1.1 RI.1.2 RI.1.4 RI.1.4 RI.1.5 SL.1.2
Describe two to three specific things you may see in South America.
L.1.1.b L.1.6 RI.1.1 RI.1.2 RI.1.5 SL.1.1 SL.1.2
Create a postcard of what you saw and where you went on your visit to South America by writing an informational text that names a topic and supplies one to two facts about the topic.
L.1.1 L.1.1.b L.1.2 L.1.6 RI.1.1 SL.1.1 W.1.2 W.1.8
Describe two to three things that make the continent of Africa special.
L.1.1.b L.1.6 RI.1.1 RI.1.2 RI.1.5 SL.1.1
Describe two things you might see in Africa.
Create a postcard of what you saw and where you went on your visit to Africa by writing an informational text that names a topic and supplies one to two facts about the topic.
L.1.1 L.1.1.j L.1.2 L.1.2.b L.1.6 RI.1.1 SL.1.1 W.1.2
Describe what you might see in the desert and what text features the author includes to help the reader better understand what they would see in the desert.
RI.1.1 RI.1.2 RI.1.5
Describe some of the famous tourist spots in Asia and how the text features help the reader better understand the locations.
Write a travel poster that highlights something you could see or do in Asia.
L.1.1 L.1.1.b L.1.1.j L.1.2 L.1.2.b L.1.6 SL.1.1 SL.1.5 W.1.2
Explain how landforms and ecosystems influence the way people live in different parts of Europe.
RI.1.1 RI.1.2 RI.1.3 RI.1.5
Describe two to three things a person visiting Europe may see.
Write a travel poster that highlights something you could see or do in Europe.
Describe two to three unique things you might see if you visited Australia and Oceania.
Explain if Australia is just like Europe.
L.1.1 L.1.2 RI.1.1 RI.1.2 RI.1.5 RI.1.9 SL.1.1
Describe two to three unique things you might see if you visited Antarctica.
Explain if Antarctica is just like North America.
Discussion
Discuss unit Essential Questions.
SL.1.1 SL.1.1.a SL.1.2 SL.1.6
Assessment
Write an opinion piece to share which continent you would like to visit.
L.1.1 L.1.2 W.1.1 W.1.5 W.1.8
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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.b — Use common, proper, and possessive nouns.
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.b — Use end punctuation for sentences.
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.
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.1.1 — Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
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.1.4 — Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.
RI.1.5 — Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information 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.1.1.a — Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
SL.1.2 — Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
SL.1.5 — Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
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.1.5 — 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.1.8 — 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
RI.1.10 — With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1.
Unit 2
Amazing Animals