Accepting Ourselves and Others
Students explore acceptance of themselves and others in order to start discussions about bullying, tolerance, acceptance, and forgiveness, and focus on identifying the central message in a longer text.
Unit Summary
In this unit, students read the core texts The Hundred Dresses and Garvey’s Choice as a way of exploring what it means to be accepting and tolerant of themselves and others. The Hundred Dresses challenges students to think about the different roles associated with bullying through the eyes of the narrator, who struggles with her own involvement with a classmate who is bullied. Garvey’s Choice illustrates the way others influence the way we see ourselves, both positively and negatively, and the power of accepting ourselves by tracing Garvey’s path to self-discovery and acceptance. Both texts are full of moments and messages that are easily relatable for students at this grade level. Therefore, it is our hope that the experiences of the characters in both texts will serve as a neutral launching point for deeper discussions about bullying, tolerance, acceptance, and forgiveness.
In reading, the main focus of the unit is on identifying and tracing the central message across a longer text. Over the course of the text, students will develop a deep understanding of each character’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations, which will help them identify and explain how the central message is developed and conveyed through the characters. Students will also begin to understand how successive parts of a text build on each other to push the plot forward. Particularly with Garvey’s Choice, students will analyze the genre features of novels written in verse and how each part helps build and develop the central message. This unit also focused on point of view. Students will begin to notice the point of view in which a story is told and compare that with their own point of view.
Texts and Materials
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Core Materials
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Book: The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2004) — 870L
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Book: Garvey's Choice by Nikki Grimes (WordSong, 2016) — 620L
Supporting Materials
See Text Selection Rationale
Assessment
These assessments accompany this unit to help gauge student understanding of key unit content and skills. Additional progress monitoring suggestions are included throughout the unit.
Unit Prep
Essential Questions
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- What different roles do people play in bullying?
- What does it mean to be accepting of ourselves?
- What does it mean to be accepting of others?
Vocabulary
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Text-based
"meet your match" absentmindedly amends casualness consoled coward deliberately disgracefully enraged eternal exquisite forbidding impulsively incredulously inseparable intently incredulous lavish mind mock ramble relieved self-image swiftly timid torment unintelligible vividly
Root/Affix
-ful -ly -ness dis- en- in- un-
Related Teacher Tools:
Lesson Map
1
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The Hundred Dresses pp. 2 – 7
RL.3.3
Explain the significance of “have fun with her” and how it relates to the author’s description of characters.
2
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The Hundred Dresses pp. 8 – 18
RL.3.3
Describe how Wanda is treated and the role Peggy and Maddie play in the way Wanda is treated.
3
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The Hundred Dresses pp. 8 – 18 — (Close Read)
RL.3.3
RL.3.6
Defend if Maddie thinks the way they are treating Wanda is right and if you agree or disagree.
4
Writing
L.3.1.a
L.3.1.i
Use appositives to make sentences more interesting.
5
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The Hundred Dresses pp. 19 – 28
RL.3.3
RL.3.5
Describe what types of details Maddie remembers about the day the hundred dresses game began.
6
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The Hundred Dresses pp. 28 – 33
RL.3.3
RL.3.5
RL.3.6
Explain how the dress game began and how Peggy’s actions impacted the entire community.
7
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The Hundred Dresses pp. 34 – 39
RL.3.3
RL.3.6
Explain how the author shows that Maddie is conflicted about the way she treats Wanda and if you agree with Maddie’s rationalization of her actions.
8
Discussion & Writing
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The Hundred Dresses
RL.3.3
W.3.1
SL.3.1
SL.3.4
Analyze the roles Peggy, Maddie, and Wanda play in the hundred dresses game.
9
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The Hundred Dresses pp. 40 – 45 — (Stop at "Draw!")
RL.3.5
Analyze and explain how the illustrations on pp. 42–43 contribute to a reader’s understanding of the text.
10
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The Hundred Dresses pp. 45 – 50
RL.3.3
Explain the effect the letter has on Maddie, Peggy, and Miss Mason.
11
Writing
W.3.1
W.3.1.a
W.3.1.b
W.3.1.d
Brainstorm before writing to make paragraphs coherent and cohesive.
12
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The Hundred Dresses pp. 51 – 58
RL.3.3
Explain why Maddie and Peggy left the house feeling “downcast and discouraged,” and whether or not each girl is beginning to change.
13
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The Hundred Dresses pp. 59 – 63
RL.3.2
RL.3.3
RL.3.6
Explain what conclusion Maddie reaches after reflecting on what happened with Wanda and if you agree with the conclusion Maddie reaches.
14
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The Hundred Dresses pp. 64 – 70
RL.3.3
RL.3.6
Analyze why Maddie and Peggy decided to write a letter to Wanda and what impact it had on both of them.
15
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The Hundred Dresses pp. 71 – 80
RL.3.3
Explain the impact Wanda’s letter has on Maddie and Peggy.
16
Discussion & Writing
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The Hundred Dresses
RL.3.3
SL.3.1
SL.3.3
SL.3.4
Analyze how Peggy, Maddie, and Wanda’s roles in the hundred dresses game have evolved and why by analyzing details that describe characters in depth.
17
Opinion Writing
RL.3.3
W.3.1
W.3.1.a
W.3.1.b
W.3.1.d
Brainstorm before writing to make paragraphs coherent and cohesive.
18
Discussion
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The Hundred Dresses
RL.3.2
W.3.1
SL.3.1
SL.3.1.c
SL.3.1.d
Identify the central message of The Hundred Dresses and explain how it was conveyed through key details in the text.
19
2 days
Narrative Writing
W.3.3
W.3.3.a
W.3.3.b
W.3.3.d
L.3.1.a
Write a continuation of The Hundred Dresses by using relevant details from the text to write a story with a clear sequence of events and descriptive details.
20
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Garvey's Choice pp. 1 – 18
RL.3.3
RL.3.5
RL.3.6
Analyze how the poems on pp. 1–18 work together to build a deeper picture of the way Garvey feels about himself and the way his dad views him.
21
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Garvey's Choice pp. 19 – 32
RL.3.3
RL.3.5
Explain why Garvey states that he would find a patch of earth and pull it up over his head and what details the author includes in previous poems to support this.
22
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Garvey's Choice pp. 33 – 43
RL.3.3
RL.3.5
Analyze how the poems help a reader build a deeper understanding of how Garvey views himself and how his self-image influences his actions.
23
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Garvey's Choice pp. 44 – 56
RL.3.3
RL.3.5
Analyze how the poems help a reader build a deeper understanding of how the idea of chorus both challenged and grew Garvey’s self-image.
24
Writing
L.3.1
L.3.1.a
L.3.1.i
Use appositives to make sentences more interesting.
25
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Garvey's Choice pp. 57 – 69
RL.3.3
RL.3.5
Analyze how each poem helps a reader build a deeper understanding of how joining chorus and meeting Manny influences Garvey.
26
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Garvey's Choice pp. 70 – 78
RL.3.3
RL.3.5
Explain how each poem helps a reader build a deeper understanding of how Garvey is learning and growing.
27
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Garvey's Choice pp. 79 – 90
RL.3.3
RL.3.5
Analyze how each poem helps a reader build a deeper understanding of the ways that Garvey continues to grow and change.
28
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Garvey's Choice pp. 91 – 105
RL.3.2
RL.3.3
RL.3.5
Analyze how each poem helps a reader build a deeper understanding of how Garvey changed and what factors caused the change.
29
Discussion & Writing
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Garvey's Choice
RL.3.2
W.3.1
SL.3.1
SL.3.1.c
SL.3.1.d
Identify the central message of Garvey’s Choice and explain how it was conveyed through key details in the text.
30
Discussion
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Garvey's Choice
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The Hundred Dresses
RL.3.2
RL.3.9
SL.3.1
SL.3.1.c
SL.3.1.d
Compare and contrast Maddie and Garvey’s experiences with bullying and self-image and what they both learned about themselves, by comparing and contrasting key details from two texts.
31
Assessment
32
5 days
Opinion Writing
W.3.1
W.3.1.a
W.3.1.b
W.3.1.d
L.3.1
L.3.1.i
L.3.2
L.3.2.b
Write an opinion piece to convince your principal to use your ideas to prevent bullying at your school.
Common Core Standards
Language Standards
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L.3.1 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
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L.3.1.a — Explain the function of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general and their functions in particular sentences.
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L.3.1.i — Produce simple, compound, and complex sentences.
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L.3.2 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
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L.3.2.a — Capitalize appropriate words in titles.
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L.3.2.b — Use commas in addresses.
Reading Standards for Literature
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RL.3.2 — Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
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RL.3.3 — Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
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RL.3.5 — Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections.
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RL.3.6 — Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
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RL.3.9 — Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series).
Speaking and Listening Standards
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SL.3.1 — Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
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SL.3.1.c — Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.
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SL.3.1.d — Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
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SL.3.3 — Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.
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SL.3.4 — Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
Writing Standards
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W.3.1 — Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
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W.3.1.a — Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons.
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W.3.1.b — Provide reasons that support the opinion.
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W.3.1.d — Provide a concluding statement or section.
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W.3.3 — Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
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W.3.3.a — Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
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W.3.3.b — Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.
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W.3.3.d — Provide a sense of closure.
Spiral Standards
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