Curriculum / ELA / 5th Grade / Unit 5: Friendship Across Boundaries: Return to Sender / Lesson 29

Friendship Across Boundaries: Return to Sender

Lesson 29

ELA

Unit 5

5th Grade

Lesson 29 of 30

These assessments accompany this unit to help gauge student understanding of key unit content and skills.

Content Assessment

The Content Assessment pushes students to synthesize unit content knowledge or unit essential questions in writing. The Content Assessment should be used as the primary assessment because it shows mastery of unit content knowledge and standards. This assessment should take approximately one class period.

Cold Read Assessment

The Cold Read Assessment tests students' ability to comprehend a "cold" or unfamiliar passage and answer standards-based questions. The Cold Read Assessment can be given in addition to the Content Assessment as a pulse point for what students can read and analyze independently, a skill often required for standardized testing. This assessment should take approximately one class period.

Fluency Assessment

The Fluency Assessment allows teachers to monitor students' oral reading fluency progress with a reading passage drawn from one of the unit's core texts. The Fluency Assessment should be given at the end of a unit. Teachers should plan to pull students one-on-one to do this while the rest of the class is independently reading or writing. Find additional guidance for using this assessment and supporting reading fluency in Teacher Tools.

Download Fluency Assessment

Lesson 28

Lesson 30

Lesson Map

Explain what stereotypes are and why stereotypes should be avoided.

“Stereotypes: Understanding Their Impact and How to Overcome Them”

Standards

RI.5.1SL.5.1

Describe the conditions for migrant workers in Vermont.

“Under the Cloak of Darkness”
“Enrique Balcazar: Las vacas no se ordeñan solas”

Standards

SL.5.1SL.5.2W.5.1

Explain what happens in the chapter that Tyler doesn't fully understand.

Return to Sender pp. 3–16

Standards

RL.5.3

Explain how the letter helps a reader better understand Mari and her relationship with her family.

Return to Sender pp. 17–22

Standards

RL.5.3

Defend if hope and fear play important roles in Mari's life.

Return to Sender pp. 23–36

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3

Rewrite a key scene from Return to Sender from another character's point of view.

Return to Sender
Narrative Writing Rubric (G5)
Narrative Brainstorming Graphic Organizer

Standards

W.5.3.aW.5.3.b

Explain what the events of the chapter suggest about Tyler.

Return to Sender pp. 39–57

Standards

RL.5.3

Describe what happens on the bus and how the incident influences Mari and Tyler.

Return to Sender pp. 58–72

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3

Defend if all members of the family have equal amounts of hope and fear.

Return to Sender pp. 92–106

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3

Rewrite a key scene from Return to Sender from another character's point of view.

Return to Sender
Narrative Writing Rubric (G5)
Narrative Brainstorming Graphic Organizer

Standards

W.5.3.aW.5.3.b

Close-read a text in order to determine the challenges of being an undocumented Mexican laborer.

Return to Sender pp. 1–102

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3SL.5.1

Explain what happens to Tío Felipe and how Mari and her family respond.

Return to Sender pp. 121–136

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3

Discussion & Writing

Compare and contrast Mari and Tyler by comparing and contrasting two or more characters in a text.

Return to Sender pp. 121–136

Standards

L.5.1.eRL.5.2RL.5.3RL.5.6SL.5.1

Analyze and defend if Tyler and Mari are developing a true friendship.

Return to Sender pp. 139–158

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3

Close-read a text to determine what traditions are important in Mexican culture and explain how they help bring the Cruzes and the Paquettes together.

Return to Sender pp. 1–178

Standards

RI.5.1RL.5.2SL.5.3SL.5.4SL.5.5

Describe what motion is proposed at town meeting and analyze how different members in the community respond and why.

Return to Sender pp. 181–194
Return to Sender pp. 202–205

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3

Rewrite a key scene from Return to Sender from another character's point of view.

Return to Sender
Narrative Writing Rubric (G5)
Narrative Brainstorming Graphic Organizer

Standards

W.5.3.aW.5.3.b

Summarize what the coyotes are demanding and what impact this has on Mari and her family and the Paquettes.

Return to Sender pp. 213–226

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3

Summarize the key events from Mari's letter.

Return to Sender pp. 227–246

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3

Defend if Tyler has changed and if he truly understands Mari.

Return to Sender pp. 249–263

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3

Summarize what happened to Mari's parents and compare and contrast Mari's response with other members of the Cruz and Paquette family.

Return to Sender pp. 264–280

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3

Analyze if Mari is a brave and noble young lady.

Return to Sender pp. 281–296

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3

Close-read a text in order to determine the challenges of being an undocumented Mexican laborer.

Return to Sender

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3SL.5.1

Defend if Stars and Swallows is the right name for the farm.

Return to Sender pp. 299–320

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3

Compare and contrast Mari and Tyler and the way their relationship impacts both of their lives by stating a theory and supporting it with evidence from the entire text.

Return to Sender

Standards

L.5.1.eRL.5.2RL.5.3SL.5.1

Write a multiple-paragraph essay comparing and contrasting Mari and Tyler.

Standards

RL.5.3W.5.1W.5.1.aW.5.1.bW.5.1.cW.5.1.dW.5.9.a

Analyze and debate unit essential questions using details and understandings from the entire unit.

All unit texts

Standards

RL.5.2RL.5.3SL.5.1SL.5.2

4 days

Write a continuation of the novel Return to Sender.

Return to Sender
Narrative Writing Rubric (G5)
Narrative Brainstorming Graphic Organizer
Narrative Brainstorming Graphic Organizer Sample Response (G5, U5, L28)
Complete Sample Draft (G5, U5, L28)
Conclusion Quick-Write (G5, U5, L28)

Day 1 - Brainstorming

Brainstorm a logical sequence of events by planning details for the events, characters, setting, and point of view in a story.

Return to Sender
Narrative Writing Rubric (G5)
Narrative Brainstorming Graphic Organizer

Standards

W.5.3.aW.5.5

Day 2 - Drafting

Draft the beginning and middle of a narrative with developed setting and characters.

Return to Sender
Narrative Writing Rubric (G5)
Narrative Brainstorming Graphic Organizer
Narrative Brainstorming Graphic Organizer Sample Response (G5, U5, L28)
Day 2 Initial Draft Handout (G5, U5, L28)

Standards

W.5.3.aW.5.3.b

Day 3 - Drafting (continued)

End stories by including a resolution that is engaging and satisfies the reader.

Return to Sender
Narrative Writing Rubric (G5)
Narrative Brainstorming Graphic Organizer
Narrative Brainstorming Graphic Organizer Sample Response (G5, U5, L28)
Complete Sample Draft (G5, U5, L28)
Conclusion Quick-Write (G5, U5, L28)

Standards

W.5.3.bW.5.3.e

Day 4 - Revision & Editing

Revise a narrative to include precise words and phrases.

Return to Sender
Narrative Writing Rubric (G5)

Standards

W.5.5

Gauge student understanding of unit content and skills with one of Fishtank's unit assessments.

5 days

Write an opinion piece defending if Mari and her family should have been allowed to stay.

Return to Sender
Grade 5 Literary Analysis and Opinion Writing Rubric
2 Paragraph Outline
3 Paragraph Outline
Opinion Brainstorm (G5, U5, L30)

Day 1 - Brainstorming

Brainstorm and outline ideas before defending an argument using evidence from the text.

Return to Sender
Grade 5 Literary Analysis and Opinion Writing Rubric
2 Paragraph Outline
3 Paragraph Outline
Opinion Brainstorm (G5, U5, L30)

Standards

W.5.1W.5.1.a

Day 2 - Drafting

Draft an opinion piece that clearly states the topic and position using questions, facts, images, or examples.

Return to Sender
Grade 5 Literary Analysis and Opinion Writing Rubric
2 Paragraph Outline
3 Paragraph Outline

Standards

W.5.1.a

Day 3 - Drafting (continued)

Draft strong body paragraphs that group details together by determining which information strongly supports the position.

Return to Sender
Grade 5 Literary Analysis and Opinion Writing Rubric
2 Paragraph Outline
3 Paragraph Outline

Standards

W.5.1.b

Day 4 - Drafting Conclusions

Draft a strong concluding statement by using transition words and phrases, a question, or suggestion.

Return to Sender
Grade 5 Literary Analysis and Opinion Writing Rubric
2 Paragraph Outline
3 Paragraph Outline

Standards

W.5.1.d

Day 5 - Revision & Editing

Writers revise their work by rearranging sentences in a paragraph for cohesion and coherence.

Return to Sender
Grade 5 Literary Analysis and Opinion Writing Rubric

Standards

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We've got you covered with rigorous, relevant, and adaptable ELA lesson plans for free