The Breadwinner
Students explore the Taliban's influence on the Middle East through the lens of human rights in the book The Breadwinner, and practice narrative writing by rewriting scenes from other point of views.
Unit Summary
In this unit students explore the Taliban influence on the Middle East through the eyes of multiple young women. In the core text, The Breadwinner, students experience how the Taliban presence in Afghanistan drastically altered Parvana and her family’s life. Students will be challenged to think about what constitutes basic human rights and the way in which the Taliban violated the human rights of many Afghanistan citizens. Students will also be challenged to think about women’s rights, especially in regard to education and freedom, and how both were constantly at risk under Taliban rule. Finally, students will realize that a positive attitude, dedication to family, and drive to be self-reliant can help people survive, and thrive, in the worst of situations. In the second part of the unit, students read about the experiences of real children living in Afghanistan after the Taliban left. Through those experiences, students explore how education and women’s rights are still restricted in Afghanistan and grapple with what it will take to create a society where women have access to the same basic freedoms as men. In the last part of the unit, students meet Malala Yousafzai and analyze how her positive attitude and drive help her fight for women’s rights in Pakistan despite facing incredible challenges and threats. Over the course of the entire unit, it is our hope that students will build a deeper understanding of the importance of women’s rights and access to education around the world, particularly in the Middle East.
As readers, this unit builds onto unit one by pushing students to compare and contrast characters and analyze character point of view at an even deeper level. Students will be challenged to close read the text, make accurate annotations, and quote accurately in order to develop theories about key characters in and across texts. In this unit, students will also begin to use informational texts, particularly memories and first-person accounts, to help build a deeper understanding of fiction texts. The focus for informational reading is similar to the focus for fiction, and students will analyze how the point of view influences the way in which events are described.
Texts and Materials
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Core Materials
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Book: The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis (Groundwood Books, 2015) — 710L
Supporting Materials
Book: Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely through a Never-Ending War by Deborah Ellis (Groundwood Books, 2012)
Book: I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World (Young Readers Edition) by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick (Brown Books for Young Readers, 2016)
Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading (Grade 5 Unit 2)
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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- How can family relationships and dynamics influence a person's actions?
- How did the Taliban regime impact life for residents of Kabul?
- Feminism advocates for women's rights and equality of the sexes. What can be done to improve women's rights and equality in both Afghanistan and Pakistan?
- How can one person impact a community?
Vocabulary
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Text-based
anxious brutality ceased civilians corruption cower decency decreed defy depressed deprived forbade haven ignorant illiteracy immune impoverished insanity intimidate invasion menacingly obscenity refuge refugee relented resentful restrictive sensible smuggle sulking vital vulgarity
Root/Affix
-ful -ible -ous -tion ill- im-
Related Teacher Tools:
Lesson Map
1
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The Breadwinner — Author's Note and Forward
RL.5.3
Describe what inspired Deborah Ellis to write The Breadwinner and what she hoped to accomplish.
2
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The Breadwinner — Ch. 1
RL.5.1
RL.5.3
Describe the setting of The Breadwinner and what it is like where Parvana lives.
3
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The Breadwinner — Ch. 2
RL.5.3
Analyze how the author characterizes Parvana and how the author develops characterization.
4
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The Breadwinner — Ch. 3-4
RL.5.3
SL.5.1
SL.5.1.a
SL.5.1.b
SL.5.2
Analyze how Parvana, Mother, and Nooria respond to Father’s disappearance and how their responses help build a deeper understanding of character.
5
Narrative Writing
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The Breadwinner
RL.5.6
W.5.3
W.5.3.a
W.5.3.b
W.5.3.d
Rewrite a section of The Breadwinner from another character’s point of view.
6
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The Breadwinner — Ch. 5-6
RL.5.3
RL.5.6
Compare and contrast Parvana’s, Nooria’s, and Mother’s responses to Parvana dressing as a boy and how their responses help to build a deeper understanding of character.
7
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The Breadwinner — Ch. 7-8
RL.5.3
RL.5.6
Analyze the ways in which Parvana has taken on her father's role.
8
Narrative Writing
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The Breadwinner
RL.5.6
W.5.3
W.5.3.a
W.5.3.b
W.5.3.d
Rewrite sections of The Breadwinner from another character’s point of view.
9
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The Breadwinner — Ch. 9-10
RL.5.3
RL.5.6
Explain why Shauzia says that some people wouldn’t mind being dug up and if that makes their actions justifiable.
10
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The Breadwinner — Ch. 11-12
RL.5.3
RL.5.6
Describe Shauzia’s and Parvana’s plans for the future and why they both want different things.
11
Narrative Writing
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The Breadwinner
RL.5.6
W.5.3
W.5.3.a
W.5.3.b
W.5.3.d
Rewrite sections of The Breadwinner from another character’s point of view.
12
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The Breadwinner — Ch. 13-14
RL.5.2
RL.5.3
L.5.2.c
Defend if Parvana was right to be losing hope and what advice you would give her.
13
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The Breadwinner — Ch. 15
RL.5.2
RL.5.3
L.5.2.c
Debate if it is naive of Parvana to hope that things will get better and if hope is a useless emotion in a time of war and oppression.
14
2 days
Narrative Writing
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The Breadwinner
W.5.3
W.5.3.a
W.5.3.b
W.5.3.d
L.5.1.c
L.5.1.d
Rewrite sections of The Breadwinner from another character’s point of view.
15
Discussion & Writing
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The Breadwinner
RL.5.2
W.5.9
SL.5.1
SL.5.1.a
SL.5.1.b
SL.5.6
Determine the themes in The Breadwinner and explain how different characters respond to the major themes by using key details from the text to determine theme.
16
Discussion
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The Breadwinner
SL.5.1
SL.5.1.a
SL.5.1.b
SL.5.6
Analyze and debate unit essential questions using details and understandings from The Breadwinner.
17
Writing
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The Breadwinner
RL.5.2
RL.5.9
W.5.1
W.5.1.a
W.5.1.c
W.5.1.d
Write a paragraph to answer a unit essential question.
18
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Kids of Kabul — Faranoz and Shabona
RI.5.3
RI.5.6
L.5.3.b
Explain if Faranoz and Shabona share the same point of view on a woman’s right to education and what events or experiences have shaped their points of view.
19
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Kids of Kabul — Zuhal and Palwasha
RI.5.6
Explain if Zuhal and Palwasha share the same point of view on how to improve women’s rights and what events or experiences have shaped their points of view.
20
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Kids of Kabul — Sara and Sigrullah
RI.5.6
Explain if Sara and Sigrullah share the same point of view on how to improve women’s rights and what events or experiences have shaped their points of view.
21
Discussion & Writing
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Kids of Kabul
W.5.1
W.5.1.a
W.5.1.c
W.5.1.d
W.5.9
SL.5.1
SL.5.1.a
SL.5.1.b
SL.5.6
Analyze and debate unit essential questions using details and understandings from Kids of Kabul.
22
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I Am Malala — pp. 44–55, 60–65
RL.5.3
RL.5.6
Explain what terrorism feels like and how Malala’s point of view compares to others’ in the unit.
23
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I Am Malala — pp. 69–80
RL.5.3
RI.5.6
Describe how the author characterizes Malala and her family and how the author develops that characterization.
24
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I Am Malala — pp. 117–130
RL.5.2
RL.5.3
RI.5.6
Defend if “Targeted” is the best name for the section.
25
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I Am Malala — pp. 157–164, 186–193
RL.5.2
RL.5.3
SL.5.6
Pick three or four words that best describe Malala and defend why.
26
Discussion
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The Breadwinner
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I Am Malala
RL.5.3
SL.5.1
SL.5.1.a
SL.5.1.b
SL.5.2
SL.5.6
Defend if Malala is or is not an ordinary girl by stating a claim and supporting the claim with evidence from the text and videos.
27
Discussion
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Kids of Kabul
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I Am Malala
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The Breadwinner
RL.5.2
SL.5.1
SL.5.1.a
SL.5.1.b
SL.5.2
SL.5.6
Debate and analyze unit essential questions using details from all three core unit texts.
28
Writing
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Kids of Kabul
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I Am Malala
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The Breadwinner
W.5.1
W.5.1.a
W.5.1.c
W.5.1.d
W.5.9
L.5.1.a
L.5.2.b
Write a paragraph to answer a unit essential question.
29
4 days
Writing
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Kids of Kabul
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I Am Malala
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The Breadwinner
W.5.1
W.5.1.a
W.5.1.c
W.5.1.d
W.5.9
Write a magazine article that informs readers about a key theme from the unit by stating a claim and providing evidence from the entire unit.
30
Assessment
Common Core Standards
Language Standards
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L.5.1 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
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L.5.1.a — Explain the function of conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections in general and their function in particular sentences.
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L.5.1.c — Use verb tense to convey various times, sequences, states, and conditions.
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L.5.1.d — Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.
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L.5.2 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
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L.5.2.b — Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence.
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L.5.2.c — Use a comma to set off the words yes and no (e.g., Yes, thank you), to set off a tag question from the rest of the sentence (e.g., It's true, isn't it?), and to indicate direct address (e.g., Is that you, Steve?).
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L.5.3.b — Compare and contrast the varieties of English (e.g., dialects, registers) used in stories, dramas, or poems.
Reading Standards for Informational Text
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RI.5.3 — Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
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RI.5.6 — Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.
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RI.5.9 — Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
Reading Standards for Literature
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RL.5.2 — Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
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RL.5.3 — Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
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RL.5.5 — Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.
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RL.5.6 — Describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described.
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RL.5.9 — Compare and contrast stories in the same genre (e.g., mysteries and adventure stories) on their approaches to similar themes and topics.
Speaking and Listening Standards
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SL.5.1 — Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
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SL.5.1.a — Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
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SL.5.1.b — Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
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SL.5.2 — Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
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SL.5.6 — Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, using formal English when appropriate to task and situation.
Writing Standards
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W.5.1 — Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information
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W.5.1.a — Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer's purpose.
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W.5.1.c — Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically).
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W.5.1.d — Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
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W.5.3 — Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
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W.5.3.a — Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
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W.5.3.b — Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, and pacing, to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
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W.5.3.d — Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
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W.5.9 — Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Spiral Standards
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