Fifth graders brought The American Revolution to life with their Information reading and writing units. Their background knowledge of the American Revolution from Social Studies class laid the groundwork for their ability to successfully comprehend the non-fiction texts during Reading Workshop. During this unit students engaged in meaningful research, took detailed notes, and wrote thought provoking summaries. They also learned that non-fiction text features, such as maps, charts, illustrations and captions, aid in comprehension. The unit ended with a spirited debate in which students placed themselves in history as loyalists or patriots and deliberated on whether to remain loyal to England or become an independent country. In Writing Workshop, students were asked to use their research from Reading Workshop to create four-chapter informational reports.
