LESSONS

Fiction

The Prohuman Grade 3 curriculum is aligned to two sets of standards: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Character and Social Emotional Development (CSED) National Guidelines. The full collection of units introduces all nine of the prohuman character strengths: optimism, grit, gratitude, curiosity, courage, compassion, fairness, understanding, and humanity. In Unit 7, Lesson 1, “Learning Fairness from Literature,” students will learn examples of fairness from a contemporary work of children’s literature. Students will also write sentences demonstrating their comprehension of the word fairness. Finally, students will practice reading and conversation skills by sharing sentences with classmates. SUGGESTED TIME: 20 minutes RELATED SUBJECT: English Language Arts LEARNING OUTCOMES: Listen to a read aloud to reinforce understanding of English sentence structure, syntax, and grammar Practice reading aloud to a partner to support reading comprehension Spell, define, and give an example of fairness Compose sentences that demonstrate comprehension of the word fairness Demonstrate understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar in writing and speaking Practice reading and conversation skills by sharing sentences with classmates REQUIRED MATERIALS: Book: Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh or Video: Read aloud of Separate Is Never Equal by Los Robles Ronald McNair (~13 min) Prohuman Grade 3 Unit 7 Worksheet 1: Learning Fairness from Literature VOCABULARY: Fairness: I treat everyone the same. If someone has been left out, I bring them in. Segregation: The practice of separating people by race in businesses and public places such as pools, libraries, and schools. Segregation was outlawed in the entire United States by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3.C Decode multisyllable words. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3.D Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4.A Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.C Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.3 Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.6 Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET Moral Character A3 Understand and explain the expression “I have the courage to stand up for what is wrong or unfair” Moral Character B3 Provide an example of a friend or role model who “stood up” for what he or she thought was wrong or unfair Civic Character A1 Understand the idea of fairness and the consequences of not being fair, as it relates to breaking rules, playing favorites, or taking advantage of others Civic Character A4 Explain why it is important for everyone to serve and contribute to their family, school, community, nation, globally Civic Character B1 Describe how a role model exemplifies fairness Civic Character B6 Describe how a role model volunteers and contributes to the common good Social-Awareness A2 Describe how a person will likely feel when being bullied or left out of an activity or group Social-Awareness A3 Recognize examples of stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice Social-Awareness A5 Explain what empathy means (e.g., the ability to sympathetically understand and personally identify with the emotional states, needs and feelings of others) Interpersonal/ Relationship Skills A3 Understand and recognize the characteristics of healthy relationships (e.g., honesty, compromising, sharing, encouragement) LESSON PROCEDURE Today we will learn about fairness. Write fairness on the board. Ask students the definition of fairness. Give students the definition: If someone has been left out, I bring them in. Tell students that there was a time in America when kids from different ethnicities could not go to school together. That was very unfair and today kids of all different ethnicities go to school together. Today we will learn about one girl whose family worked hard so that all students could learn together, without having separate schools. Read the book: Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh or Play the video: Read aloud of Separate Is Never Equal by Los Robles Ronald McNair (~13 min) Ask students to answer the questions on their worksheet. Ask students to read their answers to a partner. EXTENSION ACTIVITIES - SUGGESTIONS Play the video: Voices of History: Sylvia Mendez by Education Week (~2 min) Talk with your students about times you have seen examples of people demonstrating fairness. You could give examples of family, friends, historical figures, or current public figures. Talk with your students about times when you have demonstrated fairness, despite hardships. GRADE 3 UNIT 7 WORKSHEET 1: LEARNING FAIRNESS FROM LITERATURE Fairness: I treat everyone the same. If someone has been left out, I bring them in. Segregation: The practice of separating people by race in businesses and public places such as pools, libraries, and schools. Segregation was outlawed in America by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. ACTIVITY: Who are the main characters in the story? What was not fair in this story? Why is segregation unfair? How did Mr. Mendez work for fairness? What is the central message of the story?

Social Studies

History

Civics

Fiction

The Prohuman Grade 3 curriculum is aligned to two sets of standards: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Character and Social Emotional Development (CSED) National Guidelines. The full collection of units introduces all nine of the prohuman character strengths: optimism, grit, gratitude, curiosity, courage, compassion, fairness, understanding, and humanity. In Unit 7, Lesson 2, “Learning Fairness from a Nonfiction Text,” students will learn an example of fairness from the life of a real person. By independently reading a nonfiction text, students will develop their reading comprehension skills. Finally, students will create sentences that demonstrate their reading comprehension and share their sentences with a partner. SUGGESTED TIME: 20 minutes RELATED SUBJECT: English Language Arts LEARNING OUTCOMES: Read a nonfiction text independently to develop reading comprehension skills Demonstrate understanding of the main idea of a nonfiction text Compose sentences that demonstrate comprehension of the word fairness Demonstrate understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar Practice reading and conversation skills by sharing sentences with classmates REQUIRED MATERIALS: Video: Black History for Students | Carter G Woodson Biography | Father of Black History Month by Educational Videos for Students (~3 min) Prohuman Grade 3 Unit 7 Worksheet 2: Learning Fairness from a Nonfiction Text VOCABULARY: Fairness: I treat everyone the same. If someone has been left out, I bring them in. ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.2 Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3.C Decode multisyllable words. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3.D Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4.A Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.C Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.3 Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.6 Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET Moral Character A3 Understand and explain the expression “I have the courage to stand up for what is wrong or unfair” Moral Character B3 Provide an example of a friend or role model who “stood up” for what he or she thought was wrong or unfair Civic Character A1 Understand the idea of fairness and the consequences of not being fair, as it relates to breaking rules, playing favorites, or taking advantage of others Civic Character A4 Explain why it is important for everyone to serve and contribute to their family, school, community, nation, globally Civic Character B1 Describe how a role model exemplifies fairness Civic Character B6 Describe how a role model volunteers and contributes to the common good Social-Awareness A2 Describe how a person will likely feel when being bullied or left out of an activity or group Social-Awareness A3 Recognize examples of stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice LESSON PROCEDURE Play the video Black History for Students | Carter G Woodson Biography | Father of Black History Month by Educational Videos for Students (~3 min) Have students read the nonfiction text on the worksheet, quietly to themselves. Circle the room to support the students. Have students write the answers to the worksheet questions. Have students share their answers with a partner. GRADE 3 UNIT 7 WORKSHEET 2: LEARNING FAIRNESS FROM A NONFICTION TEXT Fairness: I treat everyone the same. If someone has been left out, I bring them in. NONFICTION TEXT: CARTER G. WOODSON’S FAIRNESS Born in 1875 in Virginia, Carter G. Woodson worked many jobs, including sharecropping and mining, during his childhood to help support his large family. He graduated from high school in only two years. Carter became the second African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He worked hard and published many books. He also became a professor at Howard University. Carter saw that the history of African Americans had been left out of the history books. He wanted American history to be fair and include African American history. In February 1926, Woodson sent out a press release about the first Negro History Week. Woodson never viewed the study of Black History as something that could be taught in only one week. In 1976, on the 50th anniversary of the first Negro History Week, there was an official shift to a month-long celebration of Black History that continues today. Source: Pruitt, Sarah. “Carter G. Woodson: The Man Behind Black History Month.” Updated January 22, 2024. Originally published February 2, 2017. https://www.history.com/news/the-man-behind-black-history-month ACTIVITY: What did Carter G. Woodson do that was special for his time? How did Carter G. Woodson show fairness? Look at the National Archives website, People in Black History. Choose one person who interests you. Explain one thing they did and explain why you find the person interesting.

Social Studies

History

The Prohuman Grade 3 curriculum is aligned to two sets of standards: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Character and Social Emotional Development (CSED) National Guidelines. The full collection of units introduces all nine of the prohuman character strengths: optimism, grit, gratitude, curiosity, courage, compassion, fairness, understanding, and humanity. Unit 7, Lesson 3, “Writing an Informative Text about Fairness,” reinforces the vocabulary word fairness. Students will write an informative text about a person who worked for civil rights. This informative text will examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. SUGGESTED TIME: 40 minutes RELATED SUBJECT: English Language Arts LEARNING OUTCOMES: Introduce a topic and group related information together Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information Provide a concluding statement or section Demonstrate understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar REQUIRED MATERIALS: Prohuman Grade 3 Unit 7 Worksheet 3: Writing an Informative Text about Fairness VOCABULARY: Civil Rights Movement: A time in America in the 1950s and 1960s when Black Americans fought for equal rights, like the right to vote, go to the same schools, and use the same places as everyone else. Fairness: I treat everyone the same. If someone has been left out, I bring them in. ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2.B Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2.C Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2.D Provide a concluding statement or section. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1.B Form and use regular and irregular plural nouns. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1.C Use abstract nouns (e.g., childhood). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1.D Form and use regular and irregular verbs. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET Moral Character A3 Understand and explain the expression “I have the courage to stand up for what is wrong or unfair” Moral Character B3 Provide an example of a friend or role model who “stood up” for what he or she thought was wrong or unfair Civic Character A1 Understand the idea of fairness and the consequences of not being fair, as it relates to breaking rules, playing favorites, or taking advantage of others Civic Character A4 Explain why it is important for everyone to serve and contribute to their family, school, community, nation, globally Civic Character B1 Describe how a role model exemplifies fairness Civic Character B6 Describe how a role model volunteers and contributes to the common good Social-Awareness A2 Describe how a person will likely feel when being bullied or left out of an activity or group Social-Awareness A3 Recognize examples of stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice LESSON PROCEDURE Today you will write an informative text about a person who interests you who worked for Civil Rights. Write Civil Rights Movement on the board. Ask students what the Civil Rights Movement means. Give students the definition: A time in America in the 1950s and 1960s when Black Americans fought for equal rights, like the right to vote, go to the same schools, and use the same places as everyone else. Look at this website and choose one person who interests you to write about in your informative text: Civil Rights Leaders (NAACP) Your informative text should do three things: First, the informative text should develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. Second, it should use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information. Finally, it should provide a concluding statement or section. Now you will look at the website, choose a person who interests you, and write your own informative text. NOTE: Collect and keep the worksheet on the following page for the next day’s lesson in which students will share their stories with a partner. GRADE 3 UNIT 7 WORKSHEET 3: WRITING AN INFORMATIVE TEXT ABOUT FAIRNESS Civil Rights Movement: A time in America in the 1950s and 1960s when Black Americans fought for equal rights, like the right to vote, go to the same schools, and use the same places as everyone else. Fairness: I treat everyone the same. If someone has been left out, I bring them in. ACTIVITY: Write an informative text of 5 sentences about a person who interests you who worked for civil rights from this website: Civil Rights Leaders (NAACP). Your informative text should: Include 3 facts about what the person did Uses linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) Provides a concluding statement or section about how they worked for fairness

The Prohuman Grade 3 curriculum is aligned to two sets of standards: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Character and Social Emotional Development (CSED) National Guidelines. The full collection of units introduces all nine of the prohuman character strengths: optimism, grit, gratitude, curiosity, courage, compassion, fairness, understanding, and humanity. In Unit 7, Lesson 4, “Sharing Informative Texts About Fairness,” students will practice their reading skills by reading their informative texts to a partner and their listening skills by listening to their partners’ informative texts. Then, students will write what they learned from writing their informative texts, both about the writing process and the topic. Finally, students will participate in a class discussion focusing on what they learned from writing their informative texts. SUGGESTED TIME: 20 minutes RELATED SUBJECT: English Language Arts LEARNING OUTCOMES: Read aloud to a partner to support development of English pronunciation, syntax, and grammar Listen to a partner’s reading to develop active listening skills Engage in collaborative discussions with peers With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing REQUIRED MATERIALS: Prohuman Grade 3 Unit 7 Worksheet 4: Sharing Informative Texts About Fairness VOCABULARY: Civil Rights Movement: A time in America in the 1950s and 1960s when Black Americans fought for equal rights, like the right to vote, go to the same schools, and use the same places as everyone else. Fairness: I treat everyone the same. If someone has been left out, I bring them in. ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.C Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.2 Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.3 Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.6 Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET Moral Character A3 Understand and explain the expression “I have the courage to stand up for what is wrong or unfair” Moral Character B3 Provide an example of a friend or role model who “stood up” for what he or she thought was wrong or unfair Civic Character A1 Understand the idea of fairness and the consequences of not being fair, as it relates to breaking rules, playing favorites, or taking advantage of others Civic Character A4 Explain why it is important for everyone to serve and contribute to their family, school, community, nation, globally Civic Character B1 Describe how a role model exemplifies fairness Civic Character B6 Describe how a role model volunteers and contributes to the common good Social-Awareness A2 Describe how a person will likely feel when being bullied or left out of an activity or group Social-Awareness A3 Recognize examples of stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice Interpersonal/ Relationship Skills A7 Give and receive constructive feedback to classmates and peers LESSON PROCEDURE Today we will read our informative texts about fairness with a partner. Circle the room to support the students as they take turns reading their informative texts (written in Lesson 3) with their partners. (10 min) Ask students to complete the worksheet questions. Ask the class if anyone would like to share the answers to their worksheet questions. Collect students’ worksheets from both Lessons 3 and 4 to provide feedback. GRADE 3 UNIT 7 WORKSHEET 4: SHARING INFORMATIVE TEXTS ABOUT FAIRNESS Civil Rights Movement: A time in America in the 1950s and 1960s when Black Americans fought for equal rights, like the right to vote, go to the same schools, and use the same places as everyone else. Fairness: I treat everyone the same. If someone has been left out, I bring them in. ACTIVITY: What did you learn from writing your informative text about the writing process? How can you apply what you learned about fairness to help yourself and others?