With its focus on teamwork, this unit is ideally implemented at the beginning of the school year. The unit's Essential Question invites students to think about the big idea of teamwork – how we are better together. Weekly focus questions (listed on the unit calendar) refine and deepen understanding of the teamwork in relation to the week's readings.

Throughout this unit, first grade students will engage in listening, speaking, reading and writing about the concept of teamwork. Students will develop as readers through listening to and reading a range of text. They will listen, observe, and read closely to ask and answer questions. With guidance and assistance, students will complete routine and extended writings for a variety of purposes. At the conclusion of the unit paired texts (literary and informational) about bridges will be used to launch a collaborative STEM bridge building exploration.

Though there are opportunities to apply foundational skills within this unit, phonemic awareness and phonics should be explicitly taught within the language arts block.

At the completion of this unit, students will be able to explain the concept of teamwork and the importance of working together as a team. Teamwork is important to first graders because it provides a foundation for productive citizenship. Initial experiences with this concept will help students develop a better understanding of their roles in the classroom, family, and society.

Student Outcomes

Given a text students will orally point to and name the basic features of print.
Students will read on-level texts orally with accuracy appropriate accordingly.
After listening to a text and looking at illustrations, students will be able to answer questions about the characters, setting, main idea, and events in the story including key details.
Students will recall information from texts read to answer this question: "Why is working together better than working alone?"
Students will use text to confirm their answers to teacher directed questions about texts.
Students will identify if a text is fiction or nonfiction
Students will compare and contrast two familiar texts on the same topic.
After reading a variety of texts and discussing the meaning of teamwork, students will work together to develop class rules.
Given a simple, familiar sentence, students will circle or name the first word, capital letter on the first word, and the ending punctuation.
Students will orally provide explanation of key vocabulary from text and explain the real life connection. (Ex. Class rules)
Students will participate in discussions about the texts following agreed upon rules for class discussions.
Student will write a personal narrative about working as a team in their family or with their friends.

Text Models for Lessons and Lesson Seeds

Informational Text

Teamwork by Ann Morris
Team Work by George Ancona
Game Day by Tiki and Ronde Barber
Bridges by Seymour Simon
Animal Moms and Dads by José Ramos
Raising Cows on the Koebel's Farm by Alice K. Flanagan
The Babe and I by David Adler
To Fly: The Story of the Wright Brothers by Wendie Old
A Koala Joey Grows Up by Joan Hewett
Farmer's Market by Marcie Rendon

Song/Poem

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman
Nine Gold Medals by David Roth
http://www.myspace.com/davidroth-46001794/music/songs/nine-gold-medals-74087741

Literature

Swimmy by Leo Lionni
Mama's Coming Home by Kate Banks
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
The Crayon Box That Talked by Shane DeRolf
Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
What a Team!: Together Everyone Achieves More by Fran Shaw
A Story for Bear by Dennis Hasely
Arthur Makes The Team by Marc Brown
Mrs. Chicken and the Hungry Crocodile by Margaret H. Lippert and Wonldy Paye
Robbie and Ronnie by Christine Kliphuis
Ruby, the Copycat by Peggy Rathmann
Goal: The Dream Begins by Robert Burleigh
Drummer Hoff Fires It Off by Barbara Emberly
Frog and Toad and Friends by Aronld Lobel
Yo! Yes by Chris Raschka
Tumbleweed Stew by Susan Stevens Crummel
Home Run Hero by Dean Hughes
Nacho and Lolita by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Fable

The Bundle of Sticks
http://www.kidsworldfun.com/shortstories_bundleofsticks.php

Folktale

The Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahy

*Bolded texts are used in unit lessons and lesson seeds.

Assessments

Pre Assessment: Given pictures, students will categorize which pictures demonstrate teamwork and which ones do not.
Formative: Observation records are kept on skills taught on a daily bases including reading records. Monitor student writing for development of the conventions of sentence writing and for development of the concept of teamwork.
Summative: With guidance and support from adults, students will answer the question in writing, why is working together better than working alone by recalling information from texts read. STEM Performance Assessment

Additional Resources

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Last Updated 3/17/2020 11:46 AM