Mentor Text Unit Plan

Text: Cosimo Cat

Date

Grade

Timeframe

November 16, 2016

Grade 5

5 Days

Curriculum Area
Literacy

Title of Unit
Character Development and Dialogue

Throughout this unit plan, the mentor text Cosimo Cat will be read aloud as a class. Students will be required
to complete a character description worksheet while the instructor is reading, and will refer to and compare their notes
throughout the unit. Punctuation rules related to dialogue will also be examined, and students will be provided with
the opportunity to correct poorly written sentences, as well as create their own stories with dialogue. Towards the end
of the unit, students will examine various strategies for analyzing character development, including the Five
Personality Trait model (OCEAN). Students will refer to evidence obtained from the mentor text as well as their notes
in the templates in order to reinforce their statements that a particular character from the text can be associated with a
particular personality trait.

CURRICULUM EXPECTATIONS
ORAL COMMUNICATION
1.2 ACTIVE LISTENING STRATEGIES : Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate listening behavior by
adapting active listening strategies to suit a range of situations, including work in groups.
READING
1.4 DEMONSTRATING UNDERSTANDING : Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of texts by
summarizing important ideas and citing supporting details.

1.7 ANALYZING T EXTS : Analyze texts and explain how various elements in them contribute to meaning.
1.8 RESPONDING TO AND E VALUATING T EXTS : Make judgements and draw conclusions about the ideas
and information in texts and cite stated or implied evidence from the text to support their views.
2.4 ELEMENTS OF STYLE: Identify various elements of style, including word choice and the use of similes,
personification, comparative adjectives and sentences of different types, lengths and structures, and
explain how they help communicate meaning.
W RITING
1.1 P URPOSE AND AUDIENCE : Identify the topic, purpose and audience for a variety of writing forms.
1.5. ORGANIZING IDEAS : Identify and order main ideas and supporting details and group them into units
that could be used to develop several linked paragraphs, using a variety of strategies.
2.3. W ORD CHOICE : Use some vivid and/or figurative language and innovative expressions to add interest.
3.4. PUNCTUATION: Use punctuation appropriately to help communicate their intended meaning, with a
focus on the use of: a comma before and or but in compound sentences to join principal clauses,
quotation marks for direct speech, and the placement of commas, question marks and exclamation marks
inside quotation marks in direct speech.

BIG IDEAS
Character development is an important aspect of a well-written story. Simply writing about a
series of plots and events creates a less engaging story.
Various aspects of a character can be demonstrated to a reader through the characters
interactions with other characters, through their actions, and through their motives, rather than
simply through explicit narrative description.
Descriptive words can be used creatively in order to describe something in a way that avoids
clichs and creates powerful imagery (i.e. a forest of legs).
Dialogue must be executed using a series of punctuation rules in order to indicate to a reader that
a character is speaking, as well as to indicate which character is speaking.

LEARNING GOALS AND SUCCESS CRITERIA

LEARNING GOALS

Analyse the characters in Cosimo Cat.

SUCCESS CRITERIA

Fill in character descriptions

worksheet.

Discuss the ways in which Rowan and

Cosimo change throughout the story

What do Rowan and Cosimos

interactions with other characters and
each other tell us about them?

Fill in the predictions section of the

Word Study worksheet by using each
word in a sentence.

Compare the ways that you used each

word to the ways that Kenneth Opel
used each word.

What do you imagine when you think

of a forest of legs? or whispers
floating through the air?.

Use a coma before or after quotation

marks if a character is saying
something (Rowan said, ) (,
said Rowan.)

Correct all of the punctuation mistakes

in A Terribly Written Story and
continue the dialogue if you have time.

Compare your work with the class, and

share your story if you want to.

In a group, write about what you think

would happen next if the story
continued.

Use the Character Description

worksheet to break down each aspect
of the characters.

Use descriptive words in unusual ways.

Learn how to punctuate dialogue.

Continue the Cosimo Cat story.

Experiment with different aspects of character

development.

Present your groups story and

character descriptions to the class.

Complete the Big 5 Personality Traits

checklist, using a red pen for Rowan
and a blue pen for Cosimo.

Proove why you think Rowan and

Cosimo have each personality
component by referring to the story
and your character descriptions of
them.

Using a green pen, check off 5

personality components which you
think best describe you.

ASSESSMENT

Diagnostic
(assessment for learning)

Formative
(assessment as learning)

Summative
(assessment of learning)

Observation

Work Samples

Presentation/Performance

Learning Log/Journal

Peer Assessment

Multimedia (audio, visual,

technological

Presentation/Performance

Learning Log/Journal

Creative writing

Anecdotal Notes

Interview/Conference

Oral Reports

Self-Assessment

Rubric

Written Test

Multimedia (audio, visual,

technological)

Checklist

Group Project

Survey

Short quiz

Reflection paper

ACCOMODATIONS AND/OR MODIFICATIONS / DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

Instructional
Increase/Decrease Time

Environmental

Assessment

Change space, seating,

create quiet area

Tape recorder, video

camera

Scribe for student

Adjust student grouping

Visual Art (picture,

painting, sculpture)

Deadline extension

Accommodate physical
disabilities

Scribe for student

Manipulatives

Peer tutor/Partner

Oral explanation

Learning Centers

Theatrical performance

Use of resources (EA,

smart board)
Create classroom
norms/behavior
expectations

Use of spell check

Use of input program

Include visuals, models,

organizers

MATERIALS NEEDED

Elmo device to project both the book and the worksheets for shared learning exercises and
reading.

Worksheets and handouts

Cosimo cat book

Anchor chart paper for group activities

Loose leaf papers for independent writing.

DAY 1
*Grouping: W = Whole class; S = Small group; I = Independent
Timing

Grouping
W

Mental Set (hook):

I
Discussion: Based on the cover, what do you

think this book will be about?.

Provide students with a worksheet to fill out during

Bloom's Taxonomy:

Remembering
Understanding
Applying

and after the class reading.

Analyzing

Body:
Read the first half of the book as a class. Leave
15

time for student to fill out character descriptions

using the template provided to them throughout the
reading process.

Evaluating
Creating

 Discuss the first half of the book, with an emphasis

10

on character analysis. Which characters were

introduced so far?. How can we know about

Cosimo Cats personality even though he/she
doesnt talk?.
Predict what will happen during the second half of
5

the book, and how the story will end.

DAY 2
*Grouping: W = Whole class; S = Small group; I = Independent
Timing

Grouping
W

Mental Set (hook):

I

Bloom's Taxonomy:

Review the notes which each student has taken so

Remembering

far on the character development template which

Understanding

they were asked to fill out in part during the

Applying

previous lesson. In addition, review the predictions

Analyzing

which were made by the class about how the story

Evaluating

will end.
Teacher note: Have sticky-notes placed on each
page as prompts for questions to ask related to
characters and dialogue, as well as new words to
learn and adjective choices to analyze.
Body:
Read remainder of the Cosimo Cat book, while
15

stopping for quick discussions and to allow

students to fill out the character development
template.

Creating

 Discuss character development in the story from

15

beginning to end. Discuss more descriptive word

choices used by Kenneth Opel throughout the text.
How are the eye descriptions of Cosimo Cat
similar to the other cats?.

20

Imagery Activity: Guess the sentences that are

used for some of the adjectives in the text. What
does this word make you think of?.
Reading Response: Answer some questions

15

about the text, discuss how the character

descriptions would have been different if the story
took place in the winter, etc.

DAY 3
*Grouping: W = Whole class; S = Small group; I = Independent
Timing

Grouping
W

Mental Set (hook):

I
Discuss Dialogue punctuation conventions, such as

10

quotation marks and the coma before a statement.

Text Study: Looking at the different conventions
used in the text, inferring to dialogue using an anchor

10

chart.
Body:
Add dialogue punctuation to the Terribly Written

20

Story. Students who finish early can continue the

story.

Bloom's Taxonomy:

Remembering
Understanding
Applying
Analyzing
Evaluating
Creating

 Continue word study: Have students continue to

20

create sentences using some of the adjectives in the

story, and compare their sentences to the ones used
by Kenneth Opel. Then discuss and compare answers
in class.

DAY 4
*Grouping: W = Whole class; S = Small group; I = Independent
Timing

Grouping
W

Mental Set (hook):

I
Review Dialogue punctuation conventions, such as

quotation marks and the coma before a statement.

Create full sentences with proper punctuation and

15

dialogue as a class.

Bloom's Taxonomy:

Remembering
Understanding
Applying
Analyzing

Body:

Evaluating

Write a dialogue piece from the perspective of Cosimo

Creating

Cat.
Share stories with the class about Cosimo Cat.
Provide feedback to each student about their story.

15

Two stars and a wish or Awesome Possum.

DAY 5
*Grouping: W = Whole class; S = Small group; I = Independent
Timing

Grouping

Mental Set (hook):

Bloom's Taxonomy:

I
Introduce the 5 personality traits, OCEAN

10

(Openness,

Conscientiousness,

Agreeableness

and

Extraversions,

Neuroticism)

and

the

observable behaviors associated with them. Use

Remembering
Understanding
Applying
Analyzing

the handout as a reference.

Discuss different examples of people who exhibit

one or more of these personality traits at any given

time.
Body:
Complete the handout: Using a green pen, as a
class, check off the personality traits and behaviors
which the boy exhibits throughout the story. Be

15

sure to emphasize the importance of using

evidence from the text, and referencing the
Character

Descriptions

template

which

was

developed throughout the unit. Any time a student

suggests that the character fits a personality trait,
ask for proof.
Repeat the exercise, but referring to Cosimo Cat.
15

Use a red pen.

Repeat the exercise once more, this time asking

students to check off five behaviors that they feel

describe themselves the best. Use orange ink.

10

Closure:
Review learned definitions and concepts. End
with a celebration or some PAT time.

Evaluating
Creating

GRADUAL RELEASE OF RESPONSIBILITY

Modeled
Instruction

Guided
Instruction

Read the story out loud.

Thinking out-loud about various aspects of the story.
Providing examples of expected written work and completed worksheet answers.

Classroom discussions about the story and its' various components, with an emphasis on
dialogue, character development and word choice.
Complete parts of the worksheet and create excellent, full sentences as a class,

Students work in small groups to decide how the main characters would have changed if
the story had continued. A fillable worksheet will be provided to guide group discussions.
Collaborative
Learning

Written assessment: quiz and independent worksheet completion and story writing.
Independent
Learning

REFLECTION
Successes

Challenges

Adjustments/Changes

Next Steps

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REFERENCES
Schwartz, Pollishuke (2011) Creating the Dynamic Classroom, A Handbook for Teachers (Revised Ed.).
Pearson Publishing.
Ministry of Education (2006). The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Language. ON. Retrieved
from https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/language18currb.pdf

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