Lesson Plan

The Girl Who Owned a City

40

The 40-Minute Lesson Plan is essential elements of the CBL lesson plan. We suggest the teacher reads aloud or uses an audio book for the reading portion. 40-min includes: Background, Wordwall, Key Paragraph, and Writing Prompt

60

The 60-Minute Lesson Plan uses the same elements as the 40-minute plan, but also covers a visual activity and discussion. 60-min includes: Background, Wordwall, Key Paragraph,Writing Prompt and adding the Key Questions

90

The 90-Minute Lesson Plan contains all elements of the lesson plan. If time is available, we recommend using this version to get all of the benefits of CBL. The full lesson includes: Background, Wordwall, Key Paragraph, Writing Prompt, and Key Questions of the 40 and 60 minutes options while incorporating the Mapping Activity, Visual Activity and creating the Timeline as a class.

Day 1

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What is a worldwide plague?

A worldwide plague is an outbreak of a highly infectious disease that makes millions, if not billions, of people sick across countries and continents. Influenza, Ebola, and Measles are examples of sicknesses that can infect large numbers of people very quickly. The Black Plague is one of the most famous plagues in history.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

futon (10)

maggots (10)

shattered (13)

calculations (14)

conveniences (16)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Setting and characters: a house on Grand Avenue in a quiet suburban town in the United States of America, with Lisa and Todd, and Jill Jansen.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 9-17

Setting	Characters	Pages
William’s house	Lisa	9-13
Lisa’s town	Lisa, Jill Jansen	14-15
Lisa and Todd’s house	Lisa, Todd	15-17

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Lisa struggles with finding food for her and Todd.
Lisa finds food, toiletries, and a can opener at the Williams’ house.
Lisa reads the letter written to Mr. Williams’ son, John.
The town is not the same, it seems deserted now.
Lisa hurries home after getting things from the Williams’ house.
Lisa shares food with Jill Jansen.
Lisa and Todd prepare soup, popcorn, and board up the windows of the house.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Materials:

Large sheet of butcher paper to create a large map, markers
Tape, pins, magnets, or Velcro to fasten map to wall

Map Instructions:

Create a map of the United States so that Lisa’s town may be put on the map later. Determine the locations within the United States as described in The Girl Who Owned A City as the story unfolds. Be sure to point out Illinois on the map, since the setting of our story is located close to Chicago.

KWL Materials:

Large sheet of butcher paper to create a large KWL chart, markers
Tape, pins, magnets, or Velcro to fasten map to wall

KWL Instructions:

Begin a whole class KWL chart on The Girl Who Owned A City

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Open Mind Portrait

Create an Open Mind Portrait for Lisa or Todd. See appendix.

Materials:

Large piece of stiff paper for each character, like 11”x17” tag board
Paper for bubbles, scissors, and glue sticks
Pencils, pens, crayons, markers
Construction or tissue paper

Step One:

Create a large head shot of a character – imagine what you think the character looks like from the descriptions in the text as well as your imagination. You can make a list of the details, if you wish.
Decide how much of the character you wish to show: just the head and face? from the shoulders up? from the waist up? the whole person? You might to include at least the shoulders to include some clothing details. You might want to show the differences between characters.
Draw the characters head shot including the face on the large piece of white paper. You could also cut the paper to form the head.
Illustrate your portrait with colors, construction paper, or whatever will make the character colorful.

Step Two:

Place cartoon bubbles of character thoughts about the portrait – cut out the bubbles and write things the character thinks, or says to himself/herself on each bubble, and then put the bubbles around the portrait.

Step Three:

Add bubbles as you learn more new things about the character or how the character has changed as you read The Girl Who Owned A City further – follow the bubble step.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why does Nelson describe the plague from a letter written by a father?
As The Girl Who Owned A City begins, what kind of person is Lisa?
What do you think this story is about?
From what point of view does Nelson write?
How does a person become a good neighbor like Lisa who shared food with Jill?
Why does Todd help Lisa prepare meals?
How do you relate to Lisa’s feelings and ideas about her situation?
Why do you think Lisa and Todd will survive their situation?
Historically, why have plagues actually killed millions of people?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 16

“Lisa used to hate her little brother for getting more attention that her. But now she needed him and took care of him. It was strange how her feelings had changed. But everything was all upside down.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Think about a time when you were a leader to a friend or sibling. What decisions were important when you were deciding what to do? Write an explanatory paragraph about your leadership experience. Be sure to include an introductory sentence; present your example using details, transitions, and appropriate tone in your writing. Provide a conclusion that summarizes your experience and creates a coherent whole. Make sure you provide clear ideas linked to the theme Leadership Requires Engagement. How did you work towards the common good.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

What resources would you need to handle the vast responsibility of caring for a younger sibling without any adults to help you?

Day 2

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

How can you make popcorn without using electricity?

You can make popcorn using four things: corn kernels, oil, an old pan, and a source of heat (open flame or barbecue). The corn and oil are heated, and as the oil heats, the moisture in the corn expands until the kernel pops open, making popcorn. This pressure and expansion will result in a small explosion. Salt and melted butter can be added after most of the kernels are popped, and the popcorn is ready to eat. Native Americans popped corn over an open flame; popcorn as we know it today became popular during the Great Depression.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

unloaded (18)

confidence (19)

instantly (22)

interrupted (23)

hesitated (26)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 18-27

Setting	Characters	Pages
Lisa and Todd’s house	Lisa, Todd	18-27
Triangle Forest; Perry’s Pond	Todd	26

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Todd has the responsibilities of taking away the garbage to Triangle woods and getting water from Lake Ellyn.
Lisa decides to make popcorn since the barbecue was still hot.
Lisa spots gangs roaming the neighborhood and has Todd help her nail boards over the windows.
Todd asks Lisa to tell him a story.
Lisa ponders the responsibility of survival, food, safety, and clothing – ideas formed for tomorrow.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Materials:

Large sheet of butcher paper to create a large map, markers
Tape, pins, magnets, or Velcro to fasten map to wall

Map Instructions:

KWL Materials:

Large sheet of butcher paper to create a large KWL chart, markers
Tape, pins, magnets, or Velcro to fasten map to wall

KWL Instructions:

Continue a whole class KWL chart on The Girl Who Owned A City

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Open Mind Portrait

Create an Open Mind Portrait for another character such as Jill, or add thoughts to Lisa or Todd’s portrait.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why does Lisa think about food and clothing so much?
What kind of person is Lisa? What evidence from the book can you use to help explain what kind of person she is?
Where do you think this section is taking place in the United States?
How does Nelson describe Lisa and her thinking processes?
Why does Todd want Lisa to read him a story?
What can you infer about Lisa’s feelings about being alone? What details from the book help you divide how she feels?
How would you feel if your younger sibling depended upon you to survive?
What does Nelson mean to tell us by his selfless action of sharing popcorn with neighborhood children?
How does something remind us of a happy event? (i.e. the Christmas candle)

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 24

“Lisa looked up at the wind-up alarm clock. It was almost ten. ‘I’d better get some sleep,’ she decided. But her mind was racing with many new ideas. Some of them made her laugh, but others were actually workable. It seemed that she had a million things to do tomorrow, and she could wait to get started.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Lisa formulates a plan to keep Todd and her alive using ideas that she has pondered. What ideas can you list as a plan that would help you and a sibling stay alive if you were in the same circumstance? Before you begin writing, create a list of your ideas. Then, take these ideas and create a 1-paragraph explanatory text that describes how you would help a close friend or sibling stay alive in a dangerous situation. Make a connection to leadership skills: how is engagement and working towards a better society important? Provide a one sentence introduction at the beginning and a one sentence conclusion at the end of your paragraph to help present and then summarize your ideas. Include relevant examples and transitions to help bring your list of ideas to life. Use appropriate language and a formal tone throughout your writing.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

How do specific events in your life help prepare you for more even difficult events that you must make good decisions about, and could change the outcome for your life?

Day 3

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What do you need to know before you learn how to drive a car?

It is important to know and follow laws regarding automobiles and safe driving. Research the laws in your state regarding how old you must be to obtain a learner’s permit, and all of the things you must do to earn the privilege of driving a car. Understanding how the parts of a car work is another critical aspect of learning how to drive a car, and learning how to properly take care of a car should be one of the things you learn while learning how to drive. You must pass a written exam to receive a permit and a driving exam to obtain a license. The age in which one can receive a license varies from state to state, but usually falls within 15-18 years of age.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

clattering (28)

vaguely (28)

grown-ups (31)

wicker (32)

whir (35)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 28-36

Setting	Characters	Pages
Lisa’s house and street	Lisa, Todd	28-29, 33-34
Outside Lisa’s town on a road	Lisa	30, 33, 35
Crowl farmhouse	Lisa	30-32, 36

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Lisa leaves the house on her bicycle pulling a wagon to bring food and supplies from a farm.
Lisa gets tired from the trip, stops to eat, and drinks some water.
The farm is deserted; the owners left a letter describing how to use the farm.
Lisa finds more supplies at the farm than she can carry home.
Lisa decides to drive her dad’s car to the farm to get more supplies.
Lisa learns to drive the car following her dad’s instructions.
Lisa drives to the farm and loads up the car with food and supplies.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions

Add to the city map the streets, businesses, and geography described in this section. Have you learned more about Lisa’s surroundings from the drive she went on?

KWL Instructions:

Begin a new KWL chart for survival skills.

Step One: Read the segment for today before you analyze it.

Step Two: Add to the K (know) column: What do you Know about survival skills already?

Step Three: Add to the W (want) column: What do you Want to know about them?

Step Four: Add to the L (learn) column: What have you Learned after today’s reading?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Open Mind Portrait

Create an Open Mind Portrait for another character such as Becky Cliff at Beth’s house, or Winifred Crowl at the farm.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

What can you infer about Lisa’s feelings in deciding to ride her bike to the farm? Use details from the book to help explain why you think she is feeling a certain way.
How would you feel traveling on deserted streets to a farm house you have never been to in the past
What does Nelson mean to tell us about when including the letter from Winifred?
Why did Lisa decide to drive the car to the farm?
What did Winifred mean when she said that the farm is a simple way to live?
Why do you think the Crowls would be happy for children to live on their farm?
How did you feel when Lisa was able to make the round-trip with the car to the farm for supplies?
What did the author do in The Girl Who Owned A City to Lisa with the life on the farm? How does this add to the tone of the book? Provide examples from the book to help you explain you ideas.
Why does the author describe characters in The Girl Who Owned A City in relationship to locations and their memories, thoughts, and reflections? Use details from the book as well as your own life to help explain why you think the author uses these strategies.

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pgs. 34-35

“They needed those supplies, and getting them would take 10 trips with the wagon. Besides, someone else might find the stuff before she could get it all moved. If she could learn to drive the car, then she and Todd could really stock up. That would give them time to make better plans.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Describe how you would feel, or have felt, when you were left alone to care for a sibling, close friend, or relative. Before you begin writing, make a list of what you would need to prepare a meal, or describe how you handled a situation where you had to make a decision to protect the health and safety of both you and your sibling/friend/relative. Once you’ve made your list, write an explanatory paragraph that describes how you cared for a special person in your life, using personal examples and details, as well as sensory and precise language. Make sure you use a formal tone in your writing and use transition words (i.e. first, then, also) Reread your writing once you have finished, and as a friend to help you revise it.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

How might children feel after a disaster when adults are unable to care for them? How might we prepare ourselves to be ready for an emergency situation?

Day 4

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What is a militia?

A militia is a group of citizens who are called out in an emergency to provide defense, or emergency law enforcement. A militia is a voluntary force of citizens who practice defending a town, drill in marching, and learn how to use weapons, but usually are doing regular jobs. Members of a militia are not professionally trained. In the past, militias have engaged in guerrilla warfare tactics instead of outright attacks.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

expression (37)

rascal (38)

handiwork (43)

avalanche (44)

fabulous (45)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 37-45

Setting	Characters	Pages
Lisa’s house with the car	Lisa, Todd	37, 38-45
The farm with the car	Lisa	37

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention

Lisa unloads the car and decided to return to the farm for a second load of supplies
Eyes from Triangle woods saw Lisa unload the supplies in the driveway and drive away.
Lisa returns from the farm with a second load of supplies.
A gang had taken the first load of supplies from the driveway.
Lisa finds Todd injured and hiding in the house, and unloads the car.
Lisa tells Todd a story that makes him feel better about himself.
Lisa makes plans to defend her house and supplies from the gang.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions

Add information from the section to the map of the suburban town, especially the gang hiding in Triangle woods.

KWL Instructions

Continue adding to the whole class KWL chart for survival skills.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know about survival skills?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know that has not already been answered from today’s reading?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned from today’s reading or outside informational sources?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Open Mind Portrait

Create an Open Mind Portrait for another character such as the gang that attacked Todd, or add to the thoughts of Lisa or Todd’s portrait.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why does the author take time to explain Lisa’s feelings about honking the car horn? Provide an example from the book to show what she was feeling.
What does Lisa feel about Todd being attacked by bullies?
Why do you think the author jumps from Lisa getting a second load of supplies to dealing with Todd’s feelings using a story she tells Todd?
How did the author tie Lisa and Todd’s survival with defenses and a militia?
Why did the author use the idea of fear of Lisa for not entering the house? Why do you think the author does this?
What is Spam and noodles?
Why do you think Todd felt better after Lisa told him a story?
What do you think Lisa is feeling about protecting her brother, house, and supplies? How would you feel if you were in her situation?
Why do you think the author chose to have Lisa search the telephone book for a grocery warehouse?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 45

“Her thoughts went on and on until they became dreams again. Her parents wouldn’t have believed it. They had known Lisa was smart, but would they have believed that she had survived so cleverly? That she could drive a car or provide for a family.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Before you begin writing, brainstorm a list of steps you would take to find food and survival items if you were in Lisa’s situation. After brainstorming, write an informational paragraph that presents the items you would need and the ways in which you would go about getting them. Make a connection to leadership and engagement in the community - would you work alone or allow others to assist you? Be precise in your writing; use appropriate and detailed language that will help present your ideas clearly. Be as informative as possible, providing details, reasoning for all the supplies, and transitions to produce coherent writing. Make sure your writing has an introduction at the beginning and a conclusion at the end.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

Learning how to survive involves learning to think about all the necessary things needed and how to obtain those things. What are some ways you can prepare your mind to learn to think about making correct decisions now in preparation for any future emergency?

Day 5

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What makes a decision logical?

Making a logical decision involves coming up with innovative solutions for situations, and then make the informed hard choices to follow through with doing what is correct to solve the problem, based on the knowledge and experience available at that point in time. Collecting as much information as possible about the situation, possible solutions, and then determining the best decision, based on the collected data, is important in making a logical decision.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

neighborhood (46)

horribly (47)

satisfied (49)

aluminum (49)

argument (52)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 46-55

Setting	Characters	Pages
Lisa’s house	Lisa, Todd	46-51
Julie’s house	Lisa, Charlie, Julie, Danny, Tom Logan	51-55

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Lisa and Todd get the tires filled up with air after Todd uses logic.
Lisa and Todd create an alarm system and defenses of their home.
Lisa visits Julie’s house and finds Charlie and Julie are starving.
Lisa confronts Julie and Charlie about steal food from Todd and Lisa.
Lisa confronts Charlie for not thinking and making a bad decision to join Tom Logan’s gang, the Chidester Gang.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions

Determine the location of the homes of each of the characters as revealed today in the novel to your best ability. Add information you learned about the hiding place of the gang, and create illustrations from the information presented in this chapter.

KWL Instructions

Create a new KWL chart about gangs.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know about gangs?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know that has not been brought up already in the book?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned from today’s reading or outside informational sources?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Bookmark

Discuss with your elbow partner seven attributes for a prudent militia. You may use your notes from class, the book, or an informational source to aid your research of a prudent militia. Determine seven necessary prudent militia attributes to put on the back of your bookmark that demonstrate taking responsibility for your life.

Seven Suggested Attributes: Respectful, Responsible, Resourceful, Communication, Commitment, Loyalty, and Teamwork

Title: Seven Attributes of a Prudent Militia (See Appendix)

Materials:

Pieces of stiff paper (tag board) about 3 inches wide and 8 inches long
Pencils, pens, colored pencils, markers, crayons
Construction paper, scissors, glue sticks
Copies of the photo of the militia symbol for each student

Instructions:

Create the front of the bookmark using a symbol and print below the symbol, the title for the bookmark. Copies of the sample symbol clip art can be provided for each student.
List the seven attributes of a prudent militia for defending a town in a bulleted format.
Decorate the bookmark using colored pencils, markers, crayons, or ribbon.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why do you think the author chose to include the comment before chapter one, “Animals, maybe aren’t so lucky. All they do is what they do – what their instincts tell them. They can’t invent plans, and make choices, and dream about tomorrow”?
How do you know when a tire is filled with enough air?
From inference, why does Lisa get so angry about Charlie’s excuses for wanting to join the gang?
Why do you think the author included so much information about the alarm system and defenses of Lisa’s house in the novel?
How does the author weave in information into the novel that helps explain Lisa’s process of convincing others to solve problems without hurting anyone?
Why does the author paint this section of the novel with how to resolve conflict and needs in life?
How would you describe Lisa as a leader, based on what you have read so far? Remember that leadership requires engagement.
Why does Lisa get upset with Julie and Charlie in this section of the novel?
What hurts Lisa’s feelings in this section of the novel, and how does Lisa feel about her own efforts so far?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 55

“Lisa’s angry words surprised even her. It wasn’t that those ideas were new to her. She had heard them from her parents in many ways before. But now she could really understand why those ideas were so important. She and Todd were working hard and felt proud to live by their own efforts. When someone thought that hunger gave them the right to steal – now that made her mad.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Imagine you heard that someone had stolen something from your house because they were hungry and scared. Write an explanatory paragraph about what would be the prudent response to such knowledge, and how you would feel about that person who had committed such an offense against your family and home. Before you begin writing, think about both sides of the issue. Be sure to use a formal tone and appropriate vocabulary for the prompt. Provide an introduction and a conclusion to strengthen the cohesion of your writing.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

How would a person taking responsibility for their life respond to a difficult situation in life, like starving, in a prudent manner? Define prudent in your own words. Then use a reliable digital source or text to define the word. How do the two definitions compare?

Day 6

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What is a strategy?

A strategy is a plan of action to solve a problem or achieve a goal. It can also be understood as a careful plan or method used to achieve a particular goal, usually over a long period of time. The term is used by the military, as well as in many sports. A football team has a strategy to get a touchdown to help win the game, and a strategy to defend against the other team getting any touchdowns. In soccer, the team has a strategy for defense and for offense, how to keep the other team from getting a goal and how to get as many kicks on goal as possible in order to get a goal and win the game.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

amazement (56)

storyteller (57)

accomplish (58)

strategy (60)

solarium (63)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 56-65

Setting	Characters	Pages
Julie’s house, Cole’s house, Jill’s house, Lisa’s house	Lisa, Julie, Charlie, Cheryl, Steve, Craig, Erika, Jill Jansen, Katey, Missy, Todd	56-57
Lisa’s house, neighborhood meeting, formation of Grand Avenue Militia	Lisa, Julie, Charlie, Cheryl, Steve, Craig, Erika, Jill Jansen, Katey, Missy, Todd, children	58-65

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Lisa finishes her visit with Julie and Charlie, and then visits the Coles and Jill Jansen’s houses.
Lisa does not hunt for supplies but plans for the meeting of the neighborhood.
Lisa’s plan includes forming a defense against gang attacks using a militia.
The meeting is serious; Lisa decides who is loyal and who is not strong willed against joining the gang to survive, Craig becomes her choice to lead the militia.
Lisa claims that using her head to figure out the problems is better than crying, praying, or forming a gang.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions

Add homes and streets with names of children living in the homes to the city map. Create illustrations for these homes, using the descriptions in the book as inspiration.

KWL Instructions:

Continue adding to the whole class KWL chart about gangs.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you still Want to know after reading today’s chapter?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Open Mind Portrait

Create an Open Mind Portrait for other characters in the novel such as Julie, Charlie, Cheryl, Steve, Craig, Erika, Jill Jansen, Katey, or Missy.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

How does the author create vivid visualizations of the characters in the novel? Provide one example of a vivid description from the book. What impact does this example have on the reader?
When does Lisa decide who will be the general of the militia?
Who is the person Lisa is the most upset with in today’s section?
What is so important that the children learn to use their brains to solve problems? How does this show leadership and engagement?
Why do you think Lisa does not choose Charlie or Steve to be the general of the militia?
Why is it important that we take responsibility for own lives in a crisis?
Why are there so many children living at Jill’s house?
What caused Lisa to speak out about her supplies?
What caused the author to spend so much time on the neighborhood meeting details? Do you think this is foreshadowing anything?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 58

“Despite her problems, Lisa never got tired of ‘figuring things out.’ With each new crisis, a solution seemed easier than before. She liked the new feeling of confidence, even though it surprised her.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Think of a time when you had to use your leadership skills to help another person in a crisis situation. Before you begin writing, reflect on that time and how important your help was to someone in need. What leadership skills were necessary for you to help? In an informational paragraph, inform your audience about your experience helping another person, and why your help was so important. Include information about what strength and confidence is gained from making successful decisions in dealing with a crisis. Use details from your personal experience as a guide to your writing, and use appropriate vocabulary for such a writing task. Be sure to provide a conclusion that brings your main ideas together coherently. When you have finished writing, add a heading to your paragraph that includes a creative title.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

If everyone helped one other person during a crisis instead of thinking of only of caring for themselves, how much different would the outcome be for everyone?

Day 7

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What is a community?

A community is made up of a group of people who may share intentions, resources, relationships, concerns, goals, and hold similar beliefs and have mutual trust. Cohesive communities work together for the common good of the group of people. Dysfunctional communities are fractured along ideological or relational convictions and are not bound together in mutual trust. The presence of a community is a vital attribute as a support system and source of camaraderie. One can build community by getting to know one’s neighbors, getting involved in clubs or social organizations, and spending more time outside.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

convince (66)

collapse (67)

concentrating (69)

vigorously (72)

asparagus (73)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 66-75

Setting	Characters	Pages
Lisa’s house	Lisa, Todd	66-67
Bergman’s house	Lisa, Craig	68
Lisa’ car	Lisa, Craig	68-7, 75
Jewel, Grocery, Warehouse	Lisa, Craig	72-74

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Lisa picks up Craig at his house and she drives them to a grocery warehouse.
Lisa makes Craig promise to keep the secret of the warehouse and farm, and be the insurance policy for Todd.
Lisa and Craig seem to become good friends and share ideas on survival.
Lisa and Craig figure a way to get into the warehouse and find lots of food and supplies they need for the community.
Craig drives the car home and Lisa enjoys talking with Craig.
Lisa and Craig figure out six places to hid food and supplies to protect them from the gangs.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions:

Add the highway to the grocery warehouse, put the grocery warehouse on the map, and add other buildings to Lisa and Craig’s town as described in the novel.

KWL Instructions:

Create a new whole class KWL chart about civic engagement.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know about the topic already?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know about civic engagement?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned about civic engagement from today’s reading?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete.

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Open Mind Portrait

Create an Open Mind Portrait for another character from yesterday’s lesson. You might just add bubbles of thoughts or self-talk to a character already drawn. You might choose to draw a character introduced earlier in the novel - if you illustrate a character, be sure to use details from the text to be as accurate to the author’s vision as possible.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

What happens when a gang of thieves threatens a community?
How does the fear of gangs promote ideas to protect food and supplies?
What are the conflicts you heard in this section of the novel?
How does the author create a mood in this part of the novel?
What core value does Lisa demonstrate when she asks Craig to keep a secret and protect Todd when he might need help? Why do you think so?
What does Lisa learn from Craig in this section of the novel?
What core value in this section might you apply in your community this week?
Who is a leader in your own community? Do they show engagement through their leadership? Explain why or why not.
What cultural values does the author present the reader in this section of the novel?
What do you think will happen next in the story with the Grand Avenue Militia?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 66

“To be free, you need protection against people who want to control your life. No one should tell you how to work or take what you have earned.’ Then she was too tired to say anymore.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Think about a time when you faced a crisis that took the help of others to assist you through the crisis. Think about the leadership skills and engagement they used to help you out. Then, using reliable online sources, research the life of a famous leader in history who had to help others through difficult times (John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, Pope John Paul II). Write two informational paragraphs; in the first, describe your experience with relevant information and details from your own life. Who helped you? What was the crisis? Use appropriate vocabulary and transitions and conclude your first paragraph with a one-sentence summary of your situation. Next, in a second paragraph, describe the experience of the famous leader, using information your have gathered from your research. How did they help lift up others? In the conclusion to your second paragraph, be sure to compare your experience to that of the famous leader. How are you two similar? How are you different? How can you follow their example and be more like them?

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

How does our country help people going through a crisis, whether it is in our country or elsewhere in the world? Can you think of a recent crisis around the world that the people in your community reached out and helped with food, clothes, and money?

Day 8

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What does courage have to do with taking responsibility in your life?

Without courage to do what it right, it is difficult to take responsibility for your life. Taking responsibility takes courage to make those daily decisions that are right, logical, and help build a community of trust. Courage holds to convictions of what is just, caring, compassionate, and prudent in any situation. It takes courage in the face of obstacles to overcome problems and challenges in your life and become a better person. Courage frees a person to reach new goals and help others attain their goals in life.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

confusion (77)

fearlessness (79)

agreement (81)

bonfire (82)

mischievous (83)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 76-85

Setting	Characters	Pages
Lisa’s car	Craig, Lisa	76
Lisa’s driveway	Craig, Lisa, neighborhood children, Tom Logan and the Chidester Gang	76-82
Lake Ellyn	Lisa, Todd, and 20 kids	82-85

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Lisa and Craig arrive home with lots of food and supplies.
Lisa tries to explain the importance of the past to Craig, but is called a dreamer for wanting things from the past.
The children quietly unload the car, and then listen to Craig’s defense plan.
The Chidester Gang shows up and confronts Lisa, but she stands up to Tom.
Lisa confronts Tom with his betrayal of neighbors and not being able to trust him anymore.
Lisa creates a Christmas campfire party with roasted marshmallows and gifts on Lake Ellyn, and Jill tells Lisa of her concern for the 14 kids living at her house.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions

Add any new places from this section of reading to the map and identify those places with small labels.

KWL Instructions

Continue adding to the whole class KWL chart about civic engagement.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know about the topic?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know about it?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned from the book and informational sources?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Comic Strip

Create a comic strip showing the events of this chapter and foreshadowing what will happen next.

Materials:

Construction paper
Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
Pencil or pen

Instructions:

Step One:

Review the events from this chapter. With a partner, discuss the main action and most important events that happened. Why are they so essential? What do you think will happen next?
Decide on 6-7 events you can add to a comic strip to show the main action from today’s reading.
Brainstorm what you would like the characters to be saying. What captions or headings will the comic strip have?

Step Two:

Create the cartoon illustrations of the 6-7 important events you have identified. Be sure to use details from the text to make you drawings ac accurate as possible.
Create speech bubbles for the characters. Also, provide headings and captions.
Make sure the last box on your comic strip foreshadows or predicts what events will happen next in the story.

Step Three:

Review your cartoon and the work you have done so far - is there anything you can add to make it more coherent?
Share your cartoon with a friend and as for feedback on your work.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why do Lisa and Craig discuss the past with schools, hospitals, airports, and jet aircraft?
Tom and Lisa discuss the comparison of having the Chidester Gang protect Lisa and her neighborhood or they protect themselves – which way seems better for building a sense of trust in the community Lisa is leading?
How does the author’s reflection backwards using Lisa’s memories help us understand Lisa better?
What is the purpose of the Christmas party from Lisa’s perspective?
What style does the author use to help us understand the development of the plot?
How do you learn about building community from Lisa’s campfire party?
How different is the culture of the characters from your own culture and community? Compare and contrast the two.
What will happen next to Lisa and her community?
What are the differences between Lisa’s community and Tom’s gang?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 85

“Okay, maybe you’re right. Maybe I expect too much of everyone. But you have to understand the way I feel. Surviving isn’t such a bad problem if we can just use our heads. In fact, we’ll really have something when we know we’ve actually earned our survival. That’s the way I felt today when we found the secret supply. Try to understand what I’m saying.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Think about how you would deal with Tom Logan and his gang of thieves if you were in Lisa’s position of leadership of a community of children trying to survive. What actions would you take, how would you confront Tom’s proposals, and would you leave the door open for Tom to lead the gang to a community lifestyle where everyone works together to survive instead of using violence and stealing? Write an explanatory paragraph in which you describe and provide a rationale for your actions if you were in the characters’ shoes. Remember, leadership requires engagement; what steps could you take to build a better community? Be sure to provide transitions in your writing as well as a conclusion that summarizes your writing coherently.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

What happens eventually to those who are dictators and mistreat people in our world? How are people taking responsibility for their lives and protesting mistreatment by leaders in their countries?

Day 9

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What is a .22-caliber rifle?

A .22-caliber rifle is a rifle with a barrel that can shoot a .22-caliber (5.6 mm) bullet out the muzzle. The .22-caliber refers to the size of the opening of the barrel of the rifle as well as the diameter of the bullet. The .22-caliber rimfire rifle has very little recoil, is easy to shoot, and very accurate for hitting the target. When hunting for rabbit, a .22-caliber rifle ensures the hunter will capture dinner. The .22-caliber ammunition was first developed in 1857 for revolvers.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

struggling (86)

frightening (89)

contraptions (90)

extinguishers (91)

exhausted (95)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 86-95

Setting	Characters	Pages
Lake Ellyn and Lisa’s house	Jill, Lisa, and Todd	86-87
Grandville neighborhood	Lisa, Todd, Julie, Charlie, Craig, Jill,	88-92
Grocery warehouse	Lisa, Craig	93-95

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Lisa explained her logical plan to Jill about everyone working to earn his or her way.
Todd tells Lisa that he is glad she is his sister.
Lisa, Todd, Charlie, Craig, and others prepare the neighborhood defenses.
Lisa and Craig decide to return to the grocery warehouse at night.
Despite a fender bender, both make it to the warehouse, load up the cars, and return to Grandville safely.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions

Add the defensive measures to the map of the houses on Grand Avenue using the descriptions from this section of reading.

KWL Instructions

Create a new whole class KWL chart about Chicago.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know about this city?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned from the city from the setting of this book?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Open Mind Portrait

Create an Open Mind Portrait for another character, or add bubbles of self-talk or thoughts to other characters using the content from this section of reading. What have you learned about the characters in today’s reading that is new and different? What good and bad examples of leadership have the characters shown you? Be sure to add those qualities to the OMPs you have already created.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why do you think Lisa had the signs made for Grandville?
How do you think Tom Logan will develop as an important character in the plot development?
What is Craig learning about Lisa through his interaction with her and the community?
How does the author develop the plot using a night visit to the grocery warehouse?
How does the author describe the thoughts of Lisa and Craig as they drive to the warehouse and back to Grandville?
Which one of the two (Lisa or Craig) shows the most leadership and engagement in the community? Provide examples from the book to support your choice.
How does this section of the novel relate to your experiences in sixth grade so far?
Which character to you relate to the best? Why?
How is the neighborhood changing? Is it better or just different? Why does pride and courage help build a community? What skills are necessary to improve a community?
What do you think will happen with the community while Lisa and Craig are gone to the warehouse?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 92

“The ideas were working, and everyone on Grand Avenue was having fun. They were proud of their work, and many of them were beginning to share Lisa’s feeling that working to survive and feeling proud of it could be a sort of happiness.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Write an informative a paragraph describing how building community can create happiness even in the face of a multitude of problems involved with survival. Be sure to draw on the examples of leadership and community engagement from the novel to support your response. Use details from your own life, as well as information from reliable informational sources. Be sure to use appropriate vocabulary for your writing; maintain a formal tone and use transitions (First, Then, Next, Also) to make your writing smooth.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

Life is filled with challenges and problem, how can facing those issues make you a better citizen and a stronger person?

Day 10

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What is an official holiday?

An official holiday is a day set aside by a community to recognize a special occasion or celebrate something or someone special. For instance, the Fourth of July is an official national holiday when we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America from Great Britain in 1776. Other official holidays in the United States include Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, President’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, and Labor Day. Many government offices and private businesses may be closed during official holidays.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

lyrics (99)

melody (100)

procession (101)

suspicious (103)

interrupted (105)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 96-106

Setting	Characters	Pages
Lisa and Craig’s cars	Lisa and Craig	96-97
Grand Avenue neighborhood	Lisa, Craig, Tom Logan, Todd, Charlie, the other 28 children in the neighborhood	97-102
Lake Ellyn – Official holiday	Lisa, Todd, Craig, Eileen, Julie, Charlie, Steve, Erika, and the other children	102-103, 105-106
Car and grocery warehouse	Lisa and Todd	104-105

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Craig and Lisa race home from the grocery warehouse.
The Chidester Gang attacked the Grandville community, but Tom Logan was knocked out by a rock – Todd was a hero.
The Granville community celebrates and declares an official holiday.
Todd and Steve are taught to drive a car.
Lisa and Todd make a food and supply run to the grocery warehouse.
The Chidester Gang attacks and burns down Lisa and Todd’s house.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions

Add new locations or information to the map based on this section of the novel.

KWL Instructions

Continue adding to the whole class KWL chart about Chicago.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know about this city?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know that you haven’t learned yet?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned about Chicago from this book or from informational sources?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete.

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Leadership Speech

Create a 1-minute speech in which you discuss leadership and why it is important in our communities today.

Materials:

Paper
Pencils
Partner

Instructions:

Step One:

With a partner, discuss the event of today’s chapter - focus especially on the heroism of Todd and other characters.
With your partner, discuss why it is important for people to have community leaders and heroes. Who are some of these leaders and what qualities do they have?

Step Two:

Begin writing a rough draft of your speech - be sure to discuss reasons why leadership in a community is important. Make sure to use words that are appropriate such as: leadership, heroism, engagement, and community.
When you have finished writing, read your speech to a partner and let them time you, to see if your speech fits within the 1-minute time limit.

Step Three:

Present your speech to the class.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why does Nelson have a character like Tom Logan appear in the novel?
As Lisa and Todd cope with the loss of their home, how do other members of the community take responsibility for providing Lisa and Todd shelter in the community?
How does the loss of Lisa and Todd’s house play into the development of the plot?
Why do you think Tom Logan destroyed Lisa and Todd’s house by burning it down?
How does the author unfold the plot using the burning of the house while Lisa and Todd are away getting supplies from the secret place (grocery warehouse)?
How does Lisa use celebration to build community spirit? How does this tie into engagement and building a better society?
What method did the author use to give the reader insight into Lisa’s inner turmoil?
What is your impression of Tom Logan and his gang for burning down Lisa and Todd’s house while they were gone?
What can you infer from the plot of how Lisa will respond to this new tragedy of having her house burned down?
Make a list of the leaders in the book who show engagement and the leaders who do not promote the common good.

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 106

“Lisa wasn’t paying attention. ‘Why?’ was all she could say over and over, in her mind. ‘Why?’ It was more than just a house. Her confidence and her joy and her wanting to rebuild things began to leave her. Her dreams and plans were destroyed with the house.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Think about how you might feel if somebody burned down your house while you were away one night doing something important to help your community. As a leader, how would you respond? Remember that good leaders do not retaliate; they promote the good of the community they are living in. What would be some of the thoughts going through your mind as you watched the ember and ashes of the house in the darkness when you returned home later that night? Begin creating an explanatory list of thoughts and emotions you would have if this tragedy occurred to you. Make sure you use descriptive words to convey your feelings and explain your thoughts. Provide a heading and other essential formatting items (bullets or numbered list). When you have finished your list, use a computer to create a word-processed copy.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

Some people choose to make others afraid by bullying them, or destroying what they have in this world. What can nobody take away from you because it exists inside of you? How are you protecting who you are on the inside so nobody can change who you are?

Day 11

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What does sharing do to help a community?

A community works well together when the members learn to share the labor and the rewards of their labor. Sharing involves commitment and communication. Everyone has strengths that help a community to become stronger when those strengths are utilized. Assigning tasks that utilize a person’s strengths helps build a stronger community. When there is a harvest of food to be shared, each person has earned a share by doing work that helped in making the harvest successful, directly or indirectly using his or her strengths.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

jumbled (109)

wood scraps (110)

clamored (110)

soothe (113)

personalities (114)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 107-116

Setting	Characters	Pages
Author’s reflection	None	107
Jill’s house	Lisa, Jill, Charlie, Steve, Craig, Todd, and children at Jill’s house	108-116
Lake Ellyn	Lisa	116

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Lisa reflects on the fire that destroyed her home, becoming paralyzed mentally and emotionally.
Jill has problems with the children not sharing toys.
Lisa comes out of her pondering issues and proposes a solution for the children.
Jill is not confident the solution will work, but patiently listens to Lisa.
Lisa meets with leaders concerning defenses that did not seem to work in prevention of the burning down of her home, even telling Charlie to shut up.
Lisa leaves Jill’s house to reflect on the meeting at Lake Ellyn.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions:

Add to the map details about the burning down of Lisa and Todd’s home. Can you use any specific passages from the text to add more details to your map?

KWL Instructions:

Create a whole class KWL chart about arson.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know about arson?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know about it?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned about arson from the reading or other informational sources?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete.

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Create a movie poster for The Girl Who Owned A City.

Materials:

Poster paper or large sheet of butcher paper
Glue and construction paper
Pencils, pens, crayons, markers

Instructions:

Step One:

With a partner, discuss the most important events of this novel so far.
Create a list of the most intense and action-packed scenes. Then decide on the one scene that would best represent the novel.

Step Two:

Begin working on the illustration for the movie poster. Make sure the scene you have chosen shows the characters and setting of the novel.
Create a ‘tagline’ or short slogan that will hook viewer’s attention and make them want to watch the movie.

Step Three:

Finish the illustration and caption for your movie poster.
Share your work with the class.
Be sure to include the title of the movie at the top of the poster.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why does Nelson have Lisa pondering on her feelings about the burning down of her house for so long?
Why does Jill have so much patience with Lisa’s quandary of what to do next?
What does Lisa learn from her reflective pondering about the fire that destroyed her home?
How are the children doing with Jill’s focus on sharing their toys?
How does Nelson’s style of writing draw you into the mind of the characters?
How does the context of the children not sharing at Jill’s house provide Lisa with a new focus for the growth of the community of Grandville Avenue?
Why does Charlie go off verbally on Lisa?
In what ways is this story different than your life experience with friends?
What do you anticipate will happen to Lisa with her renewed focus to help the community become stronger?
Who would you say is the best leader among all the characters in the novel? Why? Use examples from the text to support your claim.

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 109

“Her thoughts were all jumbled. I’m such a fool, she said to herself. I talked about changing things, and now things have changed me. I thought I could do anything, and I made such a big deal out of what I would do. Just look at me now. I am just another orphan.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Nelson writes, “Having things is something but not everything. Earning values for your life is more than something. It is everything.” Values are important ingredients to building a better leader. Write an informative paragraph about the most important value you have learned in your life, and how it makes you a better leader and citizen. Be sure to use details and reflection to inform the reader as to the ‘who, what, when, where, and why’ of your learning experience. Use vocabulary that is relevant to the topic and maintain a formal and appropriate tone in your writing. Include a concluding sentence that clearly summarizes the information presented in your paragraph.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

Conflict happens in life all the time, but how we respond or react to conflicts in our lives tells us more about how we solve problems than about the actual conflict issue. What are some good ways to deal with conflict that we have learned in this novel thus far?

Day 12

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What does fear do to a person attempting to make a decision?

Fear is a powerful emotion. When a person has a lot of fear the whole body is affected. The blood pressure goes up, there are many hormones creating a mindset in the brain… fight or flight? The greater the fear, the more the body reacts and prepares to defend or run from what is causing the fear. The brain goes into automatic overdrive… regular processes stop and thinking can be paralyzed until the cause of the fear is resolved. Two great fears overshadow all other fears in the human race – the fear from a loud noise, and the fear of falling. Being alone and being rejected are close behind those two great fears. Fear can create paralysis of thoughts and actions of a person.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

moat (117)

obviously (119)

plotters (120)

specialty (122)

disappeared (124)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 117-125

Setting	Characters	Pages
Lake Ellyn	Lisa	117-118
Jill Jansen’s house	Lisa, Jill, Eileen, Missy, Craig, Charlie, Todd,	118-125

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Lisa clears her thoughts while visiting Lake Ellyn.
Lisa thinks up a new idea of using the high school as a castle for the entire Grandville neighborhood.
Easily defended, Glenbard would be a perfect location for all the children.
Lisa returns and shares her idea of using Glenbard as a castle, but unsure how her idea will be received.
Trucks, trained attack dogs, plus her plan to centralize the community was shared with the neighborhood – everyone agreed and asked how soon.
Todd got a long story that night to explain the concepts Lisa had formed for protecting the neighborhood.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions:

Add to the map: Glenbard High School and the garage of Eileen’s dad on Geneva Road.

KWL Instructions:

Continue adding to the whole class KWL chart for arson.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know about the subject?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned from today’s reading?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Pros and Cons Chart

Create a 2-column chart of pros and cons of using Glenbard as a castle.

Materials:

Large sheet of paper or butcher paper
Markers and pencils

Instructions:

Step One:

With a partner, discuss Lisa’s idea to use Glenbard as a castle. Do you personally think it is a good idea? Why or why not?
Listen while your partner is sharing, and make note of any different viewpoints they bring up.

Step Two:

Create a 2-column chart - one side will list the ‘pros’ of using Glenbard as a castle and the other side will list the ‘cons’
Make sure you have at least 4 reasons on each side of the chart.
Include a chart title and feel free to add any illustrations to clarify the pros and cons

Step Three:

Display your chart somewhere in the classroom.
Once all the charts are displayed, be sure to take time to read and reflect on lists that other groups have produced.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why does Nelson develop a basis for comparison within the novel, Lisa to other characters within a small section of the story?
What did you think of Charlie’s desire to argue about being able to train attack dogs?
Why did the characters all seem ready to jump on board with Lisa’s idea for the school to become their castle?
Why did Lisa pick the high school for the Grand Avenue community?
How does Nelson draw the reader into the story by her descriptions of settings?
How did the characters demonstrate taking leadership in their community by deciding to move to the high school?
What did you think of how Grand Avenue makes decisions?
What is your impression of how Lisa overcame her fear with activity?
How did the author weave in the new idea of the high school being a solution to many of the problems faced by the children?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 120

“They listened carefully as she presented the details of the plan. There were no smiles and no jokes, just nodding. They could see her point that the houses on Grand Avenue were spread too far apart to defend. The fire had taught them a lesson. Their own houses might be next.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Making choices can be difficult sometimes. Before you begin writing, think about a time when you had to make a difficult decision that took some time to formulate, and how you collected information to make the responsible right choice for that decision. What was difficult and unclear? What helped you to make the right decision? How did this experience help you become a better leader? Did your community help you?

Next, write an explanatory paragraph about your own experience of making a choice that required planning and reflection. Be sure to describe the situation using appropriate vocabulary and a forma tone. Provide transitions (Next, Then, Also) to make your writing as clear as possible. Add a one-sentence conclusion that helps summarize your ideas and bring your paragraph to a close.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

Everyone has to make choices in life each day. What is your basis for making right choices in taking responsibility for your life?

Day 13

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What is a ghost town?

A ghost town is a term used for an abandoned town or city of buildings where nobody lives any more, or for a semi-abandoned town or city where only a few people live now. There are many western ghost towns where people built towns in the United States, but later abandoned them due to a change of the economic support of the town, a natural or human-caused disaster, such as a change of trade routes by wagon trains, or a new highway or railroad built far from the town. It may also be caused by the government’s purchase of the town and forcing the people to move away to make way for a project for the land.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

precious (127)

astounded (128)

memorized (129)

eventually (131)

particular (134)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 126-135

Setting	Characters	Pages
Jill’s house	Lisa, Todd	126-128
Glenbard High School	35 Grand Avenue community members	128-135

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

The Grand Avenue community moves at night to Glenbard High School.
Strict requirements are laid out for each member during the first phase of building.
Craig chooses his captains – Todd Nelsen, Steve Cole, Kevin, and his three roommates.
The children are shown the layout of the new “castle” from the strategy room, living areas, game room, and kitchen to the library, hospital, and armory.
Additional rooms, like the automobile shop and woodworking classroom, would be prepared and utilized.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions:

Create any locations or changes to information at a location from this section of the novel.

KWL Instructions:

Create a new whole class KWL chart for ghost towns.

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Open Mind Portrait

Create an Open Mind Portrait for Kevin, Steve Cole, or another character you have not made an open mind portrait for yet, or you may want to add thoughts or self-talk for a character already created.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why do you think Nelson takes so long to develop the Glenbard setting in detail and explain the new roles of characters in the setting?
Who knows what Lisa will use the strategy room for in the future? Why?
How can you tell that the training is preparing everyone for goals way in the future?
What are the characters learning about Lisa’s plan for the community’s future?
How is Nelson keeping the reader interested in the development of the plot?
What is your impression of Craig as the person selected for the role of militia general? Is he a leader who shows engagement and civic engagement? Why or why not?
Why might you feel strongly about being a part of such a grand plan Lisa has proposed to the community?
What are your feelings about the secret move from Grand Avenue to Glenbard High School?
How do you think Lisa handle her leadership role to promote the common good of the community members?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 132

“She told them that Glenbard was now her private property and that they were all welcome to stay. But she wanted everyone to do something to support the city. She wanted and need them with her. But they had to know the rules.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Have you ever had to move? What emotions did you feel? Now think about what your feelings might be if you have to move from your house where you have lived a long time to a high school so you could survive. Write an explanatory paragraph describing how you would feel if you were in that situation. Use examples from your own life or the novel to compare your emotions to those of the characters. Be sure to provide a conclusion that summarizes your feelings.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

How does your school prepare you for taking responsibility for your life in the future?

Day 14

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What is a city council?

A city council is a group of chosen or elected people who govern a city. The city council decides how the city will operate to protect the rights of each citizen of the city. City councils help with infrastructure, budgeting, and the special projects of a city. The city manager is the chief administrator of the city and is appointed by the mayor and city council.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

preparation (136)

chamber (137)

possibility (138)

ramparts (139)

complimented (141)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 136-145

Setting	Characters	Pages
Glenbard High School	Julie, Nancy, Jill, Lisa, Craig, Charlie,	136-145

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

The Lisa and Jill helped prepare Glenbard for the arrival of its citizens.
The council met, with Lisa leading, to discuss future plans for Glenbard.
Glenbard defense plan had to be better than Grand Avenue, and learning from the mistakes made.
The council decided to weld metal plates over all the first floor windows.
The roof defense plan was carried out in detail.
At night the Glenbard citizens went into town to get supplies, equipment, and books from the library.
The council debates about allowing new citizens to become part of Glenbard.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions:

Add any information to the map on a location needing more details.

KWL Instructions:

Continue adding to the whole class KWL chart about ghost towns.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know about them?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you still Want to know?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned about ghost towns from today’s reading and other informational sources?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Diorama

Create a diorama of Glenbard.

Materials:

Empty shoe box or tissue box
Construction paper
Figurines (optional)
Glue and scissors
Other materials to create a realistic depiction of Glenbard (students can be creative)

Instructions:

Step One:

With a partner, discuss what Glenbard looks like, both on the inside and outside. Use details from the text to guide your discussion.
Create a rough sketch of what you believe the inside and outside of Glenbard looks like.

Step Two:

Using a variety of materials (see list above), begin working on a 3-dimensional diorama that shows the characters inside Glendard. What colors and items from the book can you represent in your diorama? Be innovative and creative with the materials you use.

Step Three:

Share your diorama with the class. Provide feedback to at least 2 peers on their diorama.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why does Nelson take so much time with explaining the details of the defenses of the city at Glenbard High School?
How does the characters thoughts and explanation help make the reader focus on all the parts of the story that are being developed at the same time?
Does real life develop much like the way Nelson writes this novel?
How is leadership portrayed in the novel so far? Which characters show leadership and engagement?
Why do you think Lisa wants to prevent the city citizen from having face-to-face fighting?
What mood does the author create in the development of the plot with the citizens creating the defenses, getting supplies and materials from town, and doing it all in secret as quietly as possible?
When would you have exercised leadership and engagement in your city if a similar situation occurred there?
What do you anticipate will happen when Tom Logan gets a chance attack Glenbard?
Why does Jill attempt to convince Lisa that the city does not just belong to her, but to everyone who has had a part of working to make it their city. How does this tie into the theme of leadership requires engagement and the idea of working towards the common good of a community?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 138

“Their plans were very detailed. They tried to consider every possibility and take no chances. The mistakes of Grandville were mentioned. This time they wanted to be sure.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Before you begin writing, take a moment to reflect on the following question: Do you remember a time in your life when you had to take leadership and make a decision using good judgment so you would be safe? If so, what factors did you consider in making that decision? How did you make sure you were helping your community?

Use those factors to create a informative paragraph in which you clearly present the steps you took to make an important decision as a leader. Use details from your life, and compare your experience with that of the characters in the book. What is similar and what is different? Use a formal tone and be sure to include vocabulary that ties in with the topic. Finish your paragraph with a conclusion that summarizes the main points of your writing.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

Why should people in a community respond correctly to a plan that takes responsibility for their lives and keeps them cared for and secure?

Day 15

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What is resistance?

The idea of resistance is used in physics as well as politics. Electrical resistance is the opposition of the electrons to flow through a specific substance. Political resistance is the opposition to what another group or party wants done. During WWII, the French underground resistance forces opposed the German occupation forces, attacking those forces in hit and run tactics. Political parties can resist changes by using political power to oppose the changes being promulgated by another political party within a country. Resistance means to push against, or back.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

mysteriously (146)

skeptical (148)

harsher (152)

hideous (154)

resistance (155)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 146-156

Setting	Characters	Pages
Glenbard High School	Lisa, Craig, Charlie, Jill, Steve, Todd, Jody, Tom Logan, and over 700 children within the walls of Glenbard High School and in Logan’s gang	146-156

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

January 16^th, Glenbard lights up at night and celebrates its beginning.
The city of Glenbard grows to over 500 children in just fifteen months.
Craig remains as the head of the militia, repulsing attacks from gangs.
Problems emerged, fights erupted, and the council worked hard solving issues.
Charlie and Craig were concerned about Tom Logan coming back for revenge.
Tom Logan’s gang kills the dogs with poison, captures and shoots Lisa, and then takes over the city without a fight.
Lisa was powerless to stop Tom Logan’s takeover of Glenbard as the new leader of the city.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions:

Add the change of leadership of the city and additional population at Glenbard.

KWL Instructions:

Create a whole class KWL chart for a coup d’état.

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Bookmark

Discuss with your elbow partner the five to seven qualities necessary for leadership to follow through with action demonstrating engagement. Determine the five to seven necessary qualities needed by you and your elbow partner for leadership to follow through with action demonstrating engagement in your lives, and then put those on the back of your bookmark in bulleted format along with a symbol of leadership requires engagement. On the front of the bookmark should be the title, as listed below. (see Appendix)

Suggested Qualities for Leadership Requires Engagement: Leaders develop and dedicate their talents to promote the common good. This is where they choose to spend their time and effort, Leadership requires positive civic engagement. It is making sure that the communities I am part of are better because I am in them. And that I am better because of the communities I choose to be part of.

Title: Leadership Requires Engagement

Materials:

Pieces of stiff paper (tag board) about 3 inches wide and 8 inches long
Pencils, pens, colored pencils, markers, crayons
Construction paper, scissors, glue sticks
Copies of the photo of scales of justice for each student

Instructions:

Create the front of the bookmark using a symbol and print below the symbol, the title for the bookmark.
List the five to seven elements necessary for leadership to show engagement on the backside using a bulleted format.
Decorate the bookmark using colored pencils, markers, crayons, or ribbon.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why does Lisa struggle with leading the city and yet find the challenge rewarding? Is she a leader who shows engagement?
How would you have responded to the pressures of adding so many new citizens?
How did Nelson teach you about using leadership? Is he a leader who is engaged and concerned with the common good? Provide examples.
What is your opinion of Lisa’s decision to go down the ladder to check on the dogs?
How did Tom Logan plan his revenge and take over the city?
Are Tom’s actions reflective of what a good leader should do? Why or why not?
What factors did Craig make about Tom Logan’s demand to give him the city?
What was your impression of Lisa being shot and injured when she was not armed?
What is the difference between Lisa and Tom’s leadership styles?
What do you think will happen to Glenbard and its citizens under Tom’s leadership?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 156

“Craig had no choice. He turned Glenbard over to Logan without a fight. The girl who built a city was suddenly powerless – a captive, or worse.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Being a good leader requires engagement and working towards the common good. Write an explanatory paragraph about what you have learned from the novel about being a leader who has positive civic engagement. Use reliable online search engines to provide definitions of the terms: leadership, engagement, and civic engagement. Be sure to provide a personal reflection in your writing and transitions to help create a cohesive piece of writing. Provide a conclusion that summarizes the main points of your paragraph.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

Creating leadership involves courage, and making right decisions. When you are the president of a company or a nation, then those decisions affect more than just yourself, and then leadership and engagement helps you make good decisions.

Day 16

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What is involved in preparing for surgery?

Surgery involves preparing the patient and determining what the surgeon will do to help the patient. The area for the first incision has the skin cleaned to prevent infection. The patient is put into a state of unconsciousness to prevent response to pain that might interfere with the surgery. The surgeon and nurses cleanse their hands by scrubbing and all the surgical instruments are sterilized to prevent germs creating infection. Knowing the parts of the body, such as where the bones and blood vessels are located in relationship to the incision is important to reduce blood loss for the patient. The surgeon has many years of schooling and practice before actually performing surgery.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

encounter (159)

cautiously (160)

undisturbed (162)

unconscious (162)

infection (162)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 157-165

Setting	Characters	Pages
Glenbard High School	Lisa, Todd, Craig, Jill, Erika, Tom Logan	157-162
The Swift Road farmhouse	Lisa, Todd, Jill, Craig, and Erika	162-165

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Todd discovers that Lisa is only injured and unconscious, not dead.
Erika helps Todd find Craig and Jill so they can take Lisa away.
Craig, Jill, and Todd put Lisa in Lisa’s car and take her to the old farm.
Jill prepares Lisa for surgery, getting clean cloth, water, sterilizing the razor, and reading about the location of blood vessels in Lisa’s arm.
Todd helps Jill with the surgery because Craig and Erika cannot stand the sight of blood.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions:

Add to the map: the Swift Road old farm and the farmhouse.

KWL Instructions:

Continue adding to the whole class KWL chart for coup d’état.

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Cartoon

Create a cartoon strip showing the main action of Lisa’s surgery.

Materials:

Paper
Pencils, crayons, markers

Instructions:

Step One:

With your elbow partner, discuss the events of today’s chapter. Review the details of Lisa’s surgery, drawing on quotes and passages from the text.
Decide on 5-6 main events you can create illustrations for to put on your cartoon strip.

Step Two:

Begin creating the illustrations and captions for your cartoon strip. Make sure you convey the main events and emotions from this chapter in your cartoon strip.

Step Three:

Finish your cartoon strip - make sure it is detailed and colorful.
Share your work with a partner.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

What was the reason Todd decided to move Lisa to the Swift Road farmhouse?
Why was Jill so concerned about preventing infection?
What was the mood at the Swift River farmhouse as the children prepared for Lisa’s surgery?
What value did Todd see in Jill’s abilities to help Lisa?
What do you think the city (or the book) would be like without Lisa’s leadership?
Why did the author decide to have only Craig, Erika, Todd, Jill, and Lisa go to the farmhouse?
What effect does additional information about Jill’s thinking processes help the plot?
What is your impression of the farmhouse as a place for Lisa’s surgery and recovery that the author developed in this section?
How do you respond to the sight of blood, should we respect those who cannot look at blood during surgery?
What leadership does Tom take on in this chapter?
Have you ever had surgery? Have you ever known someone who had surgery? If so, explain what your experience was like - how was it different from Lisa’s surgery in today’s chapter?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 164

“The sight of the wound would not have shocked nurses in a regular hospital. They might even have said it was minor. But to Jill and Todd, it looked bad. Jill faced an awesome responsibility. Her life is in my hands, she thought. What if she dies? What do I do first?”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Write an informative journal entry from the point of view of either Todd, Jill, Craig or Erica. What was that character thinking and feeling during the events of today’s chapter? Be sure to use the first person point of view in your writing. Inform the reader as to your thoughts and emotions during this time. Use appropriate transitions (First, Then, Also, Next, Last). Be sure to provide details from the chapter to make your writing as clear as possible.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

How does a person take responsibility in a crisis and make a good decision the first time?

Day

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What is done to sterilize something for surgery?

In order to sterilize something for surgery the instrument or materials being used must be free of bacteria that can cause infection. To accomplish this feat, various methods have been used. In the field, heat from open flame and certain chemicals have been used. In a hospital, an autoclave is usually used to produce moist high heat and pressure that kills all microorganisms on any surface being sterilized. Dry heat takes longer, and various other combination methods are used by hospitals, depending on their equipment.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

sterilized (166)

drowsiness (166)

frustrated (168)

ominously (170)

rummaging (170)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 166-172

Setting	Characters	Pages
Swift Road old farmhouse	Lisa, Craig, Jill, Todd, Erika	166-168, 169-172
Glenbard council room	Tom Logan	168-169

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Jill gets Lisa to drink whisky to dull the pain from the surgery.
Todd tells Lisa a story to help her go to sleep.
Tom Logan is angry about Lisa being shot because he did not want her to get hurt that way.
Todd was now the leader of 700 people at Glenbard High School.
Lisa begins thinking right away of how to take back the city again.
Craig, Todd, and Erika go to the farm across the road for food and supplies.
Lisa decides she needs a spy to check out what is happening at Glenbard.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions:

Add any new locations from this section of the novel.

KWL Instructions:

Continue adding to the whole class KWL chart for the novel.

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Open Mind Portrait

Add thoughts or self-talk to the characters in this section, Lisa, Jill, Craig, Todd, Erika, and Tom Logan. Create any character, if you do not already have an open mind portrait of the character.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

When do you think will Lisa will be strong enough to travel back and retake Glenbard from Tom Logan?
What is happening inside of Tom Logan as he begins thinking about leading the city? Do you think he would be a good leader, one who would make the community a better place? Why or why not?
Who finally has to face his internal fears that plague his thoughts?
How do you think Nelson uses the farm to help Craig with planning for his future?
In what ways does Nelson provide us with an example of leadership and engagement?
How did the author use the text to demonstrate how life can give second chances for those who make a mistake?
What have you learned about leadership in your own life from this novel?
How do you think Lisa will retake the city and be a good leader?
Who do you think will be the winner in retaking Glenbard High School? Why?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 172

“But her thinking has never been clearer. The ideas kept coming. Signals from a spy… a new plan of the city showing Logan’s room… a hired army surrounding the city… disguises for the four of them… a day-light attack on the inside from the tunnel… a signal to the army on the outside…”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Based on what you have learned in the novel thus far, does being a leader who acts with engagement and respects the common good seem like a reasonable goal? Write an explanatory paragraph of ways that you will use leadership and engagement to work for the betterment of your community in the coming months. Be sure to provide well-reasoned explanations and details as to how you will accomplish your goal. Use transitions, provide a conclusion, and maintain a formal tone in your writing.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

Taking responsibility for your life involves planning and using ideas to make good decisions. Brainstorming is one way of generating lots of ideas to help make a good plan and good decisions about using the plan.

Day 18

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What helps a body replenish lost blood from a wound?

The human body makes blood cells in the stuff found in bone marrow and the liver helps produce nutrients in blood plasma. In order for those cells to be created, the body needs fuel from food, oxygen from breathing, and water absorbed into the bloodstream. So, a healthy diet and drinking water helps a patient produce new blood for the body and recover from the loss of blood from a wound.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

dumbfounded (173)

delirious (173)

delicious (174)

disguise (177)

disbelief (177)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 173-180

Setting	Characters	Pages
Swift Road farmhouse	Lisa, Craig, Jill, Erika, and Todd	173-180

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Lisa has perfected her plan in her mind to retake her city, Glenbard.
Jill has prepared a breakfast for Lisa, including an egg found at the farm across the road.
Todd volunteers to spy; Lisa asks Jill to come up with an effective disguise.
Craig’s investigation of the farm helps him decide he wants to stay there.
Jill helps Todd with a disguise, Lisa likes it, briefs Todd on the mission.
Everyone worried about Todd on his spy mission to Glenbard.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions:

Add to the map new locations or activities at locations .

KWL Instructions:

Create a whole class KWL chart for the novel.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know that you haven’t already discovered?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned from the book from today’s reading?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Acrostic Poem

Create a vertical acrostic poem for a character of your choice from the novel.

Materials:

Pencils, pens, crayons, markers
Construction paper

Instructions:

Step One:

With your elbow partner, discuss which character you will choose to make an acrostic poem for.
Brainstorm a list of descriptive words and phrases to go along with that character.

Step Two:

Write each letter of the character’s name vertically on the left hand side of a blank piece of construction paper.
Write a descriptive word or phrase that goes along with each letter in the character’s name. Use details from the text to be as descriptive as possible.

Step Three:

Share your poem with a partner and provide feedback to them.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why do you think Nelson has Craig deciding to confront Lisa and stay on the farm?
How did the author create imagery in your mind of Todd dressed up as a girl spy?
How did Nelson use Craig to convey a new value of Craig taking responsibility for his own life and making his own decision to satisfy his own goals?
What attitude did Craig convey when he confronted Lisa about “my city” versus “our city” and how her ideas had failed to protect them?
What effects are created when Lisa was confronted about her thought processes?
What is your impression of the interchange between Craig and Lisa?
What do you think Lisa will do concerning retaking the city now that Craig has decided to stay on the farm?
Why was Craig so tired of fighting Lisa’s battles for her ideas and desires?
What do you predict will happen when Lisa goes to retake the city now that Craig wants to not fight any more?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 180

“No, he said flatly. ‘Lisa, I think you should give it up and stay here with Erika and me on this farm. Why keep fighting?”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Describe your thoughts about Craig’s decision to stop fighting Lisa’s battles as her general. Do you agree or disagree with Craig? Explain your thoughts and feelings in an explanatory paragraph. Use details from the story as well as tour own personal experience. Be sure to use transitions in your writing as well as a conclusion that creates a coherent whole.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

When taking responsibility for your life, is fighting the prudent method to always protect what you have obtained? Some communities and countries negotiate instead of fighting. Which leadership qualities are most important in dire situations? Make a list.

Day 19

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What makes a person afraid of survival?

The greatest fear is fear itself was the idea conveyed by President F. D. Roosevelt during his inaugural address. Fear creates a paralysis, according to President Roosevelt. Dealing with the great economic depression, following the stock market crash of 1930, meant dealing with the fears of the people of the United States. Putting people back to work and helping them survive, and then become successful again helped put to rest those fears. Personal fears caused many people to give up, commit suicide, or turn to abusing substances to avoid dealing with reality. The joy of accomplishment, creative effort, strong leadership, and belief in success are the hallmarks for overcoming fear of survival.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

accomplish (181)

hostage (183)

suspicious (184)

reflections (186)

motorcade (189)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 181-190

Setting	Characters	Pages
Swift Road farmhouse	Lisa, Craig, Jill, Todd, Charlie,	181-185
Arco station on Swift Road	Lisa, Todd, Charlie, 55 soldiers	186-188
Convoy of 8 vehicles going to Lombard, Villa Park, Wheaton	Lisa, Todd, Charlie, 55 soldiers, Scott Mennie	188-190

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

Lisa and Todd arrive at the Arco station and wait for Charlie.
Charlie, eight vehicles, and 55 soldiers show up at the Arco station.
Lisa unveils the plan to Charlie and the soldiers.
The convoy heads to Lombard, Villa Park, and Wheaton.
The kids at Lombard are leaderless and afraid, Villa Park is full of the smell of death, and Wheaton has an angry leader named Scott Donald Mennie.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions:

Add to the Epiphany map: six big yellow school buses for Epiphany Boosters.

KWL Instructions:

Continue adding to the whole class KWL chart for the novel.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Open Mind Portrait

Create an OMP for Scott Donald Mennie or the King of Chicago. Add any thoughts or self-talk to other characters as appropriate based on today’s reading.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why does Nelson keep giving us so much detail about what Lisa is thinking and planning as the novel is wrapping up?
Why did Lisa get upset with the soldier who seemed to not be listening?
What caused Tom to mistreat children in the city?
What is your evaluation of the way Nelson lays out sections of text for the novel?
What problem is overcome in this section of the novel?
Where did you learn more about how Lisa will solve the problem of retaking the city?
How does Lisa value Charlie’s loyalty?
How did Lisa’s reaction to Scott Mennie’s attitude underscore Craig’s evaluation of Lisa?
What is the tone of the text as Lisa and the convoy departed Wheaton?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 190

“Lisa never wanted to hurt anybody, not even Tom Logan. But now she smashed her fist into the face of the Wheaton general.”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Describe your feelings and thoughts about how the army mocked Scott Mennie’s name, and then Lisa’s reaction to Scott Mennie mocking Lisa being the leader of the 55 soldiers in relationship to the concept of leadership requiring engagement. Was Lisa’s reaction logical or merely emotional? Write an explanatory paragraph about Lisa’s reaction and describe if it is logical or emotional. Provide at least three reasons from the text to support your stance. Maintain a formal tone throughout your writing and be sure to provide a conclusion that sums up your ideas. Use transitions such as also, next, then, last to create a cohesive whole.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

If leadership requires acting for the common good, how can someone help determine what the common good would be in any given situation? Discuss.

Day 20

Outcomes for Today

Prepare

Background

Gather background knowledge about a place, time, event, person, or thing.

What were the Dark Ages?

The Dark Ages was a period in human history in Europe in the early medieval period (470-800 AD) when there were plagues that killed thousands of people, along with economic and cultural deterioration. There was frequent warfare, urban civilization disappeared, and feudalism arose across Europe. It was a time when fear seemed to reign in the minds and hearts of humanity, intellectualism diminished, whereas spiritualism and superstition rose.

Word Wall

Here are five vocabulary words to teach and add to the Word Wall.

celebrating (192)

tortured (192)

victoriously (196)

boast (198)

inspired (200)

Read

Review

Review the timeline from the beginning every day.

Mention the setting and main character(s) of The Girl Who Owned a City.
Point to each timeline event as you quickly review it.
Revisit the map and the KWL chart you previously made.

Read

Read the selection, usually in a Shared Reading Read React Predict Cycle of 2-3 pages.

Read pp. 191-200

Setting	Characters	Pages
Convoy of 55 soldiers and their leaders, Charlie and Lisa	Lisa, Todd, Charlie, and 55 soldiers	191
Swift Road farmhouse	Lisa, Todd, Charlie, Craig, Erika, 55 soldiers and about 300 children from the city of Glenbard	191-194
Glenbard High School – the city	Lisa, Charlie, Todd, 55 soldiers, and the crowd of 300 children from the farmhouse	194-200

Respond

Timeline

Agree on the facts in today’s reading, and list the 3-5 most important on the Timeline.

Students might mention:

The motorcade heads back to Swift Road farmhouse to re-plan.
The farmhouse has about 300 refugees from Glenbard celebrating Lisa.
Lisa could not figure out how the city knew she was alive and at the farm.
Lisa re-planned her strategy, wanting to be sure not to make a mistake.
Lisa returned to the city to find it empty, found Logan in the council chamber, and he tricked her, but she confronted his greatest weakness of fear and won the city back as Tom and his diminished gang departed the city.

Map

Add to ongoing class activities like a KWL chart or map: where did the characters go?

Map Instructions:

Add to the map any new locations or details mentioned in this section of the novel.

KWL Instructions:

Finalize the whole class KWL chart for the novel.

Step One: Read the segment you wish to analyze

Step Two: Fill out the K (know) column: What do you Know?

Step Three: Fill out the W (want) column: What do you Want to know?

Step Four: Fill out the L (learn) column: What have you Learned?

Step Five: Review the chart when it is complete

Explore

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

Open Mind Portrait

Add your final thoughts and self-talk to your chosen characters.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types.

Key Questions

Why does Nelson have Tom Logan leaving the city without a fight this time?
What helped Lisa to win back the city?
How does Lisa use engagement to be a better leader?
How have you seen that leadership require engagement in the novel?
What is the most important value the author presents in the novel?
Who learns the most in the novel, Lisa, Todd, Craig, or Tom Logan?
What is the atmosphere that day in the city when Tom Logan left with his gang?
How does resolution come to Lisa as Tom Logan leaves the city?
How is this novel different from any novel you have read?

Analyze

Analyze the key paragraph.

Key Paragraph, pg. 197

“What is it about you that makes you want to fight and steal? Are you afraid that you can’t earn things for yourself? Why do you need to steal what others have worked for?”

Extend

Write

Have each student write a short product based on today’s prompt to connect to the unit theme.

Describe how you felt and what action you might take in the future now that you have learned that leadership requires engagement. Write an informative paragraph that tells the reader what you have learned from the novel and which lesson will stick with you the most. Maintain a formal tone in your writing. Provide a title to your work. Use reflection, definitions, and examples from the book to make your informative paragraph strong.

Close

Close by extending today’s lesson to life and the world.

Acting on behalf of the common good is not always used in making decisions in our world. How can we make a difference in our community by using leadership in taking responsibility for our lives and changing the world we live in?