This unit centers on a novel where the main character’s brother is deployed during the early days of the Iraq War. Students build background knowledge for this novel by reading about the Iraq War, September 11, and Philippe Petit, a high-wire artist whose true story helps students appreciate the cultural significance of the Twin Towers, and the horror of September 11. 

UNIT TEXTS

• The Big Nothing by Adrian Fogelin
• Soldier by Simon Adams
• The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein

The unit begins with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, a lyrical illustrated nonfiction account of the astonishing feat of acrobat Philippe Petit who walked on a tightrope between the World Trade Center’s twin towers in 1974. Next, students read the book Soldier from DK’s Eyewitness series. The appealing layouts and large photographs make this an engaging nonfiction text exploring the life of a soldier. Finally, students read The Big Nothing, a novel set in the early days of the Iraq War, detailing the anxieties of a family whose older son is serving in the military.

FLUENCY TOPICS

September 11, the timeline of the conflict in Iraq, everyday life for civilians during the Iraq War, military families, reasons for enlisting, IEDs, new roles for women in the military, rehabilitation of injured soldiers, PTSD 

FOCUS

Literary analysis

• Characterization in fiction

Reading comprehension

• Predicting and confirming/disconfirming predictions as a component of Reciprocal Teaching
• Previewing nonfiction using the table of contents, index, and illustrations
• Skimming and scanning as nonfiction reading strategies

Decoding

• Pronouncing vowel teams
• Identifying syllables as units within words
• VC|CV syllable division rule

Debate

• Was Philippe Petit a criminal or a hero?
• What’s next for Justin and Jemmie? 

English language development

• Offering alternatives to extend or deepen awareness of factors that contribute to particular outcomes
• Interpreting figurative language and connotations of words and phrases