2 Westward Expansion: Supplemental Guide | Introduction
Lesson Implementation
It is important to note that the interactive activities in the Tr a ns ition
Supplemental Guide count on the teacher as the “ideal reader” to lead
discussions, model proper language use, and facilitate interactions
among student partners.
It is highly recommended that teachers preview the read-aloud, Flip
Book images, and comprehension questions to determine when to
pause during the read-aloud and ask guiding questions. To check for
understanding—especially before a diffi cult point is to be presented—you
might say, “While we are reading this part of the read-aloud, I want you
to think about.. .,” or you could ask supplementary questions, such as
Who/What/When/Where/Why literal questions.Student Grouping
Teachers are encouraged to assign partner pairs prior to beginning a
domain, and partners should remain together for the duration of the
domain. If possible, English Language Learners should be paired with
native English speakers, and students who have limited English oral
language skills should be paired with students who have strong English
language skills. Keep in mind that in some instances that beginning
English Language Learners would benefit from being in a group of three.
Also, pairing an older student or an adult volunteer with a student who
has a disability may prove to be an advantage for that student. Partnering
in this way promotes a social environment where all students engage in
collaborative talk and learn from one another.
In addition, there are various opportunities where students of the same
home-language work together, fostering their first-language use and
existing knowledge to construct deeper meanings about new information.Graphic Organizers and Domain-Wide Activities
Several different organizers and domain-wide activities are included to
aid students in their learning of the content in the Westward Expansion
domain.- Westward Expansion Timeline—Instructional Master 1A-1 shows
a completed Westward Expansion Timeline. Create a timeline that
displays, in chronological order, the items addressed in this domain.
Beginning in Lesson 2, students can start filling in their own Westward