Overcoming Challenges with Perseverance

A Themed Literature Unit for Fourth Grade

by Anita Chiddix

Overview

The intended purpose of this unit is to help students understand that it takes perseverance to overcome difficult challenges. Students will learn from the challenging experiences of others (through literature) and consider how they can persevere through their own personal challenges.

Learning Targets

1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of what it means to overcome challenges with perseverance. (concept/generalization)

2. Students will be able to make predictions and inferences based on evidence from the text. (skill/process)

3. Students will be able to summarize and sequence the text in both verbal and written form. (skill/process)

4. Students will actively participate in discussion groups by thinking critically about discussed themes, sharing own ideas, relating to other points of view, and evaluating the group process. (skill/process)

5. Students will be able to identify a personal challenge and consider how to persevere.

(concept/generalization)

Generalizations

• Everyone experiences challenges in life.

• Perseverance takes patience in the face of uncertain outcomes.
• To overcome challenges, you must have confidence in your own strength and abilities.
• It is easier to overcome challenges with perseverance when we have support from family and friends.

Extensions Projects

Character Bookmark OR Story Quilt Square

Service Learning Project: Students write a short book about a personal challenge, illustrate it, and read it to second grade reading buddies.

Annotated Book List

Picture Books to introduce theme

Bunting, E. (1996). Train to somewhere. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

In the late 1800s, Marianne travels westward on the Orphan Train in hopes of being placed with a caring family.

Polacco, P. (1998). Thank you, Mr. Falker. New York, NY: Philomel.

At first, Trisha loves school, but her difficulty learning to read makes her feel dumb, until, in the fifth grade, a new teacher helps her understand and overcome her problem.

Chapter Books for literature circles

Nixon, J.L. (2000). A family apart. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens.
In 1860, when their widowed mother can no longer support them, six siblings are sent on the orphan train by the Children's Aid Society of New York City to live with farm families in Missouri. This book provides a rich look into problems immigrant and orphaned children faced during a difficult time in our developing nation.

Lowry, L. (1989). Number the stars. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

This Newbery-award winning book is the story of a ten-year-old Danish girl who courageously helps to save the family of her Jewish friend. This is a moving story of friendship and bravery.

Hamm, D.J. (1997). Daughter of Suqua. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman.

Through the eyes of ten-year-old Ida of the Suquamish tribe, Hamm describes the lives of the Suquamish people in the early 1900s as they lose their land through treaty agreements with the U.S. government and endure assimilation policies.

Lord, B.B. (1984). In the year of the boar and Jackie Robinson. New York, NY: Harper & Row.

In 1947, Shirley Temple Wong, a Chinese child, comes to Brooklyn where she becomes Americanized at school, in her apartment building, and by her love for baseball.

Read aloud chapter book

Kimmel, E.C. (1999). Ice story: Shackletonπs lost expedition. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Author Elizabeth Kimmel retells the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton's amazing attempt to cross the entire Antarctic continent. The personal stamina, courage, and leadership ability of Shackleton, as he determines to get all his men home, should be a model of courage to readers of any age.