Encourage tinkering with ideas, relationships, connections. Set up situations where students have to find information not readily available in school texts. Provide opportunity for students to design open-ended explorations of the concept. Provide multiple options so students can plan a unique "proof" of learning.

Group work to create one compare/contrast visual tool for final presentation.; Vocabulary word illustration

Book groups work together to create one Double Bubble that compares/contrasts element or character as determined by the teacher specific to that book. Will be presented at Book Expert Presentation in step 8.
Rubrics determined ahead of group work to set quality standards.
1. King’s Equal: Raphael to Rosalind
2. Baseball Fever: Ezra to his dad
3. Caring for Carrutherrs: Carruthers to his friends
4. When the Soldiers were Gone: Henk's life during the war
to Benjamin's life after the war

Groups are restructured to complete vocabulary word illustrations on large paper which provides more discussion of unit words. Illustrations are created and displayed.