Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys - 2011 Grade 3

Unit 4/Week 3
Title: A Tree Is Growing
Suggested Time: 5 days (45 minutes per day)
Common Core ELA Standards: RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.3, RI.3.4, RI.3.5, RI.3.7; W.3.2, W.3.4; SL.3.1, SL.3.2;
L.3.1, L.3.2

Teacher Instructions
Refer to the Introduction for further details.
Before Teaching
1. Read the Big Ideas and Key Understandings and the Synopsis. Please do not read this to the students. This is a description for
teachers about the big ideas and key understanding that students should take away after completing this task.
Big Ideas and Key Understandings
Trees are made up of many important parts that grow and change.
Synopsis
This informational text describes the ways in which trees are made up of many important parts that grow and change. A
tree’s leaves help the tree to grow by making food for the tree. The tree’s roots grow underground to hold the tree in place
and to bring water to it. The outer layer of bark does not grow, but just under the bark is a layer called the cambium. As the
cambium grows, the tree gets wider. Flowers grow on trees in the spring, and parts of the flowers become seeds. In cooler
 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys - 2011 Grade 3

climates, trees stop growing in the autumn. Many trees have leaves that change color and fall to the ground. Trees rest in the
winter, but begin the cycle over again in the spring.
2. Read entire main selection text, keeping in mind the Big Ideas and Key Understandings.
3. Re-read the main selection text while noting the stopping points for the Text Dependent Questions and teaching Vocabulary.
During Teaching
1. Students read the entire main selection text independently.
2. Teacher reads the main selection text aloud with students following along. (Depending on how complex the text is and the
amount of support needed by students, the teacher may choose to reverse the order of steps 1 and 2.)
3. Students and teacher re-read the text while stopping to respond to and discuss the questions and returning to the text. A variety
of methods can be used to structure the reading and discussion (i.e.: whole class discussion, think-pair-share, independent
written response, group work, etc.)

Text Dependent Questions

Text-dependent Questions Evidence-based Answers

Why does the author tell us a big tree may seem like it has The author is calling our attention to the idea that a tree grows
always been big? (Pg. 74) and changes. This is the main idea of the selection.
Reread page 76. What is the important information on this Leaves make a special kind of sugar that the tree uses for food.
page?
Use the information on page 77 to define tree sap. Why is tree Tree sap is juice inside a tree that is mixed with the sugary
sap important? water made in leaves. Sap can be found in the trunk and
branches of a tree.

The sap carries the sugary water, which is food for the tree,
 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys - 2011 Grade 3

throughout the tree.

Some types of sap can have a strong smell, which protects the
tree from insects.
Look at the illustration along the right-hand side of page 78. The Baobob tree is able to survive during times where there is
What do you learn about the Baobob tree from this illustration plenty of water and during dry times.
and caption?
The tree at the top is storing extra water. Its trunk is round. At
this time, the tree is able to store plenty of water. The tree at
the bottom is thinner. This must be a dry time. The tree has
used the water stored in its trunk.

Look at the diagram on page 79. Use information from the text This diagram shows water traveling up a branch and to the
on page 79 to describe what is happening in this diagram. leaves of a tree. The text says that water moves up as if it is
being sucked through a straw.
What are the main jobs of a tree’s roots? (Pg. 81) The tree’s roots hold the tree in place and absorb water from
the soil to carry to the tree. The tree’s roots absorb minerals
that help the tree to grow. These minerals are dissolved in the
water.
How do trees benefit from mushrooms? How do mushrooms Mushrooms help the tree to get minerals. A tree’s roots bring
benefit from trees? (Pg. 81) water to mushrooms.
Look at the diagram on page 84. Use the diagram and the text The cambium is a layer of growing bark. It is located
on pages 84 and 85 to define cambium. underneath the outer bark and the phloem.
Why does the author show us two trees along the left-hand In cooler climates, the cambium grows only in the spring and
side of page 84? How are they the same? Different? summer. The top illustration shows that this results in growth
rings that can be used to find the age of a tree. The bottom
illustration shows a tree in the tropical rain forest. In tropical
rain forests, the cambium grows all year long. Therefore, there
are not growth rings visible within these trees.
Review the illustrations on pages 86-87. On page 86, the A tree grows taller only when the tips of its top branches grow
author writes “If you find a mark on a tree trunk today, that upward.
 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys - 2011 Grade 3

mark would stay at the same height for as long as the tree
lives.” What fact about the growth of a tree is the author trying
to make clear?
What is pollen? Why is pollen important? (Caption on pg. 88) Pollen is a powder that is found on a flower. When pollen from
one flower is spread to certain parts of another flower, seeds
can grow.
Look at the illustration on page 90. Many acorns have fallen Most of these seeds will not grow into new trees. Most of
from the oak tree in this picture. Why does this oak tree these acorns will be eaten, crushed, will rot, or they will remain
produce so many seeds? in a place where they cannot take root. Only some of these
seeds will be carried away and dropped or buried by animals to
grow in new places.
When and why do leaves change color? (Pg. 92) Leaves change color in autumn. They change color because
leaves stop making sugary food and lose their green color.
When they lose their green color, you can see the red, brown,
yellow, and orange colors that are also in the leaves.
How are trees that grow in cool climates different from trees Trees that grow in cool climates stop growing in autumn. They
that grow in warmer climates? (Pgs. 84 and 92) lose their leaves and rest in the winter. Trees that grow in
places such as the tropical rain forest grow all year long. They
do not lose their leaves or have a time of rest.
What idea does the author leave us with on page 94? How Trees rest in winter. They may appear to be dead, but in the
does this fit with the rest of the text? spring the cycle of growth described in this selection will begin
again.
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Vocabulary
Culminating Tasks
KEY WORDS ESSENTIAL TO UNDERSTANDING WORDS WORTH KNOWING
General teaching suggestions are provided in the Introduction
TEACHER PROVIDES DEFINITION

Page 77 - oozes
Page 74 - buds
Page 78 - sugary
Page 77 - throughout
Page 80 - columns
Page 81 - absorb
Page 81 - bicolored
Page 84 - climate, rings, tropical
Page 88 - attracted, brush
Page 86 - branches
Page 89 - dangling, clumps
Page 91 - coverings
Page 91 - sprout
not enough contextual clues provided in the

Page 94 - bare, rustling

STUDENTS FIGURE OUT THE MEANING
text

Page 78 - store
Page 79 - passages
Page 81 - dissolve
Page 83 - cork, spines
ext clues are provided in the
text
 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys - 2011 Grade 3

 Re-Read, Think, Discuss, Write

 (Provide students with a diagram of a tree.) Label all of the tree’s important parts. Then, look over your diagram. For each tree
part, explain 1) what makes this part essential to the tree as a whole and 2) how this part grows and changes as the tree grows
and changes.
Answer:
Leaves: These begin as buds and unfold into leaves during the spring. Leaves make sugar, which is used by the tree as food.
Roots: The roots spread out far underground as the tree grows; a little farther than the tree’s branches. The roots hold the
tree in place and absorb water and carry it into the tree.
Flowers: These grow on trees in the spring; flowers attract animals that help to spread pollen. The mixing of pollen in parts of
the flower allows a seed to grow, and seeds grow new plants.
Bark or cambium: Bark is the tree’s skin and protects it. As the tree grows, it adds one new layer or ring of bark each year.
This means that not only does the tree grow up (taller), but it also grows out (wider).
Trunk and branches: The trunk and branches are passageways that carry water and minerals to all parts of the tree. The top
branches grow upward as the trees grows, and the low branches may fall off.

Additional Activities
 This text includes a wide variety of text and graphic features. Text features include captions and words in italics. Graphic features
include illustrations and diagrams. With a partner, look back through the selection. Create a t-chart. One side will be labeled text
features, and the other side will be labeled graphic features. Note the types of text and graphic features you find. Then, discuss
 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys - 2011 Grade 3

the kinds of extra information the text and graphic features add. How do the text and graphic features help you better
understand the text?
Answer: The graphic features help you clearly picture what the author is explaining with words. Also, all of the illustrations
and caption clarify the information presented in the main text and also add other interesting facts and bits of information.
For example, on page 78, there are pictures and explanations of the baobab tree storing water in its trunk. The illustration
compares what a baobab tree looks like in both the wet season and the dry season.

 How do trees adapt to the climate?

Answer: In colder climates trees become dormant in the winter months. Many trees stop making food and lose their leaves.
In warmer climates the tree grows all year long. It is hard to tell how old these trees are because there are no growth rings.
In places with a dry season, some trees, like the Baobob tree, store water in the lower part of the trunk and use this water
until the rainy season starts. In swamps and wetlands, roots can grow down from branches, forming columns of roots that
support the tree.

Note to Teacher
 This text contains an abundance of Tier III domain-specific vocabulary. It will be important for students to understand these
words, in addition to the Tier II academic vocabulary words presented in the vocabulary chart.
 Many specific examples of flora (plants) and fauna (animals) are included in the diagrams of this informational text. Students
could choose a plant or animal pictured in the text and complete a short research project on it. Additionally, teachers could make
numerous connections to science including experiments on the needs of plants, plant parts, and plant functions.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys - 2011 Grade 3

Name ______________________________________________ Date ___________________

“A Tree Is Growing”

1. Why does the author tell us a big tree may seem like it has always been big? (Pg. 74)

2. Reread page 76. What is the important information on this page?

3. Use the information on page 77 to define tree sap. Why is tree sap important?

4. Look at the illustration along the right-hand side of page 78. What do you learn about the
Baobob tree from this illustration and caption?

5. Look at the diagram on page 79. Use information from the text on page 79 to describe what
is happening in this diagram.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys - 2011 Grade 3

6. What are the main jobs of a tree’s roots? (Pg. 81)

7. How do trees benefit from mushrooms? How do mushrooms benefit from trees? (Pg. 81)

8. Look at the diagram on page 84. Use the diagram and the text on pages 84 and 85 to define
cambium.

9. Why does the author show us two trees along the left-hand side of page 84? How are they
the same? Different?

10. Review the illustrations on pages 86-87. On page 86, the author writes “If you find a mark
on a tree trunk today, that mark would stay at the same height for as long as the tree lives.”
What fact about the growth of a tree is the author trying to make clear?
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys - 2011 Grade 3

11. What is pollen? Why is pollen important? (Caption on pg. 88)

12. Look at the illustration on page 90. Many acorns have fallen from the oak tree in this
picture. Why does this oak tree produce so many seeds?

13. When and why do leaves change color? (Pg. 92)

14. How are trees that grow in cool climates different from trees that grow in warmer climates?
(Pgs. 84 and 92)

15. What idea does the author leave us with on page 94? How does this fit with the rest of the
text?
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys - 2011 Grade 3

Supports for English Language Learners (ELLs) to use with Basal

Alignment Project Lessons
When teaching any lesson, it is important to make sure you are including supports to help all students.
We have prepared some examples of different types of supports that you can use in conjunction with
our Basal Alignment Project Lessons to help support your ELLs. They are grouped by when they would
best fit in a lesson. While these supports reflect research in how to support ELLs, these activities can
help ALL students engage more deeply with these lessons. Note that some strategies should be used at
multiple points within a lesson; we’ll point these out. It is also important to understand that these
scaffolds represent options for teachers to select based on students’ needs; it is not the intention that
teachers should do all of these things at every lesson.

Before the reading:

 Read passages, sing songs, watch videos, view photographs, discuss topics (e.g., using the four
corners strategy), or research topics that help provide context for what your students will be
reading. This is especially true if the setting (e.g., 18 th Century England) or topic (e.g., boats) is
one that is unfamiliar to the students.

 Provide instruction, using multiple modalities, on selected vocabulary words that are central to
understanding the text. When looking at the lesson plan, you should note the Tier 2 words,
particularly those words with high conceptual complexity (i.e., they are difficult to visualize,
learn from context clues, or are abstract), and consider introducing them ahead of reading. For
more information on selecting such words, go here. You should plan to continue to reinforce
these words, and additional vocabulary, in the context of reading and working with the text.
(See additional activities in the During Reading and After Reading sections.)

Examples of Activities:
o Provide students with the definition of the words and then have students work together
to create Frayer models or other kinds of word maps for the words.
o When a word contains a prefix or suffix that has been introduced before, highlight how
the word part can be used to help determine word meaning.
o Keep a word wall or word bank where these new words can be added and that students
can access later.
o Have students create visual glossaries for whenever they encounter new words. Then
have your students add these words to their visual glossaries.
o Create pictures using the word. These can even be added to your word wall!
o Create lists of synonyms and antonyms for the word.
o Have students practice using the words in conversation. For newcomers, consider
providing them with sentence frames to ensure they can participate in the conversation.
o Practice spelling the words using different spelling practice strategies and decoding
strategies. Students could take turns spelling with a partner.
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 Use graphic organizers to help introduce content.

Examples of Activities:
o Have students fill in a KWL chart about what they will be reading about.
o Have students research setting or topic using a pre-approved website and fill in a chart
about it. You could even have students work in groups where each group is assigned
part of the topic.
o Have students fill in a bubble map where they write down anything that they find
interesting about the topic while watching a video or reading a short passage about the
topic. Then students can discuss why they picked the information.

During reading:

 Read the text aloud first so that ELLs can hear the passage read by a fluent reader before
working with the text themselves.

 Allow ELLs to collaborate in their home languages to process content before participating in
whole class discussions in English. Consider giving them the discussion questions to look over in
advance (perhaps during the first read) and having them work with a partner to prepare.

 Encourage students to create sketch-notes or to storyboard the passage when they are reading
it individually or with a partner. This will help show if they understand what they are reading as
they are reading it.

 Ask questions related to the who, what, when, why, and how of the passage. For students that
may need a little more help, provide them with sentence stems.

 Continue to draw attention to and discuss the words that you introduced before the reading.
Examples of Activities:
 Have students include the example from the text in their glossary that they created.
 Create or find pictures that represent how the word was used in the passage.
 Practice creating sentences using the word in the way it was using in the passage.
 Have students discuss the author’s word choice.

 Use graphic organizers to help organize content and thinking.

Examples of Activities:
 Have students fill in a chart to keep track of their 5ws while they read to help them
summarize later and figure out the central idea of a passage.
 It may again be beneficial to have somewhere for students to store new words that they
encounter while reading the text. Students could use a chart to keep track of these new
words and their meanings as they read.
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 If you had students fill in a KWL, have them fill in the “L” section as they read the
passage.
 Utilize any illustrations or text features that come with the story or passage to better
understand the reading.
 Compare/contrast the passage with what the illustrations convey about the passage.
Have students consider if the illustrations look the way they visualized the passage in
their own minds or if the passage matches their predictions based on the illustrations.
 Identify any text features such as captions and discuss how they contribute to meaning.

After reading:
 Present directions for any post-reading assignments orally and visually; repeat often; and ask
English Language Learners to rephrase.

 Allow ELLs to use English language that is still under development. Students should not be
scored lower because of incorrect spelling or grammar (unless the goal of the assignment is to
assess spelling or grammar skills specifically). When grading, be sure to focus on scoring your
students only for the objective(s) that were shared with students.

 Scaffold questions for discussions so that questioning sequences include a mix of factual and
inferential questions and a mix of shorter and more extended responses. Questions should
build on each other and toward inferential and higher-order-thinking questions. There are not
many factual questions already listed in the lesson instructions, so you will need to build some in
as you see fit. More information on this strategy can be found here.

 Reinforce new vocabulary using multiple modalities

Examples of activities:
 Using the words that you had students work with before reading, have students write
sentences in reference to the passage that you just finished reading.
 Require students to include the words introduced before reading in the culminating
writing task.
 For newcomers, print out pictures that represent the words that you focused on and
have students match the words to the pictures.
 Based on different features of the words, have the students sort them into different
categories and explain their choices. For example, the students could sort the words by
prefixes, suffixes, connotation, etc.

 After reading the passage, continue to examine important sentences (1–2) in the text that
contribute to the overall meaning of the text. Guide students to break apart these sentences,
analyze different elements, and determine meaning. More information on how to do this,
including models of sentence deconstruction, can be found here.
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 Provide differentiated scaffolds for writing assignments based on students’ English language
proficiency levels.

Examples of Activities:
 For all students, go over the prompt in detail, making sure to break down what the
prompt means before having the students get to work. Then have the students explain
the directions back to you.
 Have students create an evidence tracking chart during reading, then direct them to
look back over their evidence chart and work with a group to see if their evidence
matches what the rest of the class wrote down. If some of the chart does not match,
students should have a discussion about why.
 For students who need more support, model the proper writing format for your
students and provide them with a properly formatted example for reference.
 For newcomers, you may consider creating sentence or paragraph frames to help them
to write out their ideas.
 To further discussion about the passage, have students create their own who, what, when,
where, why, and how questions related to the passage to ask each other and have students pair
up and practice asking each other the questions. If available, pair students of the same home
language to support the use of language still under development.