Lesson
1
:
Learning Optimism from Literature
Grade
Grade 4
UNIT
1
•
Optimism
In Unit 1, Lesson 1, “Learning Optimism from Literature,” students will learn examples of optimism from a contemporary work of children’s literature. Additionally, students will create their own sentences that demonstrate their comprehension of the word optimism. Finally, students will practice their reading and conversation skills by sharing sentences with classmates.
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SUGGESTED TIME:
20 minutes
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Listen to a read aloud to improve understanding of English sentence structure and comprehension
- Ask and answer questions to understand the meaning of a text
- Determine the central message, lesson, or moral of a story and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text
- Demonstrate an understanding of the word optimism
- Demonstrate understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar
- Engage effectively in collaborative discussions
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
- A large posterboard or paper for a class mural
- Book: An Angel for Solomon Singer by Cynthia Rylant or
- Video: Read aloud of An Angel for Solomon Singer by Pachion Carlson (~5 min)
- Prohuman Grade 4 Unit 1 Worksheet 1: Learning Optimism from Literature
VOCABULARY:
- Optimism: I have hope and believe that my actions will help things to turn out well
ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET
CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET
LESSON PROCEDURE
- Ask students what optimism means.
- Give students the definition: I have hope and believe my actions will help things turn out well.
- Read the book An Angel for Solomon Singer by Cynthia Rylant or
- Play the video: Read aloud of An Angel for Solomon Singer by Pachion Carlson (~5 min)
- Ask students to complete the questions on their worksheets.
- Have students read their sentences to a partner.
- Class activity: Have students imagine that the class opens a restaurant where they all work and show optimism to everyone. Have students draw or paint a mural of the restaurant. Have each student write a sentence about how their restaurant can promote optimism.
GRADE 4 UNIT 1 WORKSHEET 1: LEARNING OPTIMISM FROM LITERATURE
Optimism: I have hope and believe my actions will help things turn out well.
ACTIVITY:
- Who are the main characters in this story and what did you learn from them?
- How did the Angel show empathy to Solomon Singer (the ability to understand and care about others’ feelings)?
- What is the story’s message about optimism?
- What in this story could be an ethical principle (a rule for doing good) that everyone in the world could follow all the time?
Prohuman K-12 Curriculum © 2025 by Prohuman Foundation is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
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