Institute for Learning
Imagine That! (Grades 2-3)
Imagine That! (Grades 2-3)
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In this unit, students read two short stories that will capture their imaginations. Through the study of the unit texts, students build their knowledge about the lessons characters in these stories learn and the methods these authors use to engage readers’ imaginations. Additionally, students are supported to draw evidence from these texts to construct written and oral analyses and interpretations.
- Two literary texts
- 2-3 weeks instruction
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Explanation writing
What is this unit about?
In this unit, students will read two texts: “Odd, Weird, & Little” by Patrick Jennings and “Cloud Fishing” by Zach Falcon. Both texts ask the reader to imagine the unique characters, settings, and actions that the authors create with their words. Through the study of these two literary texts, students build their knowledge about the lessons characters in these stories learn and the methods these authors use to engage readers’ imaginations. Additionally, students are supported to draw evidence from these texts to construct written and oral analyses and interpretations.
What concepts will students learn?
Students will learn about:
- lessons that characters learn through their actions and interactions in each story.
- methods each author uses to engage readers’ imaginations.
- characteristics of explanations.
What practices will students use?
Students are supported to develop practices and habits such as how to:
- comprehend, analyze, and interpret literary texts with assistance and independently.
- work from moments in texts to analyze how authors work as writers to help their readers use their imaginations.
- use textual evidence as the basis for creating a visual representation of a character.
- write like Falcon to help readers imagine an outdoor scene.
- draft effective explanations that include clearly stated ideas, textual evidence to support the ideas, and how the evidence supports the ideas.
- participate in routines such as maintaining a Reader/Writer Notebook, completing quick writes, sharing in pairs/trios, and participating in whole group discussions.
How long will it take to engage students in the unit?
This unit spans approximately 10-14 instructional days, assuming 45- to 60-minute classes. The tasks in the unit are designed to be implemented sequentially in order to support students to achieve the instructional goals. As such, the pacing of the lessons will depend on the time students need to achieve these goals.


