Essential Questions
- How can we recover from a big loss?
- What can neighbors do to help each other in an emergency?
Literature Connection
- Graphic novel: Wildfire by Breena Bard
- Fiction: I Survived the California Wildfires, 2018 by Lauren Tarshis
Standards Correlations
R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.7, W.2, SL.1, L.4, L.6
Learning Objective
Students will read and summarize an article about a girl who survived the Lahaina fire.
Key Skills
summarizing, text features, vocabulary, compare and contrast, inference, critical thinking, informational writing
Complexity Factors
Purpose: The text describes a family’s experience during and after a wildfire in their town.
Structure: The article consists of an introduction followed by a Q&A.
Language: The language is conversational.
Knowledge Demands: No special knowledge needed.
Levels
Lexile: 500L-600L
Guided Reading Level: S
DRA Level: 40
SEL Connection
This story and lesson plan promote social awareness.
Lesson Plan: I Survived the Lahaina Fire
Essential Questions
Literature Connection
1. Preparing to Read
Build Background Knowledge (10 minutes)
Before reading the article, view our video “Wildfires Up Close.” The video provides information about how wildfires start and how people fight them. After viewing, have students review what they learned. Ask, “What are some causes of wildfires? What problems do wildfires cause? What does it take to fight a wildfire?”
Preview Text Features (15 minutes)
Have students open their magazines to page 4. Guide them to preview the text features by asking the following questions:
Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)
Make a Plan for Reading
Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:
2. Reading and Unpacking the Text
Read the article. (Higher- and lower-Lexile versions are available on the Story page at Action Online. Click Presentation View to access an audio read-aloud.) Then discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions.
Close-Reading Questions (15 minutes)
Critical-Thinking Question (10 minutes)
3. Skill Building and Writing
Learn-Anywhere Activity
An enrichment activity to extend the learning journey at home or in the classroom
Project the task below on your whiteboard or share it with students in your LMS.
Learn More About Fighting Fires
After reading “I Survived the Lahaina Fire,” read the article “Flying Into the Flames” from Action’s September 2022 issue. The article is about a special kind of firefighter. Once you’ve read both articles, pair up with a classmate to discuss the following questions: