Rulers of Persia. Fountas-Pinnell Level Y Informational Text. by Rebecca Wagner

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1 LESSON 19 TEACHER S GUIDE by Rebecca Wagner Fountas-Pinnell Level Y Informational Text Selection Summary Led by the Greats, Cyrus and Darius, a small tribe of Persians built an empire that extended from Egypt into India. Ruthless in punishing enemies and dissenters, just and tolerant in dealings with subjects and the conquered, leaders gained the loyalty of citizens, the respect of foes, and 230 years of a legacy that few cultures have surpassed. Number of Words: 2,401 Characteristics of the Text Genre Informational text Text Structure Subtopics addressed in short, headed sections Chronological sequencing of events: creation to dissolution of the Persian Empire Details illustrate cause-and-effect relationships. Content The building of an empire Ancient history of the Mediterranean region Political and conquest terminology Themes and Ideas Just and tolerant rulers are respected. Leadership styles refl ect individual s personality. A successful civilization requires communication and transportation. Language and Narrative language with rhetorical questions to engage reader Literary Features Exaggeration: Their rule over the Middle East would come to a crashing halt. Unique setting; tone consistently admiring Sentence Complexity A mix of short and complex sentences Many sentences with compound predicates Numerous parenthetical pronunciation guides within sentences Vocabulary Many place names, such as Media, Lydia, Babylonia, Mesopotamia, Tigris, Euphrates Words Numerous challenging, multisyllable words such as premonition, unprecedented Illustrations Photos of artifacts supplemented with artist s renderings and maps Book and Print Features Seventeen pages of text with clearly identifi ed, colorful section heads Special features marked with section heads in specially colored font Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H. Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Permission is hereby granted to individual teachers using the corresponding (discipline) Leveled Readers to photocopy student worksheets from this publication in classroom quantities for instructional use and not for resale. Requests for information on other matters regarding duplication of this work should be addressed to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, Attn: Contracts, Copyrights, and Licensing, 9400 SouthPark Center Loop, Orlando, Florida Printed in the U.S.A If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company retains title to the materials and they may not be resold. Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited. Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication, or any portion of it, into electronic format.

2 by Rebecca Wagner Build Background Help students use their leadership knowledge to visualize the selection. Build interest by asking a question such as the following: What traits do you think a country s leader should have? Read the title and author and talk about the cover illustration. Note the time period of the artifact pictures. Tell students that this selection is informational text, so the author provides facts and examples to help them understand a topic. Introduce the Text Guide students through the text, noting important ideas, and helping with unfamiliar language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Here are some suggestions: Pages 3 4: Explain that this text tells about the Persian Empire. Point out the map on page 3. Help students relate it to a modern map of the region. Suggested language: Turn to page 4. The heading asks the question: Who Were the Persians? Read the last sentence: The trait that best characterized Persians would be a fi ghting spirit that was used for good. Would you like to be depicted this way? Why or why not? How does the narrator feel about the ancient Persians? Page 7: Explain that Cyrus was a successful Persian ruler. Read the sentence: Cyrus was a ruthless warrior, but once he took over a new land, he treated its people mercifully. Ask: How might Cyrus actions have affected people he fought and conquered? Page 10: Point out the picture that depicts Darius. Explain that, after he murdered a Persian king (whom he said was a fake), Darius then emerged as king. Ask: What traits might have caused Darius to be so bold? Page 14: Explain that, while Darius became a great king, people at fi rst were suspicious of him. Ask: What do you think could have caused people s suspicions of their new king? Now turn to the beginning and read to learn how the rulers of Persia built the greatest empire of ancient times. Target Vocabulary ceremonial very elaborate or formal, p. 17 depicted shown in another form, such as in a painting or sculpture, p. 11 divine godly, holy, or sacred, p. 12 emerge become known, p. 6 erected built, p. 8 fragments smaller, broken off pieces, p. 12 mission a group of people sent to perform a certain task or achieve a specific goal, p. 4 pondered thought about or considered carefully, p. 5 prosperity wealth or success, p. 2 supportive giving assistance or help, p. 8 2 Lesson 19:

3 Read Have students read silently while you listen to individual students read aloud. Support their understanding of the text as needed. Remind students to use the Monitor/Clarify Strategy and notice what isn t making sense as they read, and find ways to figure out the parts that are confusing. Discuss and Revisit the Text Personal Response Invite students to share their personal responses to the selection. Suggested language: What did Darius the Great want to accomplish? What did he do? What traits helped him succeed? Ways of Thinking As you discuss the text, help students understand these points: Thinking Within the Text Thinking Beyond the Text Thinking About the Text The Persians created one of the largest, most successful empires in the history of the world. Cyrus the Great and Darius the Great increased the Persian Empire and earned the love and respect of their people. Persia succumbed to the Greeks, ending a 200-year-old empire. Good leaders are just, tolerant, and anxious to improve the quality of their subjects lives. Even the most successful and powerful of cultures can fall at the hands of another. Personal traits influence a person s leadership style Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H. Because setting of the selection is unfamiliar to most readers, the author includes details that describe life at this time. The narrator asks questions to clue readers about what they will learn next. The author includes explanations of terms and pronunciation keys to help readers with unfamiliar words and concepts. Choices for Further Support Fluency Invite students to choose a passage from the text to act out for a readers theater. Remind them to look at the audience when reading the narrator s questions. Comprehension Based on your observations of the students reading and discussion, revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind students to go back to the text to support their ideas. Phonics/Word Work Provide practice as needed with words and word parts, using examples from the text. Remind students that many English words are formed from Latin roots and affi xes. For example, consider the word conspirator on page 11. The base of conspirator is the verb conspire, which is a combination of the Latin prefi x con, or together, and the root spirare, which means to breathe. From its literal translation to breathe together comes the meaning to agree, unite, or plot. Therefore, a conspirator is someone who joins with one or more others to plot a course of action. 3 Lesson 19:

4 Writing about Reading Have students complete the questions on BLM Responding Have students complete the activities at the back of the book, using their Reader s Notebook. Use the instruction below as needed to reinforce or extend understanding of the comprehension skill. Target Comprehension Skill Cause and Effect Remind students that they can connect events in a selection with cause and effect. Model how to add details to the Graphic Organizer, using a Think Aloud like the one below: Think Aloud The narrator says that Cyrus freed the Jews in Babylon and let them return to their homeland and rebuild their temple. He also left Babylon s buildings and religious idols undisturbed, even rebuilding shrines that had been destroyed earlier. Because he did these things, the Babylonian people accepted him as their king. List these details as cause and effect. Practice the Skill Have students share an example of another selection in which the decisions and actions of a character caused others to respect and accept the character. Writing Prompt: Thinking Beyond the Text Have students write a response to the prompt on page 6. Remind them that when they think beyond the text, they use their personal knowledge to reach new understandings. Assessment Prompts On page 9, why is the second paragraph important to the book? In paragraph 2 on page 8, the phrase philosophy of tolerance means that Cyrus believed that. From information in the selection, readers can conclude that good leaders are. 4 Lesson 19:

5 English Language Development Reading Support Pair advanced and intermediate readers to read the selection softly, or have students listen to the audio or online recordings. Cognates The text includes many cognates. Point out the English words and their Spanish equivalents: For example, divine (divino), emerge (emerger), mission (misión), and prosperity (prosperidad). Invite students to identify other cognates in the text. Oral Language Development Check student comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches your students English proficiency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the student. Beginning/Early Intermediate Intermediate Early Advanced/ Advanced Speaker 1: Who was the first king of Persia? Speaker 2: Cyrus the Great Speaker 1: According to legend, who was Cyrus the Great? Speaker 2: the grandson of the Median King Astyages Speaker 1: Why was there a problem after the death of Cambyses II? Speaker 2: Cambyses II had no children to inherit the throne. Speaker 1: What kept Darius satraps from getting too powerful? Speaker 2: Each satrap, with two officials, reported to the king. This kept the satraps power in check. Speaker 1: Why did Darius feel qualified to be king of Persia? Speaker 2: Darius claimed that Ahura-Mazda chose him to become king. He also said he was a descendent of the original kings of Persia. Name Date Lesson 19 BLACKLINE MASTER 19.8 Read and answer the questions. Possible responses shown. 1. Think within the text What kingdom became Cyrus s first conquest? Media 2. Think within the text What was the Royal Road? It was a 1,600-mile road through the Persian Empire. 3. Think beyond the text What effect did Cyrus s rule have on the Jews of Babylon? He freed them from slavery and let them return to their homeland to build a new temple. 4. Think about the text The Persians paid a tribute to the king. That tribute could be compared to our federal and state taxes. Compare and contrast the two. The tribute was usually goods, not money. The tribute was paid annually and was used to keep the empire running smoothly, just like taxes. Making Connections How do you think our culture might be different if the Persian Empire had not been defeated? Choose one aspect of our culture and explain how it might be different today. Write your answer in your Reader s Notebook.. All rights reserved. 10, Unit 4: Treasures of the Ancient World 5 Lesson 19:

6 Name Date Thinking Beyond the Text Think about the questions below. Then write your answer in two paragraphs. Remember that when you think beyond the text, you use your personal knowledge to reach new understandings. On page 5, the narrator says this about Cyrus: He believed he was meant for a greater purpose than simply ruling the Persian tribes. Cyrus wanted to conquer the world. Why do you think Cyrus felt as he did? Do you think that Cyrus, more than others, was destined for great things? Why or why not? 6 Lesson 19:

7 Name Date Lesson 19 BLACKLINE MASTER 19.8 Read and answer the questions. 1. Think within the text What kingdom became Cyrus s first conquest? 2. Think within the text What was the Royal Road? 3. Think beyond the text What effect did Cyrus s rule have on the Jews of Babylon? 4. Think about the text The Persians paid a tribute to the king. That tribute could be compared to our federal and state taxes. Compare and contrast the two. Making Connections How do you think our culture might be different if the Persian Empire had not been defeated? Choose one aspect of our culture and explain how it might be different today. Write your answer in your Reader s Notebook. 7 Lesson 19:

8 Student Date Lesson 19 BLACKLINE MASTER LEVEL Y Running Record Form page Selection Text Errors Self-Corrections 11 Did Darius save the Persian Empire from the hands of an evil imposter? Or did he kill the rightful king and force his way onto the throne? No one knows for sure. In either scenario, Darius must have been very self-assured to attempt such a bold move. As a distant relative of the king, he did not have a right to the throne. Yet, he came forward and named himself king anyway. Darius s action took daring and personal conviction, or belief in himself. The image of Darius is depicted in many stone carvings. 12 One of ancient Persia s religions was Zoroastrianism (zawr oh AS tree uh nih zuhm). In this religion, Ahura-Mazda (ah HUR uh MAZ duh) means Wise God. He was the god of creation, goodness, and truth. Comments: Accuracy Rate (# words read correctly/ ) % Total Self- Corrections Behavior Code Error Read word correctly cat 0 Repeated word, sentence, or phrase Omission cat 0 cat 1 Behavior Code Error Substitution cut cat 1 Self-corrects cut sc cat Insertion the ˆcat 1 Word told T 1 cat Lesson 19: