Lesson Plan - Out of the Ashes

Preview the Article
Before reading, preview the article’s text features. Have students use the headline, subheadings, photos, sidebar, and map to make predictions about the article.

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• ignited
• empathy

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about why Avery Colvert wanted to help teen girls after the wildfires.

1. Based on the article and on the sidebar, “City on Fire,” what were some of the effects of the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire?
Based on the article and sidebar, some of the effects of the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire were the loss of thousands of homes, businesses, schools, and other buildings; the evacuation of 200,000 people; and the destruction of 40,000 acres.
^{(RI.4.5 Cause and Effect)}

2. In the section “Coming Together,” why do you think the author put the word “store” in quotation marks?
The author probably puts the word “store” in quotation marks to show that the word is being used in an unusual way. The center that Avery set up was like a store in that girls could pick out items. But it was different from a store in that all of the items were free.
^{(L.4.3 Punctuation for Effect)}

3. Summarize the main idea and key details of the section “Hope for the Future.”
According to the sidebar, you could avoid nonstop YouTube viewing by setting time limits for yourself or by turning off the autoplay feature, which automatically starts a new video after one ends.
^{(RI.4.2 Main Idea and Key Details)}

FEATURED SKILL: Social and Life Skills
Distribute the skill builder “Empathy in Action.” Have students note how empathy guided Avery’s project and plan how they can show empathy in their own lives.
^{(W.4.2 Explanatory Writing)}