LESSON 10 TEACHER’S GUIDE The Outer Banks

LESSON 10 TEACHER’S GUIDE

The Outer Banks

by Maryann Langen

Fountas-Pinnell Level R
Informational Text

Selection Summary Number of Words: 1,353
Along the coast of North Carolina, the islands known as the Outer
Banks have many identities: site of a vanished colony, pirate lair of
the legendary Blackbeard, haven for beach-loving vacationers, test
site for the Wright Brothers, shipwreck graveyard, horse sanctuary,
national seashore, and hurricane barrier. The islands have it all!

Characteristics of the Text

Genre • Informational text
Text Structure • Third-person narrative organized in ten brief chapters
• Chapter headings sequence the history of the Outer Banks.
Content • Details prompt the reader to ask questions, compare, and contrast.
• The Outer Banks of North Carolina, geography and history
Themes and Ideas • The “lost colony”; Blackbeard; the Wright Brothers
• The historic significance of a location
Language and • Human activities affect the environment.
Literary Features • Sometimes a place is special because of what happened there long ago.
Sentence Complexity • People value people, places, and things for different reasons.
• Conversational language characterized by direct address and frequent exclamations
Vocabulary • Simile: like soft feather pillows
Words • Mystery and danger conveyed in stories of pirates, lost colonies, and shipwrecks
• Numerous series of words and phrases
Illustrations • Rhetorical questions and exclamations
Book and Print Features • Parentheses and dashes
• Many physical geography terms, some of which might not be familiar: sandbar
• Many multisyllable words, some of which may be challenging, such as scavenging,

terrorized, reportedly, candlewicks, isolation
• Photos, map, table, and drawings support the text.
• Twelve pages of text prefaced with a table of contents
• Bulleted list and sidebars

© 2006. 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 32819.
Printed in the U.S.A.
978-0-547-31043-5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0940 15 14 13 12 11 10 09

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.

6_310435_BL_LRTG_L10_OuterBanks.indd 1 11/5/09 11:19:53 AM

The Outer Banks by Maryann Langen

Build Background

Help students use their knowledge of geography and the Atlantic coast to visualize the
selection. Build interest by asking a question such as the following: What do you know
about Kitty Hawk or other locations in the Outer Banks? Read the title and author and
talk about the cover photograph. Tell students that this selection is informational text that
provides facts and examples about 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:

Page 2: Have students look at the table of contents. Suggested language:
Notice the chapter called “The Graveyard of the Atlantic.” Graveyard is here used
as a metaphor. What’s the likely topic of this chapter? Answer: The title refers to
shipwrecks that once occurred in the region.

Pages 4–5: Explain that the Outer Banks are a string of islands that protect the
mainland Atlantic coast from hurricanes. Use the map on page 4 to locate the
five islands. The heading says these are “islands of change.” Ask: How might an
island change physically over time? Have students look at the table on page 5.
Then have them read the sentence with the highlighted word: The Croatans had a
sophisticated culture. Ask: What makes a culture sophisticated?

Pages 8–9: Explain that Blackbeard and his band of pirates attacked ships sailing
near Ocracoke Island. Ask: Why do you think people find such pirate lore so
fascinating? Point out that the selection includes many physical science terms.
Make sure students understand the terms ocean currents and sandbars.

Now turn back to the beginning and read to find out about the mysteries and
wonders of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

abundance – a lot or more than Target Vocabulary retains – holds onto or keeps
enough, p. 5 inside, p. 4
heritage – everything families
altered – changed or adjusted pass down to people such as sophisticated – complicated or
traditions and objects, p. 11 detailed, p. 5
concept – a basic or general idea
or thought, p. 10 lore – the collected knowledge, teeming – filled, often with living
traditions, and beliefs of a things
cultural – relating to a group’s person or group, p. 8
way of life, p. 11
lush – thick with greenery and
plant life

Grade 6 2 Lesson 10: The Outer Banks

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

6_310435_BL_LRTG_L10_OuterBanks.indd 2 11/5/09 11:20:04 AM

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 Question Strategy and to think
of questions as they read.

Discuss and Revisit the Text

Personal Response

Invite students to share their personal responses to the selection.
Suggested language: What would you most enjoy about the Outer Banks? Why?

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 Outer Banks protect North • It’s important to preserve an area • The chapter heads show the
Carolina from hurricanes. rich in heritage and wildlife. reader the many features of the
Outer Banks.
• The Outer Banks have a rich • Sometimes a place is special
history, including the Croatan because of what happened there • The language makes the reader
culture, the disappearance of long ago. feel as if the author is talking to
Roanoke colony, Blackbeard, her or him.
shipwrecks, and the flight tests • People value people, places, and
of the Wright brothers. things for different reasons. • The author includes many
historical details to help the
• Although Hatteras and Ocracoke reader understand the heritage of
Islands are fairly unspoiled and the Outer Banks.
wild, tourism has brought many
changes to the other islands.

© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

Choices for Further Support

• Fluency Invite students to choose a passage from the text to use for a readers’
theater. Remind them to pay attention and to practice challenging words and names
before reading to increase fluency.

• 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 a syllable contains just one vowel
sound. For example, the word abundance (p. 5) has three syllables: a·bund·ance.
A word can also be divided into morphemes, or single units of meaning. The word
abundance consists of two morphemes: abound and the suffix –ance. Notice how this
root word changed with the addition of the suffix –ance.

Grade 6 3 Lesson 10: The Outer Banks

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

6_310435_BL_LRTG_L10_OuterBanks.indd 3 11/5/09 11:20:17 AM

Writing about Reading

Critical Thinking

Have students complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 10.7.

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

Compare and Contrast Remind students that they can compare and contrast

to examine how two or more details in the selection are alike and different. Model how to add

details to the Graphic Organizer, using a “Think Aloud” like the one below:

Think Aloud

The narrator says that Bodie Island was once a real island, with an
inlet that cut it off from the peninsula. Today, however, Bodie Island is
actually a peninsula because sand and silt filled in the inlet. List these
details to compare and contrast the Bodie Island of long ago to the
“island” of today.

Practice the Skill

Have students share an example of another selection in which they used details to
compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events.

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

• What is the meaning of retains on page 4?
• On page 5, why is the first paragraph important to the book?
• The author probably wrote this selection to

___________________________________________________________________.

Grade 6 4 Lesson 10: The Outer Banks

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company 11/16/09 5:46:07 PM

6_310435_BL_LRTG_L10_OuterBanks.indd 4

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. Remind them that the Outer
Banks help protect North Carolina from hurricanes and have a rich history.

Cognates The text includes many English-Spanish cognates. For example, that the

Spanish word for concept (p. 10) is concepto. Similarly, sofisticado is the Spanish word
for sophisticated (p. 5). Invite students to identify other cognates in the book.

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: What is the subject of the Speaker 1: How do the Outer Banks Speaker 1: Why do people call
book? protect North Carolina? Hatteras Island “the Graveyard of
the Atlantic”?
Speaker 2: the Outer Banks of North Speaker 2: The Outer Banks protect
Carolina North Carolina by providing a barrier Speaker 2: The meeting of two
from hurricanes. strong ocean currents, shallow
Speaker 1: Who first lived in the Outer waters, shifting underwater
Banks? Speaker 1: Why did the Wright Brothers sandbars, hurricanes, and
choose Kitty Hawk for testing their storms caused many shipwrecks
Speaker 2: Native Americans called the glider and their airplane? near Cape Hatteras.
Croatans
Speaker 2: They needed strong winds
Speaker 1: What pirate hunted ships and hills without trees.
near the Outer Banks?

Speaker 2: Blackbeard

Name Date Lesson 10
BLACKLINE MASTER 10.7

Critical Thinking The Outer Banks
Critical Thinking
Read and answer the questions. Possible responses shown.

1. Think within the text What kinds of islands are the Outer Banks?
They are barrier islands that protect the mainland.

2. Think within the text What is the Native American meaning of the
word Roanoke?
It means “place where shell beads are found.”

3. Think beyond the text How have the Outer Banks helped shape
aviation history?
The Outer Banks were the site of the first powered flight. The
Outer Banks had the right combination of wind and soft ground
for landing.

4. Think about the text Ocracoke Island has less tourist activity
than the rest of the Outer Banks. Where would you rather visit?
Compare and contrast the two places.
I would rather visit Ocracoke Island because I could see the
natural environment. The rest of the Outer Banks have too many
buildings and visitors. But that might also make it a more fun
place to visit, because there are more people there.

Making Connections Think of other mysteries you have read about. Pick
one mystery and describe it. Was the mystery ever solved? Include details in
your writing.

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.

Critical Thinking 9 Grade 6, Unit 2: Common Ground
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

10.07_6_246260RNLEAN_Crtl Thk.in9 9 6/15/09 1:04:58 PM

Grade 6 5 Lesson 10: The Outer Banks

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

6_310435_BL_LRTG_L10_OuterBanks.indd 5 7/24/09 2:05:55 PM

Name Date

The Outer Banks

Thinking Beyond the Text

Think about the questions below. Then write your answer in one or two
paragraphs.

Remember that when you think beyond the text, you use your personal
knowledge to reach new understandings.

On page 11, the author says: “Towns on Hatteras and Ocracoke still retain
the flavor of old fishing villages.” What does the author mean? How does
she seem to feel about this fact? Do you think places where people live
should remain as unchanged as possible? Why or why not? Explain, using
details from the text or examples from your own experience as necessary.

Grade 6 6 Lesson 10: The Outer Banks

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company 7/24/09 2:05:57 PM

6_310435_BL_LRTG_L10_OuterBanks.indd 6

Name Date Lesson 10

BLACKLINE MASTER 10.7

Critical Thinking The Outer Banks
Critical Thinking
Read and answer the questions.

1. Think within the text What kinds of islands are the Outer Banks?

2. Think within the text What is the Native American meaning of the
word Roanoke?

3. Think beyond the text How have the Outer Banks helped shape
aviation history?

4. Think about the text Ocracoke Island has less tourist activity than
the rest of the Outer Banks. Where would you rather visit? Compare
and contrast the two places.

Making Connections Think of other mysteries you have read about. Pick
one mystery and describe it. Was the mystery ever solved? Include details in
your writing.

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.

Grade 6 7 Lesson 10: The Outer Banks

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company 7/24/09 2:05:58 PM

6_310435_BL_LRTG_L10_OuterBanks.indd 7

Student Date Lesson 10

The Outer Banks • LEVEL R BLACKLINE MASTER 10.11

The Outer Banks
Running Record Form

page Selection Text Errors Self-Corrections

5 English explorers landed in 1584, near what is now Kitty Hawk.
They were impressed by the abundance of deer, birds, cedar
trees, and wild grapes. The English decided to start a colony
on the Outer Banks.

6 In 1587, about 120 English colonists arrived on Roanoke
Island. They were led by John White. White’s daughter and her
husband were among the colonists. Their daughter (White’s
granddaughter) – Virginia Dare – was the first English child
born in America.

White left for England to get more supplies. He returned after
three years, but all the colonists were gone.

Comments: Accuracy Rate Total Self-
Corrections
(# words read
correctly/93 × 100)

%

Behavior Code Error Behavior Code Error 1414450
cut
Read word correctly ✓cat 0 Substitution 1
0 Self-corrects cat 0
Repeated word, ® 1 Insertion 1
Word told cut sc 1
sentence, or phrase cat
8 cat
Omission —cat
the

ˆcat

T
cat

Grade 6 Lesson 10: The Outer Banks

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

6_310435_BL_LRTG_L10_OuterBanks.indd 8 7/24/09 2:05:58 PM