The Beginning of Everything

Robyn Schneider

By: Erica Navarrette

 The Beginning of Everything
Robyn Schneider
This story is meant for young adults as it is a young adult fiction text. This unit
plan is meant to be used with 10th-12th grade students.

Ezra is a well-known high school stud. He is the captain of the tennis,

is dating the pretty cheerleader, and truly has it all. One night,
everything changes when Ezra was hit by a car. Ezra is faced with
several challenges throughout the entire books. His friends forget
about him, his girlfriend moves on, and his tennis career sure is over.
One day he meets Cassidy who truly changes his whole life and makes
those tragedies a little less painful. Ezra and Cassidy truly hit it off
until Cassidy shares something with Ezra that will change the way he
looks at Cassidy forever.
 Common Core Standards
Reading
*RL.11-12.3: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate
elements of a story or drama (where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters
are introduced and developed)
*RL.11-12.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meanings or
language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful.
*RL.11-12.5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text
contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.

Writing
*W.11-12.6: Use technology, including the internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or
shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information

Speaking and Listening

*SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse
partners on grade level topics, building on ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
*SL.11-12.5: Make strategic use of digital media in presentations to enhance understanding of
findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
 Before Reading Activities
Meaning Maker
Agree/Disagree Activity
*To promote background knowledge, students will engage in an agree/disagree
activity with their peers. Students will be read a series of questions and have to take
a stance (agree or disagree). We will then discuss each question briefly. This will set
the stage for our text.

Questions:
-Everyone will experience a life-changing tragedy
-Most people in our school fall into stereotypes
-The hardest part of our lives is not knowing what to do next.
-People are usually who they appear to be
-Everything gets better with time
-It is possible to forgive, forget, and move on no matter how tough a situation may be
 Before Reading Activities
Text Critic
Book Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHybC0eW9ns

*Students will watch the book trailer on their own for this story. They will watch it
on their Chromebooks. As they are watching the book trailer they will think about:
-Do I think I’m going to like this text?
-Have I ever had a friend I was close to, but have since grown apart? If so, what
happened? Do you wish things were different?

Activity: Google Form

https://www.google.com/forms/about/
Once students have viewed the book trailer they will answer those two questions
above in an anonymous google form. We will then look at responses as a whole class
to review commonalities and trends. Students will gain a better understanding of
Ezra as they may be able to relate.
 Before Reading Activities
Code Breaker
Vocabulary Preview
*In the first chapter there are six vocabulary words I will introduce my readers to. I
will provide my students with the words from the text.
*Derision
*Stoically
*Galvanize
*Antagonize
*Ascertain
*Catalyst
Activity: Survey Monkey
https://www.surveymonkey.com/
Students will look over those words and then go to Survey Monkey where they will take a
short quiz about their knowledge of those 6 words. For each word they will either select:
Very familiar with the word
I’ve heard of the word but unsure what it means
I’ve never heard of the word before.
We will then look at the results together and discuss the definitions in context when we read
the first chapter together.
 During Reading Activities
Code Breaker
Running Document of Vocabulary Words
*As students read this text, they will document words that may be challenging for
them.

Activity: Google Documents

https://www.google.com/docs/about/
Students will have access to a shared google document where they will input vocabulary
words they are unsure of. All students will have access to this document, so other students
may fill in definitions for their peers by providing student friendly descriptions. (Below is the
table students will fill in)

Word Page What You What A

Number Think The Friend
Word Think The
Means Word
Means
 During Reading Activities
Making Meaning
Comprehension Check
*As students this text they will constantly check-in to ensure comprehension and
understanding of the text. After each chapter students will stop and engage in
discussions with their peers.

Activity: Padlet Discussion Board

https://padlet.com/

After each chapter students will go to Padlet and pose one question they have about the text,
a wondering they have about the text, or a connection they are making to the text. Once each
student has posted one question, they will need to respond to two of their peers. The students
will repeat this process for each chapter. This will allow students to ask and answer questions
in a safe space with responses from their peers rather than their teacher.
 During Reading Activities
Making Meaning
Staying Up To Date
*As students read this text they will engage in activities to ensure they are staying
up to date on what is happening in the text. These activities will be completed at the
end of every 3 chapters.

Activity: Quizlet
https://quizlet.com/192617370/the-beginning-of-everything-by-robyn-schneider-flash-cards/

After students read 3 chapters they will engage in activities on Quizlet with a group of 2-3
students. There are various games on here to help students stay on track with the characters
and events in the story.
 During Reading Activities
Text User
Character Analysis
*As students read this text they will fill out a character analysis chart.

Activity: Character Analysis Chart

As students read they will fill in this character analysis chart (pencil/paper). The characters
they are focusing on include: Ezra, Toby, and Cassidy
 After Reading Activities
Text Critic
Book Review
*After students complete the text they will create a book review for their peers to
view.

Activity: Flipgrid
https://flipgrid.com/

As students complete the text they will create a book review for their peers to view. Students
will view their peers videos and respond to two of their peers evaluating their book review.
They will address the following questions:
-Did you like the text? Why or why not?
-Who was your favorite character? Why?
-Were you able to connect with the situations Ezra experienced? Explain.
-Would you recommend this book to someone else? Why or why not?
 After Reading Activities
Text Critic
Author Website
*Once students have finished the book and wrote their book review, students will
venture to Robyn Schneider's Website

Activity: Robyn Schneider’s Website

http://www.robynschneider.com/bio/

Students will explore Robyn Schneider’s Website. Students will look at the other books she
has written and look for what book they may be interested in reading next. Students will have
a conversation with their peers about what other books by Robyn Schneider may interest
them.
 After Reading Activities
Text User
Closing Project
*Once students have finished reading the book, the last thing they will do is engage
in a final writing project. Students will record their voices on Vocaroo answering the
prompt. Students will then share their links on our class Twitter Page.

Prompt: Think about all you know about Ezra and what he learned. He made a lot of choices that
impacted his future. What are you going to do with your future? How do your plans relate or not
relate to Ezra’s?

Activity: Voice Recording and Twitter Upload

https://twitter.com/?lang=en
https://vocaroo.com/

Students will answer the prompt recording their voices on their computers. Students will then
upload their voice recording to our private class twitter page. Students will be able to listen to
their peers responses and I will be able to listen to student work as well.
 Sources

*Websites cited and linked in slides

The Beginning of Everything Agree and Disagree Activity

(by The Lit Guy) Purchased on:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/
(Agree/Disagree activity taken from here)

The Beginning of Everything Teaching Packet (by Christine

Steel) Purchased on: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/
(Character Analysis Chart taken from here)