Lesson: Partner Story Writing

Transcription

1 Lesson: Partner Story Writing Grade Level: 3 rd -12 th Materials: Story Prompt, Computer access, Gaggle account Learning Standards: NAEP Writing Frameworks 1,2,3,4,5,6; NETS*S 1,3,4 Purpose: Students will collaborate with a partner or group to write a short story. This lesson can provide practice in creative writing for any level, with an emphasis on plot, sequencing, and cause/effect relationships, as students are required to write logical continuations of their story. Higher grades or advanced students can focus on in depth character development, dialogue, and foreshadowing. Partners or groups can be random, or set by the teacher to homogenous or heterogeneous groups according to need. Prerequisites: Students must understand the parts of a story, sequencing, basic writing skills, how to send and read , and how to upload and open attached documents. Anticipatory Set: Ask students what television shows they like to watch. Discuss how TV. shows are written by pairs or groups of writers working together. 1. Provide students with a story beginning. For lower grade levels, use a beginning prompt or picture. For upper grades, provide a character or setting. 2. Assign partners or groups of 3-4, and designate a writing sequence, so students know who is first, and whom to send to next. 3. The first student writes the beginning paragraph (length can be prescribed according to abilities) in a Word document, and saves. He/she then sends it as an attachment to his/her partner or next group member. 4. The partner or group member opens the attachment, reads it, adds the next part of the story (can color code using different font colors), saves, and attaches to new to partner or next group member. The message can include comments and suggestions on the previous student s writing. 5. Continue writing and passing until story is complete. This could be defined by a time deadline or length requirement. 6. Revising and Editing can be done via with the teacher or by trading with another pair or group. 7. Send final draft to teacher by or print and turn in. Assessment: Score final draft using your state writing rubrics, 6-Trait rubrics, or your own scoring methods. Extension: Progressive story writing can be done by sending story through entire class. Partners/groups could be from other classes, cross-district, or e-pals.

2 Lesson: Partner Paragraph Writing Grade Level: 3 rd -12 th Materials: Topic, Computer access, Gaggle account Learning Standards: NAEP Writing Frameworks 1,2,3,4,5,6; NETS*S 1,3,4 Purpose: Students will collaborate with a partner or group to write an expository paragraph. This lesson will provide practice in constructing paragraphs, as well as using electronic communication. Higher grades or advanced students can expand to multiple paragraph essays. Partners or groups can be random, or set by the teacher to homogenous or heterogeneous groups according to need. Prerequisites: Students must understand the parts of a paragraph: topic sentence, transitions, details, and conclusion (Step Up To Writing), how to send and read , and how to upload and open attached documents. Students must have knowledge of, or do prior research on the assigned topic. Anticipatory Set: Ask students what television shows they like to watch. Discuss how TV shows are written by pairs or groups of writers working together. 1. Provide students with a paragraph topic. 2. Assign partners or groups of 3-4, and designate a writing sequence, so students know who is first, and whom to send to next. 3. The first student writes the topic sentence in a Word document, and saves. He/she then sends it as an attachment to his/her partner or next group member. 4. The partner or group member opens the attachment, reads it, adds the next sentence (can color code using different font colors), saves, and attaches to new to partner or next group member. 5. Continue writing and passing until paragraph is complete. This could be defined by a time deadline or length requirement. 6. Revising and Editing can be done via with the teacher or by trading with another pair or group. 7. Send final draft to teacher by or print and turn in. Assessment: Score final draft using your state writing rubrics, 6-Trait rubrics, or your own scoring methods. Extensions: Create partners or groups with different classes in the school, cross-district, or e-pals.

3 Lesson: Backwards Progressive Story Writing Grade Level: 3 rd -5 th Materials: Story Ending, Computer access, Gaggle account Learning Standards: NAEP Writing Frameworks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; NETS*S 1,3,4 Purpose: Students will collaborate to write a short story using forwarding. The story will be written from the ending through the beginning. This provides practice in reading replies and forwarding, as earlier messages are listed from the bottom up. Writing the story backwards puts emphasis on understanding sequence and cause/effect relationships, as well as character and plot development. Prerequisites: Students must understand the parts of a story, sequencing, basic writing skills, how to send and read , how to forward . Anticipatory Set: Read a simple picture book backwards, stopping and predicting what must have happened before the part you just read. 1. Explain to the students that they will be collaborating to write their own story. Give them a main character, setting, and a brief description of a plot. Provide a list of students in the order they should pass the story. It would also be helpful to divide the list into story parts-beginning, middle, and end. 2. Demonstrate an with multiple forwarding, and instruct students how to read it from the bottom up. Explain that students will have to read each person s story portion, starting at the bottom. 3. Explain that the first student will receive an with the last few lines of the story ending. They will then write a sentence (or more) that precede the lines they received, and forward the message to the next person. You can have them cc the teacher to keep track of the story. 4. Each successive student will write the preceding few lines of the story, being careful that their writing sequences logically into the story before them. The last person on the list will write the beginning sentence(s) of the story, and forward it to the teacher. 5. The teacher can then copy and paste to create a final draft of the class story. End with reading it aloud to the class, and discussing how the process worked. Assessment: Teacher observation

4 Lesson: Choose Your Own Adventure Grade Level: 3 rd -8 th Materials: Story Prompt, Computer access, Gaggle account Learning Standards: NAEP Writing Frameworks 1,2,3,4,5,6; NETS*S 1,3,4 Purpose: Students will collaborate with a partner to write an adventure story. This lesson will provide practice in creative writing, with an emphasis on plot, and escalating action. It also requires students to consider multiple possible plot developments in their writing. Higher grades or advanced students can focus on foreshadowing. Partners or can be random, or set by the teacher to homogenous or heterogeneous pairs according to need. Prerequisites: Students must understand the parts of a story, sequencing, basic writing skills, how to send and read , and how to upload and open attached documents. Anticipatory Set: Read a portion of a Choose Your Own Adventure book aloud to the class, letting them vote when you come to an option question. 1. Brainstorm a list of adventurous settings. Review use of word choice to make writing exciting. Assign partners. 2. Explain that each student will write a paragraph or two to begin their story, using Word. Their writing must end with a question asking the reader to make a choice. For example He skidded to a halt in front of two doors. One was large, and made of red metal. The other was small, made of knotted pine. Which door does he choose? The writer then attaches the story to an to their partner. 3. The partner receives the , opens the document, and reads the story. He makes his choice, sending his answer as a reply to the writer. 4. The writer then continues writing the story based on the response, stopping again at a choice. 5. This assignment can be continued for a specified number of choices or length of time. Assessment: Teacher observation, score final draft using writing rubric of your choice. Extensions: Create partners with different classes, cross-district, or e-pals.

5 Lesson: Peer Editing Grade Level: 3 rd -12 th Materials: Writing Assignment, Computer access, Gaggle account Learning Standards: NAEP Writing Frameworks 4,5,6 NETS*S 1,3,4 Purpose: Students will practice revision and editing skills on their own, and a peer s writing. Students will have an opportunity to improve their own writing using help from their peer partner. Students will also practice using advanced features of Word. Prerequisites: Students must have a rough draft of a writing assignment, basic revising and editing techniques, ability to send/receive attachments by , basic proficiency in Word. Anticipatory Set: Review constructive revision/editing techniques. 1. Review revision and editing techniques. 2. Demonstrate Word s Track Changes feature. Open a sample document with some grammar and punctuation mistakes, and sentence fragments. Click on Tools, then Track Changes. Make some changes to the text so students can see how Word tracks them. 3. Assign peer partners. 4. Have students attach their writing to an to their partner. They then download the attachment, set Word to Track Changes, and proceed with revision and editing. 5. Once done, they save the document, and attach it to a new message to their partner. 6. The partner now creates a second draft by either starting a new document, or using the Changes toolbar to accept or reject changes, and to create a final draft. Assessment: Teacher observation Extensions: Use the above techniques to hold virtual teacher/student writing conferences. Assign an older student to be a younger student s writing mentor. Assign adult volunteers as mentors.

6 Lesson: Daily Editing Practice Grade Level: 3 rd -12 th Materials: Sentences/paragraphs containing conventions mistakes, Computer access, Gaggle account Learning Standards: NAEP Writing Framework 5, NETS*S 1,3,4 Purpose: Students will practice using proper writing conventions by correctly editing sentences/paragraphs containing mistakes. Prerequisites: Students must have appropriate grade level understanding of writing conventions, ability to send/receive attachments by , and basic proficiency in Word. Anticipatory Set: None; routine assignment 1. Teacher s all students a sentence or paragraph containing conventions mistakes. (Use Address Groups to send to entire class) Students retype the sentence correctly as a reply message, or copy and paste to a Word document to make corrections there. 2. Students send message back to teacher, or save in Word document and attach to a message to the teacher at the end of the week. Assessment: Teacher observation; daily/weekly score; periodic quiz using selected sentences. Extensions: Differentiate using less/more complicated sentences and using Address Groups to create differentiated groups. Assign Editing buddies in a different class to create and send each other sentences to correct.

7 Lesson: Persuasive Grade Level: 3 rd -12th Materials: Gaggle account Learning Standards: NAEP Writing Frameworks 1,2,4,5,6; NETS*S 1,2,3,4 Purpose: Students will write a persuasive message to an adult. This lesson will provide practice in writing to a specific audience and providing support and details. Prerequisites: Students must have basic writing skills, familiarity with a friendly letter format, some knowledge of their intended subject and audience, ability to send and receive messages. Anticipatory Set: Lead a discussion on examples of persuasion. For younger grades, asking parents for a new toy or pet is a good starter. For older grades, utilize a current event, politics, or laws such as driving restrictions. Focus on how good persuasion provides arguments that are relevant to the audience, not necessarily the writer. 1. Model writing a persuasive related to the discussion. Demonstrate how an message follows similar rules to a friendly letter format, using a salutation, body, and closing. 2. Choose an audience and topic for the message. Students can write to the teacher, a specials teacher, the principal, or their parents. Upper grades can also write to a company or politician if outside s are allowed. Provide students with the address. 3. Students plan their arguments, and write a rough draft message, ing it to the teacher for review. 4. After receiving a reply with the teacher s suggestions, the student rewrites the message (final draft) and sends it to the intended audience, using the CC feature to also send it to the teacher. 5. Ideally, students will receive responses they can share with the class. Assessment: Score the final message using a rubric for persuasive writing. Extensions: Use this lesson to support social studies content, especially in government and economics, or science content, especially environment and ethics.

8 Grade Level: 3 rd -12th Materials: Gaggle account Lesson: Interview/Biography Writing Learning Standards: NAEP Writing Frameworks 1,2,3,4,5,6; NETS*S 1,2,3,4,5 Purpose: Students will conduct an interview with a relative or other adult via , and write a biographical essay about their interviewee. This lesson will provide practice in conducting research using a primary source, formulating logical questions and question extensions, and using writing conventions. Prerequisites: Students must have grade-appropriate reading and writing skills, and basic skills. Anticipatory Set: Read a biographical essay or magazine article aloud to the class. Discuss how the writer had to interview the subject to gather information for the article, and then decide what information to use. 1. Assign each student a person to interview. All grades can interview parents or other relatives, or partner with a local nursing home (with access) or veteran s organization. Upper grades could connect with school staff, community partners, or local businesses. 2. Brainstorm a list of starting questions, focusing on open-ended questions that will encourage ongoing conversation. 3. Guide students through creating a folder in their Gaggle account called Interview, in which they can store their interview messages. 4. Students will write an initial message to their interviewee in which they introduce themselves, explain the project, and ask permission to interview. 5. Once the student receives permission, they will correspond with their interviewee, asking a few questions at a time. Subsequent messages should include extension questions based on responses, and add new questions. A time limit should be set for completion of research. 6. Once interviewing is complete, students will write an autobiographical paragraph or essay (length depends on grade level) using conventional expository writing techniques. 7. The final draft should be written in Word, sent to the teacher, and attached to a thank you to the interviewee. Assessment: Score final draft using your state writing rubrics, 6-Trait rubrics, or your own scoring methods. The interview s can also be assessed by accessing the students Interview folders through Gaggle.

9 Lesson: Problem of the Week Grade Level: 3 rd -8th Materials: Computer access, Gaggle account Learning Standards: Various NCTM standards related to topic of problem; NCTM Standards: Problem Solving, and Communication; NETS*S 2,3,4 Purpose: Students will practice computation skills, problem-solving techniques, and writing skills in the math content area. Prerequisites: Students must have the basic computation skills necessary for each problem. Students must know how to read and send . Anticipatory Set: None needed-weekly routine activity 1. Send to all students on Monday with the problem. Can send same problem to all students, or differentiate according to ability. 2. Students solve, and explain their process in a return by the end of the week. Assessment: Score using state constructed response rubric. Extension: Teacher can set up a Problem of the Week message board to post extension problems, hints and tips, previous week s best answers.

10 Lesson Plan: Mystery Number Grade Level: 3 rd -8th Materials: Computer access, Gaggle account, 100 chart for lower grades Learning Standards: NCTM Standards: Number and Operations, Problem Solving, and Communication; NETS*S 2,3,4 Purpose: Students will practice number sense skills as they eliminate possibilities in order to guess a mystery number. They will also develop logical thinking skills as they work to figure out effective questions. Prerequisites: Students must have basic number sense, understanding of even/odd, place value, multiples and factors. Students must know how to read and send . Anticipatory Set: Play a game of Guess Who? Discuss how the best strategy is to ask a question that can eliminate a large number of possibilities. 1. Send all students an with a message that says something like I am a number between 1 and 100. What am I? 2. Students reply with questions that can be answered with a yes or no, and the teacher answers. 3. Students continue until someone figures out the mystery number. Assessment: Teacher observation Extension: Could let the winner create the next Mystery Number and be the one who answers the questions. This can be easily differentiated by using fractions, decimals, and integers for higher grades. Create a Mystery Figure to practice geometry concepts.

11 Grade Level: 3 rd -8th Lesson Plan: Student Word Problems Materials: Computer access, Gaggle account, Learning Standards: Various NCTM standards related to topic of problem; NCTM Standards: Problem Solving, and Communication; NETS*S 2,3,4 Purpose: Students will create word problems to be solved by another student. This will provide reinforcement of already learned math concepts, computation skills, problemsolving techniques, and writing in mathematics. Prerequisites: Students must have the basic computation skills necessary for each problem, and understanding of proper format of a math problem response. Students must know how to read and send . Anticipatory Set: Provide a boring sample word problem and solve with the students. Then discuss how it could be made more interesting and relevant. Challenge the students to write a better problem. 1. Review the math concept(s) the word problem will cover. 2. Review and model the format for explaining the problem solving process. 3. Assign each student a partner (works well to pair similar skill levels). 4. Each student will create a word problem, and send it to their partner to solve. 5. Students will solve their received problem, and send their answer and explanation back in a reply to their partner, and a CC to their teacher. Assessment: Teacher observation, score using state constructed response rubric. Extension: Assign partners from different classes or grade levels. Create a class book of word problems.

12 Lesson Plan: Geometry Drawings Grade Level: 3 rd -8th Materials: Computer access, Gaggle account, Paint or other computer drawing program Learning Standards: NCTM Standards: Geometry, Problem Solving, Communication, Representation; NETS*S 2,3,4 Purpose: Students will write a detailed description of a polygon using geometry vocabulary and precise mathematical language. They will send it to a partner who will draw the polygon using Paint or another drawing program. This will provide reinforcement of geometry vocabulary and concepts, as well as writing and reading in math. Prerequisites: Students must understand basic geometry vocabulary and concepts, like parallel, perpendicular, right angle, etc. Students must know how to read and send . Students must know how to use Paint or another drawing program. Anticipatory Set: Invite one student to come to the board and draw a polygon based on descriptions from another student. Point out how important it is to use precise mathematical language. 1. Assign each student a polygon using either its name, or a picture. 2. Assign partners. 3. Review vocabulary used to describe polygons: sides, lines, parallel, perpendicular, right, obtuse, and acute angles. 4. Each student will write a description of their polygon, without revealing the name of it, and it to their partner. 5. The partner uses Paint to draw the described polygon, and attaches it to an reply. Assessment: Teacher observation; score based on providing an accurate description. Extension: Differentiate by assigning simpler or more complex polygons. Assign three dimensional figures. Add measurements of line lengths and angles.

13 Lesson Plan: Student Architects Grade Level: 3 rd -8th Materials: Computer access, Gaggle account, building materials like toothpicks or pretzel sticks and mini-marshmallows Learning Standards: NCTM Standards: Geometry, Problem Solving, Communication, Representation; NETS*S 2,3,4 Purpose: Students will write a detailed description of a geometric construct (building) using geometry vocabulary and precise mathematical language. They will send it to a partner who will build the construct using toothpicks and marshmallows. This will provide reinforcement of geometry vocabulary and concepts, as well as writing and reading in math. Prerequisites: Students must understand basic geometry vocabulary and concepts, like parallel, perpendicular, right angle, etc. Students must know how to read and send . Anticipatory Set: Invite one student to come to the front of the room and construct a triangle using the building materials. Point out how important it is to use precise mathematical language. 1. Have each student create a building using their materials. It is important to keep their buildings secret so as not to give hints. 2. Review vocabulary used to describe polygons: sides, lines, parallel, perpendicular, right, obtuse, and acute angles. 3. Each student will write a description of their building. 4. Assign partners. the description to your partner. 5. The partner constructs the building based on the description, then compares to original. Assessment: Teacher observation; score based on providing an accurate description. Extension: Differentiate by assigning simpler or more complex figures Add measurements of line lengths and angles.