3 days Lifting the Qualities of Effective Fiction Writing. 3 4 days Stretching Out the Problem and Imagining Creative Solutions to Stories

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "3 days Lifting the Qualities of Effective Fiction Writing. 3 4 days Stretching Out the Problem and Imagining Creative Solutions to Stories"

Transcription

1 Grade 1, Unit 3 Realistic Fiction Adapted from Realistic Fiction (Unit 3) in A Curricular Plan for the Writing Workshop, Grade 1 by Calkins Section of the Unit of Study Minilesson Focus Points Time (approximate) 6 days Writers Draw on Everything We Know to Write Realistic Fiction Stories 3 days Lifting the Qualities of Effective Fiction Writing Writers dream about stories to write and then when we get to our writing time we often just write the first page to the books we might someday want to write. After we have written some first pages, we choose one and write that story. Writers dream up characters we want to put in our stories. The characters might be just like us or like other people we know. Writers imagine different kinds of problems our character might face and write lots of first pages to different story ideas that we ll turn into book Writes can use a planning booklet to imagine different ways a story could go. When we have an idea then we can sketch the pictures very quickly into our regular writing booklet to begin to write the story. Writing partners can talk together about possible ways the stories could go and act out those different ways and then ask our partners to help us decide which one is best. When writers finish one story, we quickly start another one. We imagine how our stories will get stronger and even better by thinking about what our character likes or doesn t like and how this might lead to the problem and solution in our story. Writers use everything we know to make our stories the best they can be. We use different kinds of punctuation, clear handwriting, spell with as many sounds as we can hear in words, and use the word wall to spell word in a snap. We also read our stories aloud with our partners, making sure our writing makes sense and sounds right. Writers stop and think about the important parts of our stories (when the character first realizes the problem, and when the character faces trouble or something gets in the way of solving the problem, or when the character finally solves the problem). We go back to those parts and slow them down by showing not telling the character s feelings, using lots of dialogue, action, and thinking. Writers use storytelling strategies to write our stories. We start with a lead, tell details about the setting, storytell what the character is saying or doing. We can act out the scene or close our eyes and picture how the character is moving, what he or she is saying, thinking, and feeling. 3 4 days Stretching Out the Problem and Imagining Creative Solutions to Stories Writers make their stories stronger by stretching out the problem and not giving the solution away too quickly. We can think about what trouble will get in our character s way to make the problem harder to solve. Writers can stretch out the problem by showing how the main character reacts to the problem, including what he or she says, thinks, and does. As we do this, we ll think about how who the characters is will influence how he or she reacts.

2 5 days Choosing Our Best work to Revise and Publish Writers write powerful endings to their realistic fiction by writing a few different endings and trying on each one to see which fits best. Writers need to make sure our endings make sense. We can ask our partners, Would that really happen? or What would a character have to think or do to make that happen? Then we can revise the way the problem gets solved to make sure the story is realistic. Writers always revise. We can add or take away parts to make our stories even better. We can add or take away from our stories by using paper flaps or strips. We can take apart our booklets with staple removers and add or remove pages to make our books longer or shorter in certain places. Writes work with partners to think of what to add in and what to take out of our stories. Our partners help us figure out what is missing and which parts need more information. Writers revise to make mind movies in our story and imagine we are the main character, living through each part. We try to write down, bit by bit, exactly what we are imagining so our readers can picture it, too. We know the tiniest details help our readers out a lot. Writers can revise in another way. We can think, Which page is the most important? Where in my story does the main character have the biggest feelings? Then, we can rewrite that page from top to bottom, using a flap or a new blank page, this time stretching out the moment even more including details that show feelings and slow down the actions. Writers can use our favorite realistic fiction books as mentors to help make our best stories even better. We can look at our justright books and ask, What are ways this writer stretched out the problem? Writes know its important that our stories make sense to our readers. Often, we go back and make sure our writing sounds like we want it to. We reread, adding in anything that we forgot or fixing something that we think is not quite right. We can use extra pieces of paper or strips to add in what s missing. We can ask our partners for help. Writers reread to make sure that what we have written is clear and easy to follow. We add in words that we forgot and punctuation we haven t used. Writers do our very best when spelling new words. We make sure word wall words are spelled correctly and sometimes if longer words are tricky to spell, we spend extra time thinking about them. We can try to write the word different ways, listening for sounds and thinking about possible ways to write those sounds, or even close our eyes and imagine what the word might look like. Then we look across the ways we ve spelled the word and pick the best one. 1 Day Publishing and Celebrating Minilessons or focus points can be taught in other times during writing instruction than just the minilesson time. Some could be taught in the middle of the workshop as a short teaching point, some might be saved as a short teaching point during the share time of the writing instruction. And some may just be needed in small group work or in individual conferences.

3 Some guidelines that may support teaching along the way: Preparation for the unit: Prepare a few of your own realistic fiction stories as mentor texts to have available for various minilessons. Gather a few of the class realistic fiction read alouds such as Peter s Chair by Keats or When Sophie Gets Angry, Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang as mentor texts. Also, have a few of the just-right books that children are reading at various levels as models of the type of realistic fiction they are reading themselves as mentor texts. Because your students have grown in stamina and writing proficiency you need to prepare paper that supports this growth. Now there should be 6 or 7 lines per page and prepare some pages where there isn t a box for an illustration. Students may still be writing 4 5 page booklets but prepare some 6 page booklets to help them to begin to write longer stories. Also provide a supply of flaps, extra pages, tape, scissors, and staple remover for revising. Have available one new folder for each child that will become his/her revision folder. Bring in anchor charts from the small moments unit and begin to prepare some charts with new skills for this unit. Throughout this unit during storytime (not writing instruction time), it is helpful to develop a class story with one class character as a model for the storytelling and writing that the children will be doing. Continue to add a few words each week to the word wall and continue to coach students in the use of the word wall. Children should be writing more at this stage longer stories with less focus on the illustrations. Now they should be drawing very simple sketches. Writers Draw on Everything We Know to Write Realistic Fiction Stories Children will storytell and plan their stories first by telling stories across their fingers or as they turn pages of a 4 6 page booklet. A major focus of this unit is getting students to rehearse their stories by planning the problem and solution. They can also act out little scenes in the story to help with this rehearsal. Begin the unit by sharing with the students that fiction writers think of a character that is like them and about things they know about. Give specific examples like having a younger sibling, or a pet, or playing soccer, or drawing pictures. By giving these types of examples and having the students focus on real life type of activities children will get the idea that this is not about writing science fiction or about replicating some of their video games with characters. This is about writing about real things that happen in our lives. The difference in this realistic fiction and their small moments is that now they get to make up the character s gender, name, age, and even different character traits than their own. During this first lesson, you need to support them in brainstorming 5 or 6 good story ideas over a few days of writing time. During the active engagement they could practice brainstorming one story idea across their fingers. Then at their seats, they can practice storytelling at least 1 or 2 other ones. They engage in this storytelling activity for only about 10 minutes and then choose at least two of their stories to write out the first page of each one. The goal after two three days is to have at least 3 good story possibilities started with one page that they will be able to go back to and work on throughout the unit. Through all of this the concept that you want children to understand is that writers do lots of brainstorming before they settle on their one story. They are always thinking of better ideas. During the first three lessons, you continue providing support for the brainstorming of ideas especially about choosing characters and problems that the characters might face. You can share how a character s likes and dislikes can lead to trouble. Use some of the class read alouds as examples. Discuss how the character finds solutions to their problems. Writers ask themselves, What kinds of trouble have my characters been getting into? Could my character get into similar trouble? How might my character solve the problem differently? Remind children that they can be like writers of the books in their classroom by thinking about their stories even while they are home. They can storytell to their siblings or parents. Remind them by storytelling a story many times, it becomes easier to write the story.

4 Another strategy to point out if some children are struggling coming up with characters and ideas is to remind them they can think of the books they love and just change them around to make their own story. The structure of thinking they might us might be: Think of (favorite book) and how (character) really wanted (the goal) but something new gets in the way and then... After about 3 days of writing introduce a mini-booklet concept for planning different ways a story can go. Show the children how to take a sheet of paper, fold it in half and then fold that half into half so that there are 4 squares. Model now to sketch very quickly (half a minute on each page) how the story might go with each page representing one part of the story. Do not write words at this point. Model how to think through the entire book. The child would take only 3 minutes to make this mini book and then could make more than one version of the same story. As they finish the minibooklet they can storytell across the booklet. This work would take 5-10 minutes. This activity is helping them to imagine the problems the character gets into. Once the minibooklet is completed, the child can then sketch the pictures across the pages of a full size booklet or even begin writing the story. He could include more details in the illustrations in this booklet and even add speech bubbles, thought bubbles, labels, and other details. BUT these are just quick sketches. You are supporting children in moving from more extensive drawing that they did in kindergarten and early this year to less focus on illustrations and more focus on writing the words. Partners can spend time acting out their science as they are writing. One partner acts out an idea with a dramatic voice and the partner helps put words to the paper as the story evolves. One thing that students will need help with is storytelling rather than summarizing. Teach them to think, What exactly is happening at the start of my story? If this was a play or a movie what would the character be doing? Remind students that they won t use I, we, my but will use the character s name or he, she, they, and their. As the days of writing time progress, students need to understand as they finish one story they just keep writing more stories without reminders. Model for the children how as a writer you develop the main character by thinking about what the character likes and doesn t like. We also think about what the character is like, act it out, and then write what we acted out. Think, How does the character do things. Is she shy? Timid? Frantic? Another way for the children to think of this is by thinking about the problems they have faced in their own lives and giving the character a new way to solve the problem. After children understand that they need to include a goal for the character, help them understand that there is usually something in the way of accomplishing this goal trouble or a problem. You can remind them of some of the read alouds or even the stories in the Biscuit books or other just-right books they are reading. You can also point out this concept in The Three Billy Goats Gruff or Three Little Pigs. In the first few weeks, students are drafting 2 4 stories in a week. Lifting the Qualities of Effective Fiction Writing Remind the students of writing strategies they have learned in past units using effective punctuation choices so the reader s voice will change, making the writing and spelling legible and as accurate as possible, and rehearsing their writing aloud with a partner to make sure all the words and parts are there. Remind them to stretch out the important part the way they did in Small Moments by adding in dialogue and small actions and describing the setting. Writers also add in emotions of other characters. Remind them of some of the strategies from the Small Moments unit like beginning the story with the weather or showing the main character doing or saying something very specific. The only difference in this writing is that instead of beginning with I put on my soccer shoes and raced to the car they will write, Sammy put on his soccer shoes and raced to the car putting in the character s name and using the 3 rd person pronoun.

5 As the children think of these small actions, it might help them to move their bodies to mimi those actions to help them to think of all the small details. Stretching Out the Problem and Imagining Creative Solutions to Stories The focus of this section is helping students to elaborate the problem in their stories. They can show how the problem sometimes gets worse before they get better. The more they can make the problem hard to solve, the more tension there will be in their story. They can show how the character reacts to the problem what they say, think, and do. They can contrast how different characters react. What they have noticed in their reading (leveled texts) about how different characters react differently to the same problem. They can introduce some new characters. All of this can envisioning work can be done with their partners. Some language that may help the children as they stretch out the problem is to use words like, all of a sudden, suddenly, well, just then, before long, all at once, before he/she knew it and If... wasn t enough. As children write about how a character reaction to the problem they can also show how other characters in the story react in different ways to the problem. They can also elaborate the inside story by adding what the character is thinking or by saying how another character will feel about what this character did. Teach children how to write strong endings in which characters solve the problem. They can confer with partners and imagine how the story might end in a realistic ways. They should ask one another, Would that really happen? What would a character have to think or do to make that happen? As children work on their endings, you can point out that they could write one ending that will solve the problem to satisfy the reader. Then they could try another ending with a twist that will leave the reader wondering. They could try a third ending where the problem doesn t get solve, but instead, the character changes and decides that the problem no longer matters to him or her. Choosing Our Best Work to Revise and Publish There are more revision strategies here than what you will have time or need to teach. Some of them could be mid-workshop teaching points, some saved for teaching points during the share time at the end of the writing time, and some will be for individual students during conferences. Ask children to choose their very, very best writing from the previous weeks of work in the unit. Share that this is what writers do. Then teach them how to revise by rereading their writing and noticing where there are gaps. Point out the charts from previous units and this unit and ask the students to think what they will work on to make their piece the very, very best it can be. They then use the revising tools that are available. Provide each student with a revision folder and a colored pen, swatches of paper to add paragraphs onto their drafts and flaps to tape over parts they decide to revise. Teach them to use staple removers to make their books longer or shorter. Help students to understand that punctuation can guide the reader to certain feelings in a book. Point out the different feelings that would be evoked in one sentence if it ended in a period and then the same sentence if it ended in an exclamation point. As you teach children to work with partners to think of what to add in and what to take out of our stories, you could think about how the characters are feeling and write details that describe what those feelings might look like, on the character s face or in the way the character moves his or her body. Remind children that the reason to revise is to allow them to elaborate by telling a small portion step by step. They will need support in understanding that they need to storytell the story and create the little scenes they see int heri mind using dialogue and small actions. Point out that they revise to draw out the meaning of the story, thinking about why this story matters and then write to highlight that meaning. They can do this by asking, Which page is the most important? Where in my story does the main character have the biggest feelings? Once they choose this important page, then they can rewrite that page reliving the moment and depicting it with details which might end up now being two pages of text which would include dialogue and small actions.

6 Another revision strategy to teach is to create more literary beginnings or endings to the stories. Model how they can try writing a few different versions of a lead or an ending or any part of the story and think which version works best. They can study mentor texts that have been read alouds or just-right fiction they have been reading and name what the writer did in his or her beginning or ending. They can ask, What are ways this writer stretched out the problem? What are ways the writer developed the character? and then try those same strategies. They can ask Did I stretch out my problem? Could I get my character to try something to solve the problem but make the first attempt at solving the problem not work, just like... As you remind students to reread their writing to make sure it is clear, you might want to remind them to reread and make sure they have used the character s name all the way through and not first person pronouns instead. Reflection and Assessment Have each student complete the self-assessment. If some students are still very emergent in their reading and writing, you could have individual conferences with them, ask the questions orally, and record their answers for them.

7 NAME DATE WOW!! We are ready to celebrate our realistic fiction books and all the hard work that went into them. What did you do really well in your realistic fiction book? What was difficult for you? Tell me one new thing you learned in this unit.

8 Grade 1 Realistic Fiction, Unit 3 Benchmarks for Unit Rarely Sometimes Most of the Time More Than I Expect Writing Habits and Processes Generates topics and content for writing Before writing, thinks through a character and a problem Cycles through planning, writing, and revising without needing teacher intervention to progress. Rereads own work often with the expectation that others will be able to read it Solicits and provides responses to writing Revises, edits, and proofreads as appropriate Applies a sense of what constitutes good writing (applies some commonly agreed upon criteria to own work) Polishes 1 realistic fiction books Writing Purposes and Genres Evidence of a plan for their writing including a character, problem, and a solution Demonstrate an awareness and an ability to reproduce some of the literary style dialogue, gestures, story grammar, plot lines, developing one major part of the story Attempts to further develop the main character Imitate the strategies used by some of their mentor authors Language Use Writes the character s name (instead of I) and writes with third person pronouns Storytells instead of summarizes Sometimes mimics sentence structures and word choice from the mentor texts Writing Conventions Spells high-frequency word wall words correctly Writes write text that usually can be read by the child and others Draws on a range of resources for deciding how to spell unfamiliar words, including strategies like segmenting, sounding out, and matching to familiar words and word parts Automatically spells some familiar words and word endings correctly Uses punctuation accurately and sometimes uses conventions borrowed from a mentor author to add emphasis such as exclamation points Adapted from Stephanie Parsons in First Grade Writers Unit adaptation by Carrie Ekey, November, 2011

Components of a Reading Workshop Mini-Lesson

Components of a Reading Workshop Mini-Lesson Components of a Reading Workshop Mini-Lesson Mini-Lesson: The Connection How will you begin the Reading Workshop mini-lesson with a connection in which you tell students what you ll be teaching them &

More information

An Overview of Conferring

An Overview of Conferring An Overview of Conferring You may have several important questions about writing conferences: ª What are the goals of a writing conference? ª When should I confer with students about their writing? ª What

More information

Language Arts Core, First Grade, Standard 8 Writing-Students write daily to communicate effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences.

Language Arts Core, First Grade, Standard 8 Writing-Students write daily to communicate effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences. Genre Unit Reading and Writing Fables by Amy Kinney Language Arts Core, First Grade, Standard 7 Comprehension-Students understand, interpret, and analyze narrative and informational grade level text. Objective

More information

Unit Map 2011-2012 Columbia University Teachers College Collaboration / Writing* / Kindergarten (Elementary School)

Unit Map 2011-2012 Columbia University Teachers College Collaboration / Writing* / Kindergarten (Elementary School) Unit Map 2011-2012 Columbia University Teachers College Collaboration / Writing* / Kindergarten (Elementary School) June 21, 2011, 9:13AM Unit 01 Launching The Writing Workshop (Week 1, 4 Weeks) Unit Rationale

More information

Grade 4 The Personal and Persuasive Essay, Unit 3 Adapted from A Curricular Plan for the Writing Workshop for Grade 4, Unit 3 by Calkins

Grade 4 The Personal and Persuasive Essay, Unit 3 Adapted from A Curricular Plan for the Writing Workshop for Grade 4, Unit 3 by Calkins Time (approximate) Grade 4 The Personal and Persuasive Essay, Unit 3 Adapted from A Curricular Plan for the Writing Workshop for Grade 4, Unit 3 by Calkins Section of the Unit of Study Minilesson Focus

More information

Published on www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/nationalstrategies

Published on www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/nationalstrategies Published on www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/nationalstrategies 16-Dec-2010 Year 3 Narrative Unit 3 Adventure and mystery Adventure and mystery (4 weeks) This is the third in a block of four narrative units

More information

A Writer s Workshop: Working in the Middle from Jennifer Alex, NNWP Consultant

A Writer s Workshop: Working in the Middle from Jennifer Alex, NNWP Consultant Structure of a Workshop: A Writer s Workshop: Working in the Middle from Jennifer Alex, NNWP Consultant For the last four years, writing and reading workshops have been the foundation of my classroom practice.

More information

xxx Lesson 11 1. Comprehend the writing process 2. Respond positively to the writing process

xxx Lesson 11 1. Comprehend the writing process 2. Respond positively to the writing process xxx Lesson 11 The Writing Process Overview: This lesson will focus on the writing process and how it relates to communication. Learners will be taught what the writing process is, its parts, and how they

More information

Writing Realistic Fiction: Grade 3 Writing Unit 3

Writing Realistic Fiction: Grade 3 Writing Unit 3 Unit Title: Writing Realistic Fiction Duration: 4 weeks Concepts: 1. Writers collect story ideas by imagining stories from ordinary moments and issues in their lives. 2. Writers plan and rehearse their

More information

Students will know Vocabulary: purpose details reasons phrases conclusion point of view persuasive evaluate

Students will know Vocabulary: purpose details reasons phrases conclusion point of view persuasive evaluate Fourth Grade Writing : Text Types and Purposes Essential Questions: 1. How do writers select the genre of writing for a specific purpose and audience? 2. How do essential components of the writing process

More information

AR State PIRC/ Center for Effective Parenting

AR State PIRC/ Center for Effective Parenting Helping Young Children Learn to Read What Parents Can Do Reading is one of the basic building blocks for your child s learning and school success. It is a skill on which most other learning is built. Children

More information

Grading Benchmarks FIRST GRADE. Trimester 4 3 2 1 1 st Student has achieved reading success at. Trimester 4 3 2 1 1st In above grade-level books, the

Grading Benchmarks FIRST GRADE. Trimester 4 3 2 1 1 st Student has achieved reading success at. Trimester 4 3 2 1 1st In above grade-level books, the READING 1.) Reads at grade level. 1 st Student has achieved reading success at Level 14-H or above. Student has achieved reading success at Level 10-F or 12-G. Student has achieved reading success at Level

More information

Helping your child with Reading

Helping your child with Reading Helping your child with Reading Some ways that you can support. Getting Started Sharing books - We teach phonics to help our children learn to read and write and in order to do this successfully they need

More information

Writing Poetry with Second Graders By Shelly Prettyman

Writing Poetry with Second Graders By Shelly Prettyman Day 1 Mini-Lesson: What is Poetry (review)? Time: 30-45 min Writing Poetry with Second Graders By Shelly Prettyman Standard 7--Comprehension Students understand, interpret, and analyze grade level poetry.

More information

Fifth Grade English Language Arts Learning Goals for 3 rd 9- Weeks

Fifth Grade English Language Arts Learning Goals for 3 rd 9- Weeks Skills students should demonstrate by the end of the 2 nd 9- weeks of school: Unit 4A- Making Connections Across Literary Genres Learning Goal: Student will understand that authors use point of view to

More information

Grade 4 Writing Curriculum Map

Grade 4 Writing Curriculum Map Curriculum Map BOE Approval November 2013 CURRICULUM MAP WRITING GRADE 4 SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY Creating a Buzz About : It s All About Me! Tell Me A Story Realistic Fiction Tell Me

More information

Refining Informational Writing: Grade 5 Writing Unit 3

Refining Informational Writing: Grade 5 Writing Unit 3 Unit Title: Refining Informational Writing Concepts: 1. Writers read mentor texts to study informational writing. 2. Writers generate ideas and experiment with notebook entries. 3. Writers learn strategies

More information

Using sentence fragments

Using sentence fragments Lesson 8 Descriptive Essays Description is not a distinct mode of writing, like expository, narrative, and persuasive, but the ability to write descriptively is essential to a host of writing genres. Many

More information

Guided Reading with Emergent Readers by Jeanne Clidas, Ph.D.

Guided Reading with Emergent Readers by Jeanne Clidas, Ph.D. Bebop Books Guided Reading with Emergent Readers by Jeanne Clidas, Ph.D. What Is Guided Reading? Guided reading involves a small group of children thinking, talking, and reading through a new text with

More information

Students will participate in a cold-write of an opinion.

Students will participate in a cold-write of an opinion. : Instructional Strategies: DAY 1 Students will participate in a cold-write of an opinion. Advanced Graphic Organizers, Instructional Conversations facilitated by purposeful use of Participation and Discussion

More information

Grade 6: Module 1: Unit 2: Lesson 19 Peer Critique and Pronoun Mini-Lesson: Revising Draft Literary Analysis

Grade 6: Module 1: Unit 2: Lesson 19 Peer Critique and Pronoun Mini-Lesson: Revising Draft Literary Analysis Grade 6: Module 1: Unit 2: Lesson 19 Revising Draft Literary Analysis This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Exempt third-party content

More information

Monitoring for Meaning

Monitoring for Meaning Monitoring for Meaning Grades 3-5 eeee Wwh Monitoring comprehension is above all engagement. When readers monitor their thinking, they have an inner conversation with the text. They listen to the voice

More information

4th Grade Genre Unit: Legends

4th Grade Genre Unit: Legends 4th Grade Genre Unit: Legends Michigan Legends Melissa Gucker TE 802 Fall 2006 Lesson #1/Day #1 Lesson Topic: The Legend of the Loon : 1 st Characteristic of Legends: Heroes/Heroines. Goals: R.NT.04.02:

More information

MStM Reading/Language Arts Curriculum Lesson Plan Template

MStM Reading/Language Arts Curriculum Lesson Plan Template Grade Level: 6 th grade Standard 1: Students will use multiple strategies to read a variety of texts. Grade Level Objective: 1. A.6.1: compare/contrast the differences in fiction and non-fiction text.

More information

Introduction to Writing Traits and Writing Strategies

Introduction to Writing Traits and Writing Strategies Six Traits Writing Workshop WNY School Support Center UB Buffalo Public Schools Jim Collins Introduction to Writing Traits and Writing Strategies Traits and Strategies 1. The Six Traits approach to writing

More information

Balanced Literacy in Seattle Public Schools

Balanced Literacy in Seattle Public Schools Introduction Balanced Literacy in Seattle Public Schools The goal for literacy instruction in Seattle Public Schools is to ensure that all pre- Kindergarten through twelfth grade students become proficient

More information

Summarizing and Paraphrasing

Summarizing and Paraphrasing CHAPTER 4 Summarizing and Paraphrasing Summarizing and paraphrasing are skills that require students to reprocess information and express it in their own words. These skills enhance student comprehension

More information

A. What is a play? B. What are basic elements of a play script? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. C. What kind of character does your group wish to write about?

A. What is a play? B. What are basic elements of a play script? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. C. What kind of character does your group wish to write about? WRITE A ONE ACT PLAY I. PREWRITE A. What is a play? B. What are basic elements of a play script? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. C. What kind of character does your group wish to write about? D. As a result of reading/seeing

More information

Mendham Township School District Reading Curriculum Kindergarten

Mendham Township School District Reading Curriculum Kindergarten Mendham Township School District Reading Curriculum Kindergarten Kindergarten Unit 1: We Are Readers Exploring the Exciting World of Books Reading Level Benchmark: Emergent Story Books & Shared Reading

More information

Language Arts Literacy Areas of Focus: Grade 5

Language Arts Literacy Areas of Focus: Grade 5 Language Arts Literacy : Grade 5 Mission: Learning to read, write, speak, listen, and view critically, strategically and creatively enables students to discover personal and shared meaning throughout their

More information

Year 1 reading expectations (New Curriculum) Year 1 writing expectations (New Curriculum)

Year 1 reading expectations (New Curriculum) Year 1 writing expectations (New Curriculum) Year 1 reading expectations Year 1 writing expectations Responds speedily with the correct sound to graphemes (letters or groups of letters) for all 40+ phonemes, including, where applicable, alternative

More information

Examples of IEP Goals and Objectives

Examples of IEP Goals and Objectives AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER SERIES Examples of IEP Goals and Objectives Introduction Suggestions for Students with Autism When writing goals for children with Autism it is crucial to be as specific as possible.

More information

Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Is there a wordlist for Cambridge English: Preliminary exams? Yes. There is a Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET) vocabulary list

More information

Class 3. Early Reading Assessment

Class 3. Early Reading Assessment Class 3. Early Reading Assessment 1. Phonemic Awareness: Initial Sound Segmentation Assess child s phonemic awareness: the knowledge that words are made of sounds put together. Assess ability to identify

More information

What qualities are employers looking for in teen workers? How can you prove your own skills?

What qualities are employers looking for in teen workers? How can you prove your own skills? Sell Yourself 4 Finding a job The BIG Idea What qualities are employers looking for in teen workers? How can you prove your own skills? AGENDA Approx. 45 minutes I. Warm Up: Employer Survey Review (15

More information

Genre Mini Unit. Writing Informational Nonfiction By Joyce Dunning

Genre Mini Unit. Writing Informational Nonfiction By Joyce Dunning Genre Mini Unit Writing Informational Nonfiction By Joyce Dunning Grade Level: 2 nd Grade State Core Standards: Standard 2, Objective 1: Demonstrate an understanding that print carries the message. Standard

More information

Language Arts Literacy Areas of Focus: Grade 6

Language Arts Literacy Areas of Focus: Grade 6 Language Arts Literacy : Grade 6 Mission: Learning to read, write, speak, listen, and view critically, strategically and creatively enables students to discover personal and shared meaning throughout their

More information

FAQ about Reading Workshop

FAQ about Reading Workshop FAQ about Reading Workshop My child is in Level M. What does that mean as far as a grade level that I can understand? Several different systems exist today for organizing reading levels. The one used in

More information

Fun Learning Activities for Mentors and Tutors

Fun Learning Activities for Mentors and Tutors Fun Learning Activities for Mentors and Tutors Mentors can best support children s academic development by having fun learning activities prepared to engage in if the child needs a change in academic/tutoring

More information

Narrative Literature Response Letters Grade Three

Narrative Literature Response Letters Grade Three Ohio Standards Connection Writing Applications Benchmark A Write narrative accounts that develop character, setting and plot. Indicator: 1 Write stories that sequence events and include descriptive details

More information

7 th Grade STAAR Writing Camp

7 th Grade STAAR Writing Camp 7 th Grade STAAR Writing Camp The objective for this writing camp is for students to determine whether the prompt is a narrative or expository prompt. Students will analyze and compose essays based on

More information

Compiled By: Pat Elliott, Resource Teacher & Dale Mays, Grade 4 Teacher Simcoe County District School Board Ontario Canada

Compiled By: Pat Elliott, Resource Teacher & Dale Mays, Grade 4 Teacher Simcoe County District School Board Ontario Canada Compiled By: Pat Elliott, Resource Teacher & Dale Mays, Grade 4 Teacher Simcoe County District School Board Ontario Canada Literacy Circles There is no one right way to conduct literacy circles. The manner

More information

Check My Writing Kindergarten

Check My Writing Kindergarten Ohio Standards Connection Writing Processes Benchmark F Apply tools to judge the quality of writing. Benchmark D Use revision strategies and resources to improve ideas and content, organization, word choice

More information

Grade 3: Module 1: Unit 1: Lesson 8 Paragraph Writing Instruction

Grade 3: Module 1: Unit 1: Lesson 8 Paragraph Writing Instruction Grade 3: Module 1: Unit 1: Lesson 8 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Exempt third-party content is indicated by the footer: (name

More information

Create stories, songs, plays, and rhymes in play activities. Act out familiar stories, songs, rhymes, plays in play activities

Create stories, songs, plays, and rhymes in play activities. Act out familiar stories, songs, rhymes, plays in play activities PRESCHOOL Language Arts Literacy Expectation 1 Children listen and respond to environmental sounds, directions, and conversations. NJCCC K-12 Standard 3.4 Listening Strand A: Active Listening Strand B:

More information

Writing Guide for Five Paragraph Essays. Grace-St. Luke s Episcopal School

Writing Guide for Five Paragraph Essays. Grace-St. Luke s Episcopal School 1 Writing Guide for Five Paragraph Essays Grace-St. Luke s Episcopal School 2 Five Paragraph Essays Every five paragraph essay has one thing in common five paragraphs. What a revelation! Even writing them

More information

STEAM STUDENT SET: INVENTION LOG

STEAM STUDENT SET: INVENTION LOG STEAM STUDENT SET: INVENTION LOG Name: What challenge are you working on? In a sentence or two, describe the challenge you will be working on. 1. CREATE Explore new ideas and bring them to life. You can

More information

Creating a Short Story

Creating a Short Story SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Revisiting Prior Work, Prewriting, Drafting, Revising, Visualizing, Sharing and Responding Assignment Your assignment is to develop one of the Story Starters you wrote in

More information

Lesson 2: How to Give Compliments to Tutees

Lesson 2: How to Give Compliments to Tutees Kids As Reading Helpers: A Peer Tutor Training Manual Copyright 2002 by Jim Wright www.interventioncentral.org L2-1 Lesson 2: How to Give Compliments to Tutees Introduction When correctly used, compliments

More information

Numbers Must Make Sense: A Kindergarten Math Intervention

Numbers Must Make Sense: A Kindergarten Math Intervention Numbers Must Make Sense: A Kindergarten Math Intervention Paula Kitchen Metropolitan School District of Pike Township Do you have students who do not recognize their numbers or cannot count to ten? We

More information

Decomposing Numbers (Operations and Algebraic Thinking)

Decomposing Numbers (Operations and Algebraic Thinking) Decomposing Numbers (Operations and Algebraic Thinking) Kindergarten Formative Assessment Lesson Designed and revised by Kentucky Department of Education Mathematics Specialists Field-tested by Kentucky

More information

Literacy. Work Stations. Source: Diller, D.(2003) Literacy Work Stations, Making Centers Work

Literacy. Work Stations. Source: Diller, D.(2003) Literacy Work Stations, Making Centers Work Literacy Work Stations Source: Diller, D.(2003) Literacy Work Stations, Making Centers Work Kyrene Reading Instruction Focus: Improve student achievement through implementation of curriculum and adopted

More information

OA3-10 Patterns in Addition Tables

OA3-10 Patterns in Addition Tables OA3-10 Patterns in Addition Tables Pages 60 63 Standards: 3.OA.D.9 Goals: Students will identify and describe various patterns in addition tables. Prior Knowledge Required: Can add two numbers within 20

More information

Virginia English Standards of Learning Grade 8

Virginia English Standards of Learning Grade 8 A Correlation of Prentice Hall Writing Coach 2012 To the Virginia English Standards of Learning A Correlation of, 2012, Introduction This document demonstrates how, 2012, meets the objectives of the. Correlation

More information

Literature Discussion Strategies

Literature Discussion Strategies 1 Kathy G. Short From Creating Classrooms for Authors and Inquirers, Kathy G. Short and Jerome Harste, Heinemann, 1996. FREE WRITES (Connection) After reading the book, set a timer for anywhere from 5-15minutes.

More information

Starting a Booktalk Club: Success in Just 12 Weeks!

Starting a Booktalk Club: Success in Just 12 Weeks! Starting a Booktalk Club: Success in Just 12 Weeks! It s wonderful that you re interested in starting a booktalk club at your school! Before you even begin, you may want to familiarize yourself with some

More information

Personal Essay: Grade 3 Writing Unit 4

Personal Essay: Grade 3 Writing Unit 4 Unit Title: Personal Essay Concepts: 1. Writers generate ideas for writing personal essays. 2. Writers learn strategies for good personal essay writing. 3. Writers learn strategies for revising their personal

More information

Mr. Fritzsche's Fourth & Fifth Grade Book Projects

Mr. Fritzsche's Fourth & Fifth Grade Book Projects Mr. Fritzsche's Fourth & Fifth Grade Book Projects It's time to put your reading comprehension skills to work. This year, you will be expected to read and do projects for six if you books in fourth grade

More information

Dear Mr. President. Estimated Time: 40 minutes

Dear Mr. President. Estimated Time: 40 minutes Dear Mr. President Estimated Time: 40 minutes I. Objectives As a result of this lesson, students will: identify the parts of a friendly letter. write a friendly letter to the president. II. Materials and

More information

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Grade Level: 5 Subject Area: Science, English, Technology and Art Short Description: In this lesson, students will be presented with the idea of reduce, reuse, recycle and formulate

More information

Using Think-Alouds to Improve Reading Comprehension Lesson Plan

Using Think-Alouds to Improve Reading Comprehension Lesson Plan Using Think-Alouds to Improve Reading Comprehension Lesson Plan Estimated Lesson Time: One class period Overview: Studies have shown that the think-aloud strategy improves comprehension on tests. Through

More information

YOUTH SOCCER COACHES GUIDE TO SUCCESS Norbert Altenstad

YOUTH SOCCER COACHES GUIDE TO SUCCESS Norbert Altenstad The Reason Why Most Youth Soccer Coaches Fail Lack of knowledge to make and keep practice fun and enjoyable for the kids is really the primary cause for failure as a youth soccer coach, it s sad. It s

More information

Grade 3 Theme 1. Writing Title: Personal Narrative

Grade 3 Theme 1. Writing Title: Personal Narrative Grade 3 Theme 1 Writing Title: Personal Narrative Performance Standard W1.1 The student writes about a topic. GLES: [3] 1.1.2 Writing a paragraph on a single topic with two or more supporting details.

More information

Character Traits. Teacher Talk

Character Traits. Teacher Talk Character Traits Teacher Talk What: (What are character traits, emotions and motives?): Characters are the people or animals in a story. When looking at characters, notice details about how they look,

More information

Isaac and Rebekah. (Genesis 24; 25:19-34; 27:1-40) Spark Resources: Spark Story Bibles. Supplies: None. Spark Resources: Spark Bibles

Isaac and Rebekah. (Genesis 24; 25:19-34; 27:1-40) Spark Resources: Spark Story Bibles. Supplies: None. Spark Resources: Spark Bibles BIBLE SKILLS & GAMES LEADER GUIDE Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 24; 25:19-34; 27:1-40) Age-Level Overview Age-Level Overview Open the Bible Activate Faith Lower Elementary Workshop Focus: God s promises come

More information

3rd Grade - ELA Writing

3rd Grade - ELA Writing 3rd Grade - ELA Text Types and Purposes College & Career Readiness 1. Opinion Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient

More information

Lesson Plan for Note Taking

Lesson Plan for Note Taking Lesson Plan for Note Taking Goals: To prepare students to take pertinent notes form lecture, books and activities. Expose students to different styles of note-taking. Give students an opportunity to practice

More information

8 Strategies for Designing Lesson Plans to Meet the CCSS Opinion and Argument Writing Requirements

8 Strategies for Designing Lesson Plans to Meet the CCSS Opinion and Argument Writing Requirements 8 Strategies for Designing Lesson Plans to Meet the CCSS Opinion and Argument Writing Requirements By Lauren Davis Eye On Education 6 Depot Way West Larchmont, NY 10538 www.eyeoneducation.com (888) 299-5350

More information

Growing Strong Nonfiction Readers and Writers What Matters Most in and out of Class Presenter: Mary Ehrenworth

Growing Strong Nonfiction Readers and Writers What Matters Most in and out of Class Presenter: Mary Ehrenworth Parents as reading and writing partners: A day to help parents understand the literacy work their children are doing in school, and what to do at home to help their children grow and achieve at the highest

More information

Giving Second Graders the Write Skills Grade Level:

Giving Second Graders the Write Skills Grade Level: Giving Second Graders the Write Skills Grade Level: Written by: Length of Unit: 2 nd Grade Tracy de Nieves, Cheyenne Mountain Charter Academy, Colorado Springs, CO Ten one hour lessons or (suggested) 20

More information

California. www.heinemann.com Phone: 800.225.5800

California. www.heinemann.com Phone: 800.225.5800 California Preschool Learning Foundations, Vol. 1 (Foundations in Language and Literacy) and The Continuum of Literacy Learning, Grades PreK 8: A Guide to Teaching by Gay Su Pinnell and Irene C. Fountas

More information

Lesson 3. The Novel ASSIGNMENT 8. Introduction to the Novel. Plot. Character

Lesson 3. The Novel ASSIGNMENT 8. Introduction to the Novel. Plot. Character The Novel ASSIGNMENT 8 Read the following Introduction to the Novel and the background to The Call of the Wild by Jack London. Then read pages 1 24 in the novel. When you finish your reading, study the

More information

Contents. A Word About This Guide... 3. Why Is It Important for My Child to Read?... 4. How Will My Child Learn to Read?... 4

Contents. A Word About This Guide... 3. Why Is It Important for My Child to Read?... 4. How Will My Child Learn to Read?... 4 Contents A Word About This Guide............................... 3 Why Is It Important for My Child to Read?................ 4 How Will My Child Learn to Read?....................... 4 How Can I Help My

More information

Kindergarten Number Sense Lesson Plan

Kindergarten Number Sense Lesson Plan Amy Roman/EDUC 527 1 Kindergarten Number Sense Lesson Plan Introduction Topic: Counting Backward from 10 Length of Lesson: 30-45 minutes VA Standards of Learning: K.4 The student will a) count forward

More information

Creating Strong Report Card Comments. A Handbook for Elementary Teachers

Creating Strong Report Card Comments. A Handbook for Elementary Teachers Creating Strong Report Card Comments A Handbook for Elementary Teachers Creating Strong Report Card Comments A comment on the report card should provide additional information about the student s level

More information

Poetry to Play Creating a Dramatic Scene from a Chapter of The Odyssey Lesson Plan

Poetry to Play Creating a Dramatic Scene from a Chapter of The Odyssey Lesson Plan Poetry to Play Creating a Dramatic Scene from a Chapter of The Odyssey Grade Level: 9-12 Curriculum Focus: Literature Lesson Duration: Two or more class periods Student Objectives Materials Discover that

More information

Children can write an extended adventure story with logically sequenced events and a resolution, using Talk for writing strategies throughout.

Children can write an extended adventure story with logically sequenced events and a resolution, using Talk for writing strategies throughout. 1 of 9 The National Strategies Primary Year 3 teaching plan Adventure and Mystery Stories Unit (Quests) (3 weeks) Final unit outcome Children can write an extended adventure story with logically sequenced

More information

AK + ASD Writing Grade Level Expectations For Grades 3-6

AK + ASD Writing Grade Level Expectations For Grades 3-6 Revised ASD June 2004 AK + ASD Writing For Grades 3-6 The first row of each table includes a heading that summarizes the performance standards, and the second row includes the complete performance standards.

More information

Grade 1 LA. 1. 1. 1. 1. Subject Grade Strand Standard Benchmark. Florida K-12 Reading and Language Arts Standards 27

Grade 1 LA. 1. 1. 1. 1. Subject Grade Strand Standard Benchmark. Florida K-12 Reading and Language Arts Standards 27 Grade 1 LA. 1. 1. 1. 1 Subject Grade Strand Standard Benchmark Florida K-12 Reading and Language Arts Standards 27 Grade 1: Reading Process Concepts of Print Standard: The student demonstrates knowledge

More information

Nami s Gifts. Lesson Plan. About the Book Text Type: Fiction/Realistic Page Count: 16 Word Count: 220. About the Lesson Targeted Reading Strategy

Nami s Gifts. Lesson Plan. About the Book Text Type: Fiction/Realistic Page Count: 16 Word Count: 220. About the Lesson Targeted Reading Strategy Lesson Plan About the Book Text Type: Fiction/Realistic Page Count: 16 Word Count: 220 Book Summary Nami has a problem: She must make the perfect gift for each person in her family. It is her family tradition.

More information

Suggested Grade 1 2 Lesson Plan Students Rights and Responsibilities

Suggested Grade 1 2 Lesson Plan Students Rights and Responsibilities Suggested Grade 1 2 Lesson Plan Students Rights and Responsibilities Lesson 1 My Rights and Responsibilities Grade 1 st and 2 nd Objective: The students will discuss and summarize their rights and responsibilities

More information

How To Proofread

How To Proofread GRADE 8 English Language Arts Proofreading: Lesson 6 Read aloud to the students the material that is printed in boldface type inside the boxes. Information in regular type inside the boxes and all information

More information

Technical Writing. Preparation. Objectives. Standards. Materials. Grade Level: 9-12 Group Size: 20-30 Time: 60-70 Minutes Presenters: 1

Technical Writing. Preparation. Objectives. Standards. Materials. Grade Level: 9-12 Group Size: 20-30 Time: 60-70 Minutes Presenters: 1 Technical Writing Preparation Grade Level: 9-12 Group Size: 20-30 Time: 60-70 Minutes Presenters: 1 Objectives This lesson will enable students to: Define technical writing. Identify characteristics of

More information

Welcome to the Reading Workshop. Learning, Loving and Laughing Together

Welcome to the Reading Workshop. Learning, Loving and Laughing Together Welcome to the Reading Workshop Aims for the workshop to encourage reading to be a regular and enjoyable activity to explore the best ways to read with your child to try an activity with your child(ren)

More information

Falling in Love with Close Reading Study Guide

Falling in Love with Close Reading Study Guide T E X T: Fic t i o n / N on f i c t i o n / O p i n i o n / A r g u ment M E D I A : I n t e r n e t s o n g s l a r / P o p u Read through lenses Use lenses to find patterns Use patterns to develop new

More information

ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SERIES STORYTELLING. Assignment #1: THE FOLK TALE

ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SERIES STORYTELLING. Assignment #1: THE FOLK TALE Assignment #1: THE FOLK TALE To tell a folk tale that is entertaining and enjoyable for a specific age group. To use vivid imagery and voice to enhance the tale. TIME : 7 to 9 minutes : The purpose of

More information

King Midas & the Golden Touch

King Midas & the Golden Touch TM Celebration Press Reading DRA2 Level 30 Guided Reading Level N Genre: Fiction Traditional Tale Reading Skill: Analyze Theme King Midas & the Golden Touch Retold by Alan Trussell-Cullen Illustrated by

More information

There s a Boy in the Girls Bathroom by Louis Sachar

There s a Boy in the Girls Bathroom by Louis Sachar There s a Boy in the Girls Bathroom by Louis Sachar This unit lasts three weeks This book has as its main character Bradley Chalkers, a bad boy who is always in trouble. In this story, we are allowed to

More information

Best Practices for Displaying Print in My Classroom

Best Practices for Displaying Print in My Classroom Best Practices for Displaying Print in My Classroom It was a difficult day when I removed all of the commercial print from my classroom. I didn t want it to look plain or boring. Anchor charts were fairly

More information

SuperSpeed Math. Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division And the Gnarlies!

SuperSpeed Math. Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division And the Gnarlies! SuperSpeed Math, copyright Chris Biffle SuperSpeed Math Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division And the Gnarlies! Chris Biffle Crafton Hills College Yucaipa, California CBiffle@AOL.com SuperSpeed

More information

Revising and Editing Your Essay 1

Revising and Editing Your Essay 1 Revising and Editing Your Essay 1 Revising and editing are two distinct processes. Revising is intentionally looking at ways of improving your essay. Editing is correcting the mechanics of your essay like

More information

Crafting an Argument. Students need to know how to state facts and express their opinions. Organized, Well-Supported, Convincing

Crafting an Argument. Students need to know how to state facts and express their opinions. Organized, Well-Supported, Convincing Crafting an Argument Organized, Well-Supported, Convincing Students need to know how to state facts and express their opinions effectively so that they can positively contribute to classroom conversations

More information

Unit 1 Title: Reading Grade Level: Second (2 nd ) Timeframe: 5 Weeks

Unit 1 Title: Reading Grade Level: Second (2 nd ) Timeframe: 5 Weeks Unit 1 Title: ing Grade Level: Second (2 nd ) Timeframe: 5 Weeks Unit Overview: In Unit 1 students will gain an understanding of the overall structure of a story and its components. also be able to identify

More information

Probability and Statistics

Probability and Statistics Activity: TEKS: Overview: Problems Kids Care About (K.12) Probability and statistics. The student constructs and uses graphs of real objects or pictures to answer questions. The student is expected to:

More information

What is oral reading fluency?

What is oral reading fluency? What is oral reading fluency? Oral reading fluency is the ability to read, speak, or write easily, smoothly, and expressively. A fluent reader is one who reads and understands what he or she is reading

More information

A Guide for Using Big Books in the Classroom

A Guide for Using Big Books in the Classroom Why Big Books? A Guide for Using Big Books in the Classroom There s something spectacular about Big Book versions of good children s books. Neither adults nor children can resist the urge to touch and

More information

POINT OF VIEW PRESENTATION NOTES compiled by Denise Holbrook for presentation to GCWA June, 2015

POINT OF VIEW PRESENTATION NOTES compiled by Denise Holbrook for presentation to GCWA June, 2015 POINT OF VIEW PRESENTATION NOTES compiled by Denise Holbrook for presentation to GCWA June, 2015 POV is also called Narrative Perspective. The two terms are used interchangeably. POV is whose head we re

More information

Literacy Institute August 2013 Jessica Plemons

Literacy Institute August 2013 Jessica Plemons Literacy Institute August 2013 Jessica Plemons Introductions Jessica Plemons plemonsj@wawm.k12.wi.us http://mrsplemonskindergarten.blogspot.com Today s Objectives Participants will understand the research

More information

Self-Acceptance. A Frog Thing by E. Drachman (2005) California: Kidwick Books LLC. ISBN 0-9703809-3-3. Grade Level: Third grade

Self-Acceptance. A Frog Thing by E. Drachman (2005) California: Kidwick Books LLC. ISBN 0-9703809-3-3. Grade Level: Third grade Self-Acceptance A Frog Thing by E. Drachman (2005) California: Kidwick Books LLC. ISBN 0-9703809-3-3 This Book Kit was planned by Lindsay N. Graham Grade Level: Third grade Characteristic Trait: Self Acceptance

More information

[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in] i carry your heart with me(i carry it in. my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in] i carry your heart with me(i carry it in. my heart)i am never without it(anywhere 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Edward Estlin Cummings (E.E. Cummings) was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on October 14, 1894, to a well-known family. His father was a professor at Harvard University. His mother,

More information