A. Mini Lesson: Dialogue and Description (15 minutes)

• Tell students that in narrative stories, we want to show, not tell. Showing makes readers feel like they are actually there because they can use their imaginations to go to that place and situation. Telling takes the fun out of the readers' experience.
• Explain that we can show character responses through dialogue and description, and this is a technique students need to use when they write the middle of their narrative later in the lesson.
• Display and select volunteers to read "Why the Poison Dart Frog Is So Colorful" aloud.
• Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"So what is the central problem here?" (Ranna accidentally sets the cave on fire.)

"How did the character respond to the problem?" (He runs to the back of the cave with the frogs and squeezes through a crack in the wall.)

"Where is the problem introduced in the story?" (when Ranna knocked over the torch)

• Display the following section of the story: "One day Ranna was playing a hunting game with his frog friends. He accidentally knocked over one of the torches that lit up the cave. The torch fell onto the dried grass Ranna used for a bed and set it on fire!"
• Explain to students that this is where the problem is introduced. Focus them on the words dried grass. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How does this description of the grass show readers rather than telling them?" (It explains why the bed caught fire and why the fire seemed to be so scary so quickly. Dried grass burns very quickly. This isn't explained, but we understand that from the description of the grass.)

"Where in the story do we see the character response to the problem?" (when Ranna screams and runs into the back of the cave)

• Display the following section of the story: '"Help! Please help me,' Ranna screamed. He knew he had to find a way out! He ran for the entrance, but it was in flames. He reached down to pick up Drab, Ash, and Grey. But his little friends hopped away from him. He followed them, but they just hopped more quickly, deeper and deeper into the cave."
• Point out the dialogue in this paragraph, specifically the words, "Help! Please help me."
• Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How did Ranna feel about this situation? How do you know?" (He was very afraid. We know because he screamed for help.)

"How does this dialogue show rather than tell Ranna's response to the problem?" (It shows that he was afraid and wanted someone to help him rather than explaining that he was scared.)

"How is dialogue punctuated here?" (quotation marks around the words that are said aloud and a comma at the end inside the quotation marks)

• Refocus students on their Narrative Texts handout, specifically on the following sub-bullets under "Narrative texts may use dialogue to show how characters react to events":
• Example: "Help! Please help me," he screamed.
• The words spoken should have quotation marks around them.
• A comma at the end inside the quotation marks before the rest of the sentence.
• Display the following section of the story: "Ranna thought, 'How strange; it seems to be getting cooler.' Then he saw a giant crack in the cave wall! Ranna scooped up the three frogs and wriggled through. First, Ranna took a deep breath of fresh air. Then, he bent down to see if Drab, Ash, and Grey were all right."
• Tell students that even though this is a thought rather than something said aloud, it is still dialogue because it is considered internal dialogue--something a character is saying to himself rather than aloud. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How does this show rather than tell?" (It describes the change in temperature without saying it directly.)

"How is it punctuated?" (comma before the dialogue and a period at the end because it is the end of the sentence)

• Add these criteria to the Narrative Text anchor chart as sub-bullets under "Narrative texts may use dialogue to show how characters react to events":
• Example: Ranna thought, "How strange; it seems to be getting cooler."
• Thinking is internal dialogue.
• A comma before dialogue if the sentence begins before the dialogue; a period at the end of the dialogue if that is the end of the sentence
• Explain to students that they should follow these punctuation criteria when adding dialogue to the middle of their narratives.

C. Independent Writing: Middle of a Pourquoi Tale (25 minutes)

• Display the Narrative Writing Checklist and invite students to retrieve their own copies. Read the criteria relevant to the middle of a story and invite students to either highlight or draw a symbol next to them as a reminder of the criteria for this lesson. They should choose a highlighter or symbol that is different than the one used in Lesson 8. Refer to the Narrative Writing Checklist: Lesson 9 (example, for teacher reference) for which criteria to focus on in this lesson.
• Ensure that students understand what each criterion of the checklist requires of their writing.
• Remind students that the Narrative Writing Checklist is for all pieces of narrative writing. Invite them to consider the Characteristics of My Pourquoi Tale column, where they can add criteria specific to this particular piece of writing, a pourquoi tale. Go through each of the rows they have highlighted/marked with a symbol and ask them to consider any specific criteria for this piece of writing. Refer to the Narrative Writing Checklist (example, for teacher reference) for ideas on how to provide general guidance for all students. Where there isn't specific criteria, this is because the criteria is precise enough already or because it will be specific to the individual pourquoi tale.
• Give students 5 minutes to add anything specific to their particular pourquoi tale to the Characteristics of My Pourquoi Tale column of their checklist.
• Focus students on the length of the middle of the "Why Do Polliwogs Wiggle?" class narrative. Tell students that the middle of their stories should be no more than five sentences long.
• Invite students to turn to an elbow partner to say the middle of their story aloud before they write it down.
• If productive, cue students to listen carefully and seek to understand:

"Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)

• Ask students to take out their Narrative Template: New "Why" Question.
• Remind them to use the domain-specific words recorded in the back of their Vocabulary Logs, along with the words about frogs recorded on the domain-specific Word Wall, in their stories where appropriate. Remind students that this will help make their writing precise.
• Invite them to begin writing.
• Write the following directions on the board for students who might finish quickly:

1. Write the middle of your story on the Problem and Response pages. Make sure it follows on from the beginning.
2. Read everything that you have written so far, twice (beginning and middle).
3. Fix any errors and revise your writing based on what you notice.
4. Find someone else who has finished and pair up with him or her to read each other's work and make kind and helpful suggestions using the criteria on the Narrative Writing Checklist.
5. Practice reading your story so far aloud.

• Circulate to support students in writing the middle of their stories. Provide reminders of the recommended length.
• Invite students to record 'Y' for 'Yes' and the date in the final column of their Narrative Writing Checklist if they feel the criteria marked on their checklists have been achieved in their writing in this lesson.
• Focus students on the learning targets. Read each one aloud, pausing after each to use a checking for understanding protocol for students to reflect on their comfort level with or show how close they are to meeting each target. Make note of students who may need additional support with each of the learning targets moving forward.