Preparing to Write: Determining the Characteristics of the Format | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G3:M3:U3:L1

Preparing to Write: Determining the Characteristics of the Format

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RL.3.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
  • RI.3.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
  • W3.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
  • W.3.4: With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose.
  • W.3.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
  • SL.3.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can use a model to generate criteria for a revised scene in a story. (W.3.3, W.3.4, W.3.5)
  • I can identify a scene from Peter Pan to revise. (W.3.3, W.3.4, W.3.5)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Narrative Planning graphic organizer (W.3.3, W.3.4, W.3.5)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Research Reading Share (15 minutes)

B. Reviewing Performance Task and Learning Targets (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Reading for Gist: Revised Scene from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (15 minutes)

B. Analyzing a Model (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Choosing a Scene to Revise from Peter Pan (10 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal.

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In Opening A, students are guided through a research reading share to hold them accountable for their research reading homework. Consider using the Independent Reading: Sample Plans if you do not have your own independent reading review routines.
  • In Work Time A, students find the gist of an exemplar narrative text. This text will be used throughout the unit as students build their understanding of the plot structure in narrative texts (W.3.3, W.3.5).
  • In this lesson, students read and analyze the model narrative in preparation for revising a scene of Peter Pan in this unit. (W.3.3, W.3.4).
  • Students focus on working to become ethical people, showing integrity as they share their research reading homework.
  • Students practice their fluency by following along and reading silently as the teacher reads the Model Narrative: Revised Scene from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens in Work Time A.
  • The research reading students complete for homework helps to build both their Vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to literary classics. By participating in this volume of reading over a span of time, students will develop a wide base of knowledge about the world and the words that help describe and make sense of it.

How it builds on previous work:

  • In the previous unit, students wrote a book review of Peter Pan and discussed whether they would recommend it to a friend. In this lesson, they consider how they would change a scene of Peter Pan based on the reasons that they would not recommend the book to a friend.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may need additional support choosing a scene to revise, particularly if they really enjoyed all of the book and wouldn't change anything given the choice. In this situation, consider inviting students to pair up with someone who wouldn't recommend the book to hear his or her opinions on the book and to choose a scene to revise specifically for that person to ease some of the concerns.

Assessment guidance:

  • Consider using the Speaking and Listening Informal Assessment: Collaborative Discussion Checklist during the research reading share in Opening A (see the Tools page).
  • Consider using the Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Reading Fluency Checklist or the Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Phonics and Word Recognition Checklist to gather reading fluency and word recognition data from students during the research reading share in Opening A.
  • Ensure that all students have chosen a scene to revise by the end of the lesson. Invite those who haven't to pair up with a peer for support.

Down the road:

  • Throughout the first half of this unit, students will revise a scene from Peter Pan according to the reasons that they wouldn't recommend the book. In the next lesson, students continue to use their narrative planner to plan out their revised scene.
  • Students will perform their presentations in Lesson 13. Consider inviting other students, teachers, families, and members of the community to the presentation.

In Advance

  • Prepare the independent reading review. Consider using the Independent Reading: Sample Plans (see the Tools page).
  • Preview the Model Narrative: Revised Scene from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens to familiarize yourself with what students are going to be required to do in the first half of this unit.
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-2 to create anchor charts to share with families, to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families, and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 3.I.A.1, 3.I.A.4, 3.I.B.5, 3.I.B.6, 3.I.C.10

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by inviting all students to act out and determine the gist of, section by section, the two texts being read aloud. Acting out and determining the gist of the text helps ELLs make the connection between language and meaning and allows teachers to assess how well ELLs understand the language.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to determine the revisions made from one scene to another amid the volume of reading required. Support students by explicitly naming the revisions before they share in Work Time B, posting an enlarged copy of each scene side by side, and annotating these enlarged copies to provide concrete examples of the revisions (see "For heavier support," below, and the Meeting Students' Needs column).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • In Work Time A, while reading the Model Narrative: Revised Scene from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, highlight descriptive words (e.g., fine, admiringly, thoughtfully) and encourage students to consider how these words affect the scene. Make a list of these descriptive words and challenge students to use them as they discuss the texts' differences in Work Time B.

For heavier support:

  • Consider enlarging the Model Narrative: Revised Scene from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, as well as the original scene from Chapter 2 in Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, and display them next to one another for students to reference throughout the unit. While teaching the revision process, make notes in the margins of the enlarged copies. (Example: As students note the gist and underline unfamiliar words in Work Time A, do the same on the enlarged model narrative. Display each enlarged scene next to the Revising a Scene anchor chart, providing students with concrete, corresponding examples of revisions that students can make as they revise their own scenes.)

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): This lesson offers a variety of visual anchors to cue students' thinking. For those who may need additional support, consider creating additional or individual anchor charts for reference. Additionally, chart student responses during whole class discussions to aid with comprehension. Some students may require additional scaffolding in visual representation, such as the use of graphic organizers, charts, highlights, or different colors. This prompts them to visually categorize information into more manageable chunks and reinforce relationships among multiple pieces of information.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Facilitate student management of information and resources in this lesson by allowing them to identify unknown words and record them in their Vocabulary log. Also consider offering scaffolds when reading for gist. (Example: Provide sticky notes with words pertaining to the gist of the story already printed on them or offering multiple choices for the gist and having students circle their response.)
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Invite students to reflect on their learning from previous lessons with Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. This supports them in understanding the value and relevance of the activities in this lesson. Continue to provide support for students who may need additional guidance in peer interactions and collaboration by offering prompts or sentence frames.

Vocabulary

Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)

  • though, realize, actually, doubt (T)

Materials

  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Independent Reading: Sample Plans (for teacher reference; see the Tools page)
  • Module Guiding Questions anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Performance Task anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Model Narrative: Revised Scene from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (one per student and one to display)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 2 (from Unit 2, Lesson 2; one per student)
  • Revising a Scene anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Work Time B; see supporting Materials)
  • Revising a Scene anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Peter Pan (from Unit 1, Lesson 1; one per student)
  • Narrative Planning graphic organizer (one per student and one to display)
  • Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: Part I (example, for teacher reference)
  • Peter Pan Recommendations anchor chart (begun in Unit 2, Lesson 9)

Assessment

Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Research Reading Share (15 minutes)

  • Focus students on the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart and remind them specifically of integrity. In the context of research reading at home, this means trying to do it each day, even when it is hard to do so, and if it isn't possible, being honest when recording the dates and pages read in your journal.
  • Refer to Independent Reading: Sample Plans to guide students through a research reading share.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading/writing: (Prepping Notes or Drawings to Share) Since some students may have completed some of the prompts in their independent reading journal orally with a family member or friend, it is important that these students have some notes or drawings to use for this sharing time. Consider meeting with them in advance to prep them for the research reading share and minimize the risk of public sharing. (MME)

B. Reviewing Performance Task and Learning Targets (10 minutes)

  • Display the Module Guiding Questions anchor chart. Invite students to chorally read each question aloud with you.
  • Invite students to focus on the question:
    • "How do authors engage the reader in narratives?"
  • Share that in this unit, they will continue to build expertise about narrative texts.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How have we been building expertise about narrative texts?" (We have been reading narrative texts.)

"How can we continue to build expertise about narrative texts?" (We can practice writing narrative texts.)

  • Direct students' attention to the Performance Task anchor chart and read the prompt aloud. Remind them that they are working toward presenting a revised scene from Peter Pan with an explanation about how and why they revised it.
  • Explain that before they can write their narratives, they need to learn more about what makes a strong narrative.
  • Remind students of the reading they did of Peter Pan and Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens in Units 1-2. Also remind students of the pourquoi tales they wrote in Module 2, which were also narratives.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Based on what you remember from Module 2 and the texts read in Units 1-2, what are some characteristics of effective narratives?" (Responses will vary, but may include: They use descriptive language; they have a beginning, middle, and end; there is a problem; they show how characters in the story respond to that problem.)

  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets and read them aloud:

"I can find the gist of a revised story scene."

"I can use a model to generate criteria for a revised scene in a story."

"I can identify a scene from Peter Pan to revise."

  • Turn and Talk:

"What do you think you will be doing in this lesson, based on these learning targets?" (reading for gist and analyzing a revised scene of a story to generate criteria, and then choosing a scene from Peter Pan to revise)

"How do these learning targets links to the performance task?" (The performance task describes reading aloud and presenting about a revised scene of Peter Pan, and this lesson leads toward that.)
  • For ELLs and students who need additional support with receptive language and comprehension: (Visual Reinforcement) As students share out the characteristics of effective narratives, jot down, say aloud, sketch, and display each characteristic to provide visual reinforcement. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Comprehension Check) Check for comprehension of the word characteristics by inviting students to share some characteristics of themselves. Explain that, just as we have characteristics (features or qualities that are typical of something or someone), so do other things. Assure students that they will spend more time on each of the characteristics of effective narratives in subsequent lessons as they write their own.
  • For ELLs: (Stopping between Learning Targets) Consider reading one learning target at a time, stopping after each one has been read to ask students what they think they will be doing in this lesson. After all of the learning targets have been read, invite students to connect them, sharing how they progressively link to the performance task. Provide sentence frames with temporal words for support, helping students connect the learning targets in their own words, as well as encouraging the use of temporal words, which students will need to use in this unit. (Example: "First, we will ______. Next, we will _____. Last, we will _____. These link to the performance task by _____.")

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reading for Gist: Revised Scene from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (15 minutes)

  • Distribute and display the Model Narrative: Revised Scene from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Share that over the next several lessons, students will use this text to begin to build expertise about revising narrative texts.
  • Invite students to follow along, reading silently in their heads as you read the model narrative aloud. Consider selecting students to act out the scene as you read it aloud.
  • Tell students that today they will read this text for the gist, and they will reread it more closely in later lessons.
  • Direct students' attention to the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart.
  • Display the first paragraph of Model Narrative: Revised Scene from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and read it aloud as students follow along.
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the gist of this part of the text? What is it mostly about?" (It establishes the situation and characters: Peter flies to an island, and a bird called Soloman Caw is introduced who helps Peter.)

"Are there any words whose meaning you don't know? What are they?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Note the gist in the margin and invite students to do the same.
  • Underline any unfamiliar words.
  • Focus students on the Vocabulary strategies listed in the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart and, using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How can you find out the meaning of this word?" (Responses will vary based on the word.)

  • Select students to use one of the strategies listed to help you determine the meaning of the unfamiliar Vocabulary words. Review the meaning of the following words: though (as if), realize (understand), actually (really/truly), and doubt (be uncertain).
  • Repeat this process as you read the remainder of the text.
  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the first learning target.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading and/or writing: (Sticky Notes to Match the Gist) Prepare sticky notes with pre-written words or drawings based on the gist of different sections of the narrative. As students listen to the story, they can match the gist represented on the sticky notes with each section of the read-aloud. Also consider creating a handout with multiple choices in the gist column for students to circle their response. (MMAE)
  • For students who may need additional support with determining the gist: When identifying the gist for each part of the text, explicitly model verbally how to synthesize the details from the paragraph to find the gist. This helps students to guide their own information processing. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Enlarged Model Narrative) When sharing the gist, consider sketching pictures in the margins of the enlarged model narrative (see "For heavier support") that correspond with each paragraph. Keep this enlarged model narrative posted throughout the unit, adding sketches and notes to the margins for students as they learn about and revise their own scene.
  • For ELLs: (Recounting the Gist Using Notes) After reading the entire model narrative and noting the gist for each paragraph, invite students to recount the narrative in their own words with a partner, using their notes for gist to do so (in words or drawings). Encourage them to recount each paragraph in 30 seconds or less and to act out or create gestures for each paragraph as they recount.

B. Analyzing a Model (10 minutes)

  • Invite students to retrieve Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 2.
  • Invite students to help you use the descriptive information at the top of the model to determine which part of the text has been revised and to clearly mark the beginning and end of this on their own copy of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 2.
  • Invite students to follow along, reading silently in their heads as you read the original scene aloud. Invite students to act out the scene as you read.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"How are the two texts different?" (The way Soloman Caw treats Peter is very different.)

"What has the author changed in the revised scene?" (Soloman Caw tells Peter the same information, but in a much nicer way.)

"Why do you think the author revised this scene?" (He or she didn't like how mean Soloman Caw was to Peter.)

"Have the revisions changed the outcome of this part of the story? Does the revised version fit into the rest of the story?" (They don't change the outcome, and the revised version fits into the rest of the story. Peter still understands that he is a human, not a bird, just in a nicer way.)

"What narrative techniques and plot structures has the author included in the revised version that weren't in the original? Why?" (dialogue to show rather than tell how Soloman was more careful with how he told Peter Pan that he wasn't a bird)

  • If productive, cue students to agree or disagree and explain why:

"Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why? I'll give you time to think and write." (Responses will vary.)

  • As students share out, capture their responses on the Revising a Scene anchor chart. Refer to the Revising a Scene anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the second learning target.
  • For students who may need additional support with organizing their thinking for verbal expression: Scaffold partner conversations as needed with explicit prompting or sentence frames. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Enlarged Original Scene) After reading the original scene, consider sketching pictures in the margins of the enlarged original scene (see "For heavier support") that correspond with each paragraph. Encourage students to compare these pictures with those in the margins of the model narrative as they determine the differences between the two texts.
  • For ELLs: (Descriptive Words and Phrases) Encourage students to identify descriptive words and phrases that vary between the two texts to discuss the texts' differences. (Example: "The words admiringly and gently describe how Soloman spoke to Peter in the revised scene, making me think that he is treating Peter much more kindly than he did in the original scene.")
  • For ELLs: (Revising a Scene T-Chart) Consider making the Revising a Scene anchor chart into a T-chart, separating the parts of a narrative that can and cannot be revised. (Example: Cannot Be Revised: the plot, the outcome; Can Be Revised: character's reaction) Consider sketching a picture of the part that was revised in the model narrative (character's reaction) on the T-chart, focusing students' attention on one part of a narrative that is appropriate to revise.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Choosing a Scene to Revise from Peter Pan (10 minutes)

  • Invite students to retrieve their copies of Peter Pan.
  • Distribute and display the Narrative Planning graphic organizer.
  • Focus students specifically on the box at the top of the graphic organizer about the scene. Focus students on the scene description at the top of the Model Narrative: Revised Scene from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and invite students to help you complete this box on the displayed Narrative Planning graphic organizer using the information provided. Refer to the Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: Part I (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Direct students' attention to the Peter Pan Recommendations anchor chart and focus them on the reasons not to recommend the book to a friend.
  • Remind students that these were things students in the class didn't like about the book. Emphasize the specific excerpts of the book that were listed as examples.
  • Tell students that they should choose one of these excerpts to rewrite. Encourage them to choose the one they feel most strongly about. Provide examples as needed: If they didn't like the way a group of people were described, then they should choose the excerpt in which that happens so they can revise the description of the people. If they didn't like the way a particular character reacted to a situation, they should choose that scene to revise the character's reaction. Note: Students can choose different excerpts than those listed, but be aware that they may need help choosing where the excerpt begins and ends, as those listed on the anchor chart were chosen strategically during Unit 2.
  • Emphasize that, as recorded on the Revising a Scene anchor chart, the changes students make to the scene cannot change the outcome of the story. So, for example, they can't revise the scene to make Wendy decide to stay in Neverland, since that changes the outcome of the story. The story must still end the same way. They should be able to remove the scene they want to change and replace it with their revised scene so that everything coming before and after will still make sense.
  • Give students 2 minutes to silently think about the scene they want to work with. Remind them to refer to the excerpts on the Peter Pan Recommendations anchor chart to guide their scene selection.
  • Refocus whole group. Invite those students who don't know which scene to choose and need help to go to one area of the room. Then invite students who know which scene they would like to revise to partner up with one or more of the students who need help choosing a scene.
  • Invite the students who know which scene they want to choose to explain to their partner(s) why they want to revise that scene and why it means something to them. Give the listeners time to ask questions.
  • Share that those students who don't know which scene to choose can revise the scene suggested by their partner to improve it for him or her based on the description given. For example, if their partner said he didn't like the way Tinker Bell wasn't really punished after nearly killing Wendy, they might revise the scene so that Tinker Bell is given a harsher punishment.
  • Point out that the Reason box is where students will explain why they have chosen that scene. Provide the example that the author of the revised model of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens clearly didn't like the way Soloman was cruel to Peter Pan in the original, which is why he or she revised it. Model recording this on the displayed planner. See Narrative Planning graphic organizer (example, for teacher reference).
  • Remind students that their reason might be their own or it might be the reason their partner gave. Those reasons could include: he or she was offended by something in a specific excerpt, or he or she didn't agree with something a character did because it was out of character.
  • Invite students to complete the Scene box at the top of their graphic organizer.
  • Circulate to support students in determining the beginning and end of their scenes where needed.
  • After 5 minutes, refocus whole group and preview the next lesson: Writing Narrative Texts: Planning a Revised Scene.
  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess how well they showed integrity in this lesson.
  • For students who may need additional support organizing their ideas in writing: Offer sentence frames in the scene box as a scaffold. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud) Consider modeling and thinking aloud the process of choosing a scene to revise. (Example: "I didn't like how Chapter 8 describes Wendy as always doing the housework for the boys, so I will revise it to have her ask the lost boys to help out, while still being kind and caring.") Provide sentence frames to support students in their own thought process as they choose a scene to revise. (Example: "I didn't like how _____, so I will revise it to have _____.")
  • For ELLs: (Revising a Scene T-chart) Consider inviting students to refer to the Revising a Scene T-chart, focusing only on the parts of a scene they can revise.

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal
  • For students who may need additional support with written expression: Read the prompts aloud. Verbally brainstorm possible responses. Encourage them to write words in their responses if they can't write sentences, or provide them with sentence starters. (MMAE)

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