Writing Narrative Texts: Planning and Drafting the Middle of a First Person Narrative | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M2:U3:L3

Writing Narrative Texts: Planning and Drafting the Middle of a First Person Narrative

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • W.5.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
  • W.5.3a: Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
  • W.5.3b: Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, and pacing, to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
  • W.5.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • W.5.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
  • L.5.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
  • L.5.1a: Explain the function of conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections in general and their function in particular sentences.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can plan and draft the middle of a narrative that develops a sequence of events that unfolds naturally and shows the response of the narrator and the response of other characters to the situation. (W.5.3, W.5.4, W.5.5)
  • I can explain the function of conjunctions in general and in particular sentences from "Bite at Night." (L.5.1a)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Middle boxes of Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: Partner Narrative (W.5.3, W.5.4, W.5.5)
  • Middle paragraphs of partner narrative draft (W.5.3, W.5.4, W.5.5)
  • Exit Ticket: Narrator's Response (W.5.3a, W.5.3b)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Analyzing a Model (10 minutes)

B. Guided Practice: Planning the Middle of a Narrative (10 minutes)

C. Mini Lesson: Conjunctions (10 minutes)

D. Partner Practice: Drafting the Middle of a Narrative (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Exit Ticket (5 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Complete at least one of the Conjunctions Practices (Conjunctions Practice I) in your Unit 3 homework.

B. For ELLs: Complete Language Dive Practice II: Even though in your Unit 3 homework.

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

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • This continues a series of lessons in which students analyze the plot structure of "Bite at Night" to build expertise about narrative texts and understand what a first person narrative is (RL.5.6, W.5.3).

  • Throughout this unit, students work with a partner to plan, draft, and revise a first person narrative. In this lesson, students plan and draft the middle paragraphs of their narratives (W.5.3a, W.5.3b, W.5.4, W.5.5).

  • Students begin analyzing the function of conjunctions (L.5.1a). At this stage, this learning is focused on the function of coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, as these are the only conjunctions students will have encountered according to the L.1 standard. Students review coordinating and subordinating conjunctions briefly, but not much time is given to it, as students will have learned this in detail in Grade 3.

  • This lesson contains the second part of an optional Language Dive for English language learners. Before the lesson, review the Language Dive materials, consider whether all students would benefit, and adjust the timing of the lesson as needed.

  • The research reading students complete for homework helps to build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to the rainforest. 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.

  • The habit of character focus in this lesson is working to become an effective learner. The characteristic students are reminded of specifically is collaboration, as they continue to work with a partner to write a narrative.

How it builds on previous work:

  • In Lesson 1, students had a general introduction to narrative texts and read "Bite at Night" for gist. In Lesson 2, they planned and drafted the beginning of their narratives after analyzing "Bite at Night." In this lesson, they build on their beginnings, to plan and draft the middle of their narratives.

  • In grade 3, students were required to use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions (L.3.1h). This lesson builds on that work by analyzing the function of those types of conjunctions (L.5.1a).

  • Continue to use Goals 1-3 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Throughout this unit, students will work with a writing partner. Consider how to strategically partner students so they can support one another well as they write their narratives.

Assessment guidance:

  • Consider using the Writing: Writing Informal Assessment: Observational Checklist for Writing and Language Skills during students' partner work in Work Times C and D (see the Tools page).

  • Students may need more time reviewing coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.

  • For ELLs: Collect the Language Dive Practice I: Even though homework from Lesson 1 for assessment.

Down the road:

  • In Lesson 4, students will analyze "Bite at Night" for its plot structure and use it as an exemplar as they plan and draft the end of their narratives.
  • Students will plan and draft a new narrative inspired by The Most Beautiful Roof in the World for the mid-unit assessment in Lesson 5.

  • Students will continue to learn about parts of speech in the second half of the unit by analyzing "Bite at Night" and trying to incorporate the parts of speech they are learning about into their narratives.

  • In later modules, when L.5.1a is addressed again, students will move on to explore the function of other kinds of conjunctions: conjunctive adverbs and correlative conjunctions.

In Advance

  • Prepare the Narrative Texts and Parts of Speech anchor charts (see supporting materials).
  • Post: Learning targets, Narrative Texts anchor chart, Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart, and Parts of Speech anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time B: Digital narrative plan: Students complete the Narrative Planning graphic organizer using Google Docs or other word-processing software to refer to when working on their writing outside of class.

  • Work Time D: Students write their first drafts using Google Docs or other word-processing software.

  • Work Time D: Students use speech-to-text facilities activated on devices or use an app or software like Dictation.io.

  • Closing and Assessment A: Students complete exit tickets online, on a Google Form, for example.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 5.I.A.1, 5.I.A.2, 5.I.A.3, 5.I.C.10a, 5.I.C.11a, 5.I.C.12a, 5.II.A.1, 5.II.C.6

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to explicitly examine both narrative structure and the function, meaning, and use of conjunctions. Whereas native speakers may come by this knowledge innately, explicit instruction can help ELLs acquire the knowledge they need to unlock the code of a new language.

  • ELLs may find the Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions handout challenging because many of the words may be unfamiliar. Follow the Language Dive to invite deeper conversation about the function, meaning, and use of even though and conjunctions in general. This conversation about even though can help students develop the habit of mind to explore and use other conjunctions they come across.

  • In Work Time C, ELLs are invited to participate in the second of a series of three connected Language Dive conversations. This conversation guides them through the meaning, function, and use of the subordinating conjunction in the complex sentence from "Bite at Night" from Lesson 1. Students then apply their understanding of the structure of this sentence when writing the ending of their narratives in Lesson 4. Preview the Language Dive Guide and consider how to invite conversation among students to address the questions and goals suggested under each sentence strip chunk (see supporting materials). Select from the questions and goals provided to best meet your students' needs. Use the sentence strip chunks from Lesson 1 during this Language Dive.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Suggest that students compile a conjunctions glossary. They can include a simple definition and explanation of the function of each conjunction. Example:

FOR: "because"--Use for to connect a fact with a reason. For as a conjunction is literary and seldom used in other contexts.

AND: Use and to connect two similar ideas, or to connect the first thing that happens with what happens next (sequence or result).

  • Group students by home language and encourage them to explain to students who need heavier support how the even though conjunction in the Language Dive sentence joins and contrasts one subject-predicate set (clause) with another related subject-predicate set (clause). Have them point out that this is a common function of conjunctions in English.

For heavier support:

  • Give students time to look up translations and definitions of the conjunctions on the Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions handout. Write the translations in a different color next to the English version on the handout.

  • Invite students to tell a new partner or family member the beginning and middle of their narrative. Encourage them to seek feedback from the new partner or family member and discuss what might happen at the end of the story.

  • Ask students to highlight instances of even though, although, and though in The Most Beautiful Roof in the World. Suggest that they look on the first pages of the "Out of the Shadow and into the Light" section, for example. Ask:

"Are the conjunctions in the first or second clause of the sentence?"

  • For Work Time A: Prepare sentence strips of excerpts from "Bite at Night" for students. Invite them, in pairs or with a more proficient partner, to group the strips that best help describe the problem and group other strips that best help describe how the narrator and other characters respond to the problem.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation: Students will need to draw on a variety of resources to plan and write the middle of their narrative text. Be sure to present these resources in multiple formats to facilitate comprehension. For example, when you introduce the third learning target, verbally model examples from a familiar text to exemplify the skills that the students will need to demonstrate. Similarly, as students complete the Narrative Planning graphic organizer, you may offer non-examples of events that are not clearly connected to emphasize the fact that the beginning, middle, and end of their narratives should be presented in a logical order that makes sense.

  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: This lesson has students synthesizing various pieces of information and using written expression to convey their ideas both on the Narrative Planning graphic organizer and in drafting the middle of their narrative. For students who may need extra support with writing, consider providing multiple formats for them to convey their ideas before writing. For instance, on the Narrative Planning graphic organizers, students can jot pictures of their ideas and then write them down later. Also, before drafting the middle of their narrative, students could tell a partner what they plan to write.

  • Multiples Means of Engagement: To facilitate understanding of the learning targets in this lesson, students may need to engage with the learning materials in flexible ways. This may include additional opportunities for practice with a peer model. For instance, when the class is analyzing the model text, "Bite at Night," prepare sentence strips from the text ahead of time so that students can use them as a tool to discuss the model with a partner. Additionally, consider providing highlighters as students read the text looking for conjunctions so that they can visually and physically identify specific words. To support memory, have students create a list of the conjunctions that they find so that they can reference them when they draft their narrative.

Vocabulary

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

  • unfolds naturally, response, central problem, conjunction, part of speech, phrase, clause (L)

  • penetrating, dense, immediately, flicking, concerned (T)

  • rainforest, scientist, canopy, explore, creatures (W)

Materials

  • "Bite at Night" (from Lesson 1; one per student and one to display)
  • Narrative Texts anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2; added to in advance; see supporting materials)
  • Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Bite at Night" (from Lesson 2; one to display)
  • Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Bite at Night" (example, for teacher reference)
  • The Most Beautiful Roof in the World (one per student)
  • Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: Partner Narrative (from Lesson 2; one per student)
  • Partner narrative drafts (begun in Lesson 2; added to in Work Time D; one per student)
  • Narrative Writing Checklist (from Lesson 2; one to display)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Parts of Speech anchor chart (begun in Module 1; added to in advance; see supporting materials)
  • Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions handout (one per student and one to display)
  • Language Dive Guide II: "Bite at Night" (for ELLs; for teacher reference; see supporting materials)
    • Language Dive note-catcher II (for ELLs; one per student and one to display)
    • Language Dive note-catcher I (for ELLs; from Lesson 1; one per student and one to display)
    • Sentence strip chunks I (for ELLs; from Lesson 1; one to display)
    • Blue and red markers (one of each per student)
  • Lined paper (several pieces per student)
  • Exit Ticket: Narrator's Response (one per student)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New Materials

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. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

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

    • "I can plan and draft the middle of a narrative that develops a sequence of events that unfolds naturally and shows the response of the narrator and the response of other characters to the situation."
    • "I can explain the function of conjunctions in general and in particular sentences from 'Bite at Night.'"
  • Tell students that today they will continue planning and drafting their first person narratives by working on developing the middle of their stories.

  • Ask:

"Are you unfamiliar with any of the words or phrases in the learning targets?" (Responses will vary, but may include: unfold naturally, response.)

  • Review as necessary and write definitions above the targeted word(s) in the learning targets. Select a student to reread the targets.

    • unfolds naturally--happens in a way that makes sense
    • response--an action or behavior done because of or in reaction to another action or behavior
  • Ask students to show you a thumbs-up if they understand what they will be learning today, a thumbs-sideways if they need some more clarification, and a thumbs-down if they still don't know. Clarify as necessary.

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to break the first learning target into parts. Have them rephrase each part with a partner. Display a paraphrased, bullet-point version of the target. (MMR, MME) Example:

I can plan and write the middle of a narrative that

    • builds a sequence of events that seem believable
    • shows what the narrator thinks, feels, and does to respond to the situation
    • shows what the other characters think, feel, and do to respond
  • As you are reviewing the first learning target, you may provide multiple means for comprehension by providing examples from a familiar text such as "Bite at Night" to model the learning target. Facilitate generalization by explicitly identifying how the model aligns with the learning target. Ask questions such as:

"Does this make sense? How do you know?"

"How is the narrator responding to the situation? How do you know?" (MMR, MME)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Analyzing a Model (10 minutes)

  • Display a copy of "Bite at Night" and invite students to take out their own copies. Remind them that they read this text in Lesson 1 for the gist and to consider how the narrator's point of view influenced how the events in the story were described, and they analyzed the beginning paragraphs in Lesson 2.

  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the gist of this text? What is it mostly about?" (It's about when army ants in the rainforest attacked Meg Lowman.)

  • Display the Narrative Texts anchor chart and point out the second bullet point:
    • "Narratives have a clear sequence of events that makes sense and is easy to understand."
  • Remind students that narratives have a beginning, middle, and end, and that this predictable structure helps the reader to better understand the story and relate to the characters and events of the story.

  • Tell students that in the middle, the author describes the central problem and explains how the character(s) respond to the problem. Point out this new sub-bullet point on the anchor chart.

  • Explain that today students will reread the middle of "Bite at Night" and learn more about the characteristics of the middle of narratives.

  • Display the Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Bite at Night" and remind students they have been using this graphic organizer to analyze "Bite at Night" and to plan their own narratives.

  • Direct students' attention to the Middle boxes on the graphic organizer and select a volunteer to read the questions in these boxes.

  • Invite students to whisper-read the fourth and fifth paragraphs of "Bite at Night" with an elbow partner and ask:

"What is the problem in this story?" (Meg has no flashlight and steps in a nest of army ants.)

"What did the narrator think, feel, or do when the problem occurred? What did she say?" (She screamed and jumped up and down. She shouted, "Owww ... owww ... owww!")

"What did the other characters think, feel, or do? What did they say?" (Everyone woke up and came running because they thought Meg was bitten by a Gabon viper; they felt worried and said they thought she'd been bitten by a snake and it could be really bad!)

  • Point out that not only did the author show the response of the narrator, but she also showed how the other characters responded to the problem, too.

  • Invite students to independently annotate the parts of the text that describe the problem and explain how the narrator and characters respond to the problem using the symbols on the Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Bite at Night."

  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Which parts of the text did you annotate with the cloud to show they described the problem? What details in the text make you think so?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Paragraph 5: "Suddenly, I felt a sharp, searing, bite-like pain on my right ankle.")

"Which parts of the text did you annotate with the arrow to show how the narrator and characters responded to the problem? What details in the text make you think so?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Paragraph 5: "I started to jump up and down, hopping from one foot to the other." "Oh my goodness, owwww!" I screamed. "Owwwww, owwww, owwww!" Paragraph 6: "I began to regain my senses and became aware of the noise of people in the camp waking up and calling out to one another." "I heard the footsteps of people running toward me." "I caught glimpses of concerned faces in the flashlight beams.")

  • Direct students' attention back to the Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Bite at Night" and as a group complete the Middle boxes. Refer to the Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Bite at Night" (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: ELLs who need heavier support can act out or sketch each of the sections of the graphic organizer: the central problem, what the narrator thinks, feels, does, and says, and what the other characters think, feel, do, and say. Later, they can go back to write the corresponding details from the text. (MMAE)

  • For students who may need additional support with executive function skills: Consider breaking the Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: Partner Narrative into three separate one-page documents for each of the columns to help the students chunk each task and monitor their progress. (MMR, MMAE)

  • For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills or spatial visualization: The Narrative Planning graphic organizer can be altered to include writing lines and/or boxes. (MMR, MME)

B. Guided Practice: Planning the Middle of a Narrative (10 minutes)

  • Invite students to take their copies of The Most Beautiful Roof in the World, Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: Partner Narrative, and their partner narrative drafts and move to sit with the partner they worked with in Lesson 2.

  • Display the Narrative Writing Checklist and point out the second, fourth, and sixth characteristics:

    • "Events in the narrative are clear and connected."
    • "My narrative has a central problem."
    • "I organize events in a sequence that unfolds naturally."
  • Remind students that as they plan, they should recall that even though they will be writing an imagined or made-up story, it should be realistic and based on what they know about the rainforest, Meg Lowman, and her sons.

  • Ask:

"Are there any specific criteria about the middle in these narratives that you should be aware of and list in that column on the checklist?" (Responses will vary, but may include ideas like: There is a main problem in my narrative, and it is inspired by what happened to Meg and her sons.)

  • Record students' suggestions in the Characteristics of My First Person Narrative column as needed.

  • Direct students' attention to the Middle boxes on their graphic organizers. Tell them that today they should complete only this part of the graphic organizer. Explain that they will work on planning the end of their narratives in the next lesson.

  • Focus students on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and remind them specifically of the collaboration criteria. Remind them that because they will be working together to write a narrative, they need to be conscious of working effectively with others.

  • Invite students to work with their partner to plan the middle of their narrative. Remind them that even though they are working with a partner, they should each complete a plan for their narrative. Circulate and listen for students who may need additional support when planning their narratives. Remind students to be creative but to remember that their narratives should be based on their research about the rainforest and what they know about Meg Lowman and her sons.

  • Circulate to support pairs as they plan. If necessary, prompt by asking questions such as:

"What is the problem in the story?"

"Who is the narrator? What does the narrator think, feel, do, or say when the problem occurs?"

"Who are the other characters? What do they think, feel, do, or say?"

"What elements of your research can you use to make your story more realistic?"

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: Repeat and rephrase the checklist characteristics. Example: "Events in the narrative are clear and connected. When someone reads my narrative, it's easy to understand what happens. My writing is clear. The things that happen make sense together." Give students non-examples by sharing events that are not connected--"I went to lunch. The game was fun"--and events that are clearly connected: "I went to lunch. The food was wonderful!" (MMR)

  • Provide differentiated mentors by purposefully preselecting student partnerships in which those who struggle can have peer support. You may need to coach the mentors to engage with their partner and share their thought processes. This can be done during questioning as you circulate the room. (MME)

C. Mini Lesson: Conjunctions (10 minutes)

  • Tell students that one technique writers use to make their writing sound more natural and smooth is using conjunctions.

  • Direct students' attention to the Parts of Speech anchor chart and remind them that they used this chart in Module 1. Point out the new row and tell them that conjunctions are a part of speech, or one of the major categories that words are grouped into, according to their function. If necessary, remind students of other parts of speech, such as nouns, verbs, or adjectives.

  • Select a volunteer to read the headings on the anchor chart and to read what a conjunction is:

    • "a word that joins together words, phrases, or clauses"
  • If necessary, remind students that a phrase is a group of words that express a single thought but are not a complete sentence, and a clause is a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb.

  • Explain that using conjunctions in writing can give it a natural flow or rhythm, and not using them can make the writing sound choppy or disjointed. Tell students that writers often combine two shorter sentences into a longer one by joining them with a conjunction.

  • Remind students that in grade 3 they learned about coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.

  • Display and distribute the Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions handout. Invite students to read each part aloud for the whole group.

  • Point out the punctuation in the example sentences in the third column.

  • Invite students to work with an elbow partner to reread the first three paragraphs of "Bite at Night" and find examples of conjunctions used to join together words, phrases, or clauses. Select volunteers to share with the whole group. (Responses will vary, but may include: "I was just reaching for another leaf when suddenly there was a loud bang." "I knew that at least one of those venomous snakes slept under the platform of my tent, and I certainly didn't want to run into one of those at night.")

  • Write the following sentences from the story in the Example column on the displayed handout, inviting students to do the same on their copy:

    • "I was just reaching for another leaf when suddenly there was a loud bang."
    • "I knew that at least one of those venomous snakes slept under the platform of my tent, and I certainly didn't want to run into one of those at night."
  • Ask:

"What word is the conjunction in the first sentence?" (when)

"What kind of conjunction is it? Coordinating or subordinating? (subordinating)

  • If productive, cue students to provide reasoning:

"Why do you think that?" (because it joins the two clauses together and makes the second clause dependent on the first)

  • Ask:

"What is its function in this sentence?" (It joins together two clauses.)

"What phrases or clauses does it join together?" (It joins together "I was just reaching for another leaf" and "suddenly there was a loud bang.")

  • Repeat with the second sentence.

  • Tell students that as they draft their narratives, they should try to use conjunctions to join together words, phrases, or clauses in their stories.

  • Refocus students on the second learning target and invite them to show a thumbs-up, thumbs-down, or thumbs-sideways to indicate how close they feel they are to meeting the target now. Be aware that this gesture may mean something different in other cultures, so in this situation choose a different way for students to self-assess progress or use it as a teaching point for what this means in the United States. Scan the responses and make a note of students who may need more support with this moving forward.

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading: After Mini Lesson C: Conjunctions, lead students through Language Dive: Part II (see supporting materials). Refer to the Language Dive Guide II: "Bite at Night" (for teacher reference). Distribute and display Language Dive note-catcher II. Refer students to their Language Dive note-catcher I and sentence strip chunks I. (MME)

  • As students work with their elbow partner, allow them to use highlighters or underline the conjunctions to facilitate comprehension. Allow them to start a list of the conjunctions they identify that they can reference when writing. (MMR, MME)

D. Partner Practice: Drafting the Middle of a Narrative (20 minutes)

  • Distribute lined paper and tell students they are going to continue drafting their narratives, writing the middle of their stories. Remind them that even though they are working with a partner, they should each complete a draft.

  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Who is the narrator of your story?" (Meg or one of her sons)

"What point of view is your story written in?" (first person)

"What words are you using to let your reader know the point of view of your story?" (I or my to show what the narrator is doing, thinking, or saying.)

"What research can you use from Unit 1 to make your narrative more realistic?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Remind students that when they write a draft, they should skip lines so they have room to make revisions and edits later in the writing process. Also remind them to use their Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: Partner Narrative to ensure that their writing is organized and includes the parts of a strong narrative middle.

  • Encourage students to refer to the following while they are working: Narrative Writing Checklist, Narrative Texts anchor chart, their planning graphic organizer, their research from Unit 1, and the Word Walls.

  • Give students 20 minutes to write. Circulate and support them as needed. Be sure to confer with those whom you observed needing additional support with planning their writing in Work Time B. Help them focus on getting their ideas down on paper, as opposed to worrying about spelling or grammar. Remind them that they will edit their writing toward the end of the writing process.

  • Refocus students on the first learning target and invite them to show a thumbs-up, thumbs-down, or thumbs-sideways to indicate how close they feel they are to meeting that target now. Scan the responses and make a note of students who may need more support with this moving forward.

  • Repeat, inviting students to self-assess against how well they collaborated in this lesson.

  • 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.

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: Before students write, invite them to tell the beginning and middle of their story to their partner, referring to their Narrative Planning graphic organizer, research from Unit 1, and Word Walls as they plan. (MMAE)

  • For students who may need additional support with spatial organization: Consider offering lined paper on which every other line has an X or is highlighted to remind them to skip lines. (MMR)

  • For students who may need additional support with writing and executive function skills: Before students begin writing, you can create a writing goal that is appropriate for the individual student (e.g., two pages). Place a star or sticker at the goal point so that they can self-monitor their progress as they write. (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Exit Ticket (5 minutes)

  • Distribute Exit Ticket: Narrator's Response.

  • Read the questions on the exit ticket aloud. Then, select students to read each option aloud and invite students to underline the answer they think is correct.

  • Collect students' exit tickets.

  • For ELLs: As you read the excerpt from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World on the exit ticket, draw a quick sketch of the scene: rays of moonlight, Meg 100 feet from the outhouse. Act out Meg being bit, jumping, and screaming.

  • For students who may need additional support with reading, consider reading the paragraph out loud to them before inviting them to answer the question. (MMR)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. Complete at least one of the Conjunctions Practices (Conjunctions Practice I) in your Unit 3 homework.

B. For ELLs: Complete Language Dive Practice II: Even though in your Unit 3 homework.

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

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading and writing: Refer to the suggested homework support in Lesson 1. (MMAE, MMR)

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