Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

• In Work Time A, students analyze a model literary essay about William Carlos Williams using The Painted Essay(r) structure in order to generate criteria for their own essays (W.4.2, W.4.5). Consider how familiar students are with this structure and reallocate class time spent introducing it as necessary.
• In Work Time A, students begin using the Informative Writing Checklist (W.4.2). Throughout the school year, students are provided with checklists for their writing, which outline the key criteria that the CCSS require of the writing type. These checklists are closely aligned with the teacher rubrics used to grade student assessments. An empty column is provided on each student checklist for students to add criteria for the specific characteristics required by the writing prompt, and time, directions, and examples for this process are built into the relevant lessons.
• The model literary essay is provided as a model to create a shared vision of what students are aiming for: what constitutes a high-quality essay. For teachers, this process informs instruction and planning; for students, it promotes critical thinking, creativity and craftsmanship. The model is referred to throughout the unit as students draft their own essays.
• In this lesson, the habit of character focus is on working to become an ethical person. The characteristic that students are reminded of specifically is integrity, because they share their learning from independent reading.
• The research reading that students complete for homework will help build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to poetry and what inspires people to write. 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:

• Throughout this unit, students have learned about different writers and what inspired them to write. As they analyze the model literary essay in this lesson about William Carlos Williams, they begin to consider how they will describe what inspired their expert group poet to write in their own essays.
• Continue to use Goal 1 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

• Students may require additional support reading for the gist. Consider pairing students heterogeneously for this activity, or consider grouping students who may need additional reading support together while you read it aloud for them.

Assessment guidance:

• Frequently review student Painted EssayO templates as students work to ensure they are colored accurately.
• Students' literary essays will be assessed using the Informative Writing Checklist. This checklist is based on the Grade 4 Informative/Explanatory Writing Rubric, which can be found in the Grade 4 Teacher Writing Rubrics (see the Tools page). The checklist is introduced at the end of Work Time A and discussed throughout the rest of the unit as students learn about each characteristic. The column "Characteristics of My Literary Essay" is designed to help students understand this module's specific content focus.
• Consider using the Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Reading Fluency Checklist during students' independent reading share in Closing and Assessment A. See the Tools page.
• Consider using the Reading: Foundational Skills Informal Assessment: Phonics and Word Recognition Checklist during students' independent reading share in Closing and Assessment A. See the Tools page.

Down the road:

• In the next lesson, students will begin writing the introduction of their essays.
• The Painted Essay(r) template and the Painting an Essay lesson plan are introduced in this unit and referenced both throughout the module and the school year