Writing a Literary Essay: Introduction | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G4:M1:U2:L10

Writing a Literary Essay: Introduction

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
  • W.4.2a: Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
  • W.4.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
  • L.4.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
  • L.4.1f: Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can plan and write the introductory paragraph for my essay. (W.4.2a, W.4.5)
  • I can recognize and write a complete sentence. (L.4.1f)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Introduction to literary essay (W.4.2a, W.4.5)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. The Painted Essay: Sorting and Color-Coding the Parts of an Introductory Paragraph (10 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Mini Lesson: Producing Complete Sentences (10 minutes)

B. Independent Writing: Writing an Introduction (30 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

4. Homework

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

B. Complete the Sentences practice in your Unit 2 Homework.

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • In this lesson, students plan and write the introductory paragraph for their literary essays (W.4.2a, W.4.5). Before writing their introductions, students participate in a mini lesson about producing complete sentences. (L.4.1f).
  • Because this is the first time students will have worked the Informative Writing Checklist (W.4.2), only two of the criteria are introduced. More will be introduced over the next few lessons, but not all of the criteria will be introduced in this module, in order to avoid overwhelming students.
  • The instruction in this sequence of lessons focuses on the structure of informative writing--an introduction to give background information and a focus statement telling the focus of the writing; facts, definitions, and details to support and explain the topic; and a conclusion that restates the focus. This basic structure will be followed for all informative tasks students write this year. Note that students writing will likely lack elaboration and explanation at this point in the school year, and the content of their writing will improve over the course of the modules as they become more familiar with this structure.
  • Students who require an extension can write their own introductory paragraphs rather than using the one generated by the class.
  • In this unit, the habit of character focus is on working to become an effective learner. The characteristic they practice in this lesson is perseverance, because this is their first time writing a full essay this school year.
  • 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:

  • In the previous lesson, students analyzed the structure of the model literary essay using the Painted EssayO template. The introductory paragraph was analyzed in detail in order for students to be able to begin writing their own essay about their expert group's poet in this lesson.
  • 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 writing their introductory paragraphs. Consider using technology to provide students who need additional support with the student-generated introduction, so that they only have to write the final sentence about what inspired their poet.

Assessment guidance:

  • Review student introductions to ensure they include all of the necessary information. Where you notice common issues, use them as teaching points for the whole group as they are working.
  • Consider using the Writing Informal Assessment: Writing and Language Skills Checklist during independent writing in Work Time B (see the Tools page).

Down the road:

  • In the next lesson, students will write the first proof paragraph of their literary essays.
  • Students will continue adding to the Close Read Note-catcher: Expert Group Poet in later lessons. They will continue to use the note-catcher to plan and write an informative essay about their poet. Because of this, the Reflection/Connection part of the note-catcher should be left blank for now.

In Advance

  • Strategically pair students for work in this lesson, with at least one strong reader per pair.
  • Prepare:
    • The Parts of the Model Literary Essay Introductory Paragraph (one part per pair; see supporting materials). When possible, ensure the correct number of parts to complete paragraphs. This may involve giving some students more than one part.
    • Literary Essay anchor chart, by writing the title on a blank piece of chart paper (see supporting materials).
  • Review the Informative Writing Checklist.
  • Post: Learning targets, Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart, and Parts of Speech anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time B: Students write their introductory paragraphs on a word-processing document--for example, a Google Doc.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 4.I.A.4, 4.I.C.1o, 4.I.C.11, 4.II.A.1, and 4.II.B.4

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to work closely with essay structure, building on their understanding one paragraph at a time. In this lesson, students focus exclusively on the introductions to their informative essays. Students continue to benefit from the color-coding system established in prior lessons for visual support.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to immediately apply their new learning about essay structure and write their introductions within the time allotted. Consider working with a small group after working with the class, and help the group members create their introductions together. The group can begin writing as an interactive writing experience and finish independently (see Meeting Students' Needs column).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Before providing templates or additional modeling during Work Time A, observe student work and allow students to grapple. Provide supportive materials only after students have grappled with the task. Observe the areas in which they struggle to target appropriate support.
  • For additional work with complete sentences, invite intermediate and advanced proficiency students to create sentences and to write them on sentence strips in the manner described below. Students who need heavier support can work to identify the subjects and predicates of these sentences.

For heavier support:

  • During Work Time A, create color-coded sentence strips that students can manipulate as they discuss subject and predicate. Write the subject of each sentence in blue and the predicate of each sentence in red on separate strips. Invite students to scramble and unscramble them. Probe students' thinking about what makes each strip a subject or a predicate.
  • If students who need heavier support are grouped in the same expert group, consider working closely with this group during Work Time B. Consider completing their introductions together as a shared or interactive writing session.
  • During Work Time B, provide a near complete version of the introduction template suggested in the Meeting Students' Needs column. Omit only a few words, such as the names of their poets. Students can complete the paragraph as a cloze exercise, while focusing on comprehending the paragraph and its purpose within the essay structure.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In Work Time B, students write the introduction to their essay. This will require drawing on several tools, such as the Painted EssayO template, the model literary essay, and their Informative Writing Checklist. Whenever possible, use think-alouds and/or peer models to make the thought process explicit. For example, offer a think-aloud to show how you incorporate ideas from the model literary essay into an original paragraph. This way, students not only will see the model visually, but also will be able to understand the thought processes behind it.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): This lesson provides 30 minutes of writing time. Some students may need additional support to build their writing stamina over such a long time period. Support students in building their stamina and focus by providing scaffolds that build an environment that is conducive to writing. See lesson supports for specific examples.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Students who need additional support with writing may have negative associations with writing tasks based on previous experiences. Help them feel successful with writing by allowing them to create feasible goals and celebrate when these goals are met. For instance, place a sticker or a star at a specific point on the page (e.g., two pages) that provides a visual writing target for the day. Also, construct goals for sustained writing by chunking the 30-minute writing block into smaller pieces. Provide choice for a break activity at specific time points when students have demonstrated writing progress. Celebrate students who meet their writing goals, whether it is length of the text or sustained writing time.

Vocabulary

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

  • introductory paragraph, complete sentence, subject, noun, predicate, verb, topic, task, purpose, audience, responsibility, sources (L)
  • inspire, poet, poetry (W)

Materials

  • Parts of the Model Literary Essay Introductory Paragraph (one part per pair)
  • The Painted Essay(r) template (from Lesson 9; one per student)
  • Red, green, yellow, and blue colored pencils (one of each per student)
  • Model literary essay (from Lesson 9; one per student and one to display)
  • Literary Essay anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Opening A; see supporting materials)
  • Literary Essay anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Informative Essay Prompt: What Inspires Poets? (from Lesson 6, one per student and one to display)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
  • Writing Complete Sentences handout (one per student and one for display)
  • Parts of Speech anchor chart (from Unit 1, Lesson 5)
  • Blue and red markers (one of each for the teacher)
  • Informative Writing Checklist (from Lesson 9; one per student and one for display)
  • Expert group poet biographies (from Lesson 7; one per student in each expert group)
  • Close Read Note-catcher: Expert Group Poet (from Lesson 7; one per student)
  • Red markers (one per student)
  • Paper (lined; one piece per student)
  • Domain-Specific Word Wall (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 3)

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. The Painted Essay: Sorting and Color-Coding the Parts of an Introductory Paragraph (10 minutes)

  • Move students into pre-determined pairs.
  • Distribute Parts of the Model Literary Essay Introductory Paragraph.
  • Invite students to retrieve their Painted Essay(r) template and use it to silently review the parts of an introductory paragraph: introduction (background information to engage the reader), focus statement, and two points.
  • Invite pairs to use the Painted Essay(r) template to underline their part in the correct colored pencil (red, green, yellow, blue): red for introduction, green for focus statement, yellow for point 1, and blue for point 2.
  • Explain that pairs need to move around the room to find the other parts of the introduction, so that together they have all of the introduction, and put them together in the right order.
  • Tell students to when they have finished, they can check their work against the model literary essay.
  • Invite students to begin and circulate to support students reading their part of the model literary essay.
  • Refocus whole group. Invite students to help you record the parts of an introductory paragraph on the Literary Essay anchor chart. Refer to as necessary.
  • Provide differentiated mentors by purposefully pre-selecting student partnerships. Consider meeting with the mentors in advance to encourage them to share their thought process with their partner. (MMAE)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

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

"I can plan and write the introductory paragraph for my essay."

"I can recognize and write a complete sentence."

  • Underline the words introductory paragraph. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is an introductory paragraph? What is the purpose of it?" (the paragraph that opens a piece of writing and helps the reader understand what the writing will be about)

  • Invite students to retrieve their Informative Essay Prompt: What Inspires Poets? and read it aloud.
  • Circle the words complete sentence and tell students that as they write their introductory paragraphs of their essays, they will practice making sure their sentences are complete sentences.
  • Focus students on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and remind them of perseverance, as they will be working to plan and write an essay for the first time this year, which may be challenging.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: Check for comprehension by asking students to summarize and then to personalize the learning targets. Ask them to paraphrase them and then to say how they feel about them. Example: "Can you put the learning target in your own words?" (I can write the introduction to my essay.) "How do you feel about that target?" (I am excited because I can't wait to start.)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Mini Lesson: Producing Complete Sentences (10 minutes)

  • Display and distribute the Writing Complete Sentences handout. Tell them that in formal writing, it is important to write in complete sentences so that the reader can clearly understand the ideas the writer is trying to share.
  • Select a volunteer to read the three bullet points under "A complete sentence":
    • Has a subject with a predicate and expresses a complete thought
    • Begins with a capital letter
    • Ends with an end mark--either a period, question mark, or exclamation point
  • Review what the terms subject and predicate mean, referring to the Parts of Speech anchor chart as needed. (A subject is the noun or noun phrase or pronoun or pronoun phrase that performs the action or that the sentence is about. Example: Jack, the character from Love That Dog.)
  • Remind students that most complete, correct sentences in English must have a subject and a predicate.
  • Direct students' attention to the first example on the Writing Complete Sentences handout and read it aloud:
    • "William Carlos Williams was a poet."
  • Circle and label the subject, William Carlos Williams, and underline and label the predicate using: was a poet. Invite students to do the same on their copy. Point out that this sentence expresses a complete thought--it tells about William Carlos Williams and what he did. Highlight the first letter of the sentence and point out that it is a capital letter, and circle the period and point out this end mark.
  • Direct students' attention to the second example on the Writing Complete Sentences handout and read it aloud:
    • "This short poem helps us understand the beauty of the common wheelbarrow."
  • Invite students to turn and talk with their partner:

"What makes this a complete sentence?" (the subject--this short poem; predicate-- helps us understand the beauty of the common wheelbarrow; the capital letter at the beginning; the punctuation at the end)

  • Invite students to Think-Write-Pair-Share leaving adequate time for each partner to think, ask each other the question, and share:

"Write a complete sentence about your expert group's poet. Label the subject and predicate, and circle the capital letter at the beginning and the punctuation mark at the end."

  • Select volunteers to share with the group.
  • Refocus students whole group. Remind them that one of the things you will be looking for in their writing of their informative essays is complete sentences. Reassure students that they will have more opportunities to practice this in the next lesson.
  • Model writing a complete sentence for students using a think-aloud. Consider purposefully making an error and then fixing it as you check to make sure it has all the components of a complete sentence. (MMR)
  • Considering minimizing the complexity of the task by providing pre-written sentences for students to diagram instead of writing a complete sentence on their own. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Invite students to provide examples of the simplest complete sentence possible. Write the examples on the board. Remind them that it must have a subject and a predicate. (Example: William Carlos Williams writes.) As they become comfortable, help them broaden their ability using Conversation Cues. Examples: "How might you expand these sentences? What if I want to say who William Carlos Williams is? What if I want to describe the poems he writes? I'll give you a minute to think and write or sketch." (A famous poet, William Carlos Williams, writes beautiful poems about everyday objects.)
  • For ELLs: As students identify and share the subjects and predicates of the example sentences, invite students to the board to circle the nouns and verbs that helped them figure out where the subjects and predicates began. (Example: "I knew that the predicate started with the word helps because that is what the poem does. It helps us understand.")

B. Independent Writing: Writing an Introduction (30 minutes)

  • Display the Informative Writing Checklist and invite students to retrieve their own copy. Remind students that this checklist is something they will use a lot in their English Language Arts work. Ensure students understand that they will be using this checklist each time they write an informative piece because these are the things every good piece of informative writing should contain.
  • Remind students that as they write their literary essays, they are going to use this checklist to help them ensure they have included everything they need to write a successful essay.
  • Read aloud each of the following criteria, pausing after each one for students to turn and talk to their partner about what each one means in their own words. Then invite students to mark these criteria on their checklist:
    • W.4.9
    • W.4.2a
    • W.4.2a
    • L.4.3, L.4.6, W.4.4
  • Explain to students that they will focus on a different criterion as they write each part of their essays.
  • Focus students on the empty column of their checklist. Explain that although every piece of informative writing should include the criteria listed, each piece of informative writing will have specific criteria according to the content.
  • Focus students on the criterion:
    • W.4.9
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What sources will we be referring to as we plan and write this essay?" (our expert group poet's biography and his or her poetry)

  • Model how to record this (using words or sketches) on the displayed Informative Writing Checklist. Invite students to do the same.
  • Focus students on the criterion:
    • W.4.2a
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the topic of this essay?" (what inspired a poet and evidence of this in his or her poetry)

  • Model how to record this on the displayed Informative Writing Checklist. This can be in words or sketched. Invite students to do the same.
  • Focus students on the criterion:
    • W.4.2a
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What important information is needed to understand the piece? What important information does the model literary essay include?" (background information about the poet)

  • Model how to record this on the displayed Informative Writing Checklist. This can be in words or sketched. Invite students to do the same.
  • Focus students on the criterion:
    • L.4.3, L.4.6, W.4.4
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the task and purpose?" (a literary essay about a poet and what inspired him or her)

"Who is the audience?" (other students and teachers)

  • Model how to record this on the displayed Informative Writing Checklist. This can be in words or sketched. Invite students to do the same.
  • Invite students to take out their expert group poet biographies and Close Read Note-catcher: Expert Group Poet and move to sit with their expert groups.
  • Select a volunteer to read the focus question at the top of the Close Read Note-catcher: Expert Group Poet:
    • "What inspired your expert group's poet to write poetry, and where can you see evidence of this in his or her poetry?"
  • Invite students to turn and talk with their expert group:

"What inspired your poet to write?" (Responses will vary based on poet.)

  • Invite students to write a focus statement that explains what inspired their expert group's poet to write in the Focus Statement spot on their note-catchers. Consider providing sentence starters as necessary:
    • "This famous poet found the inspiration for his or her poems in _____."
    • "(Poet's name) was inspired by _____, and you can see this in his or her poetry."
  • Remind students that introductory paragraphs for essays include background information about the topic to catch the reader's attention.
  • Invite students to turn and talk with their expert group:

"What background information about your poet can you include in your introduction that will catch your reader's attention?" (Responses will vary based on poet.)

  • Distribute red markers. Invite students to skim their Close Read Note-catcher: Expert Group Poet and underline in red the information they will use in their introduction.
  • Distribute paper and invite students to use the model literary essay, the criteria on the Literary Essay anchor chart, the Informative Writing Checklist, and the domain-specific word wall to write an introduction.
  • Circulate to support students as they write. Remind students to write in complete sentences and to leave a line between each line of their writing.
  • Tell students they are now going to participate in the Thumb-O-Meter protocol to reflect on their progress toward the first learning target. Remind them that they used this protocol in the first half of the unit and review as necessary. Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.
  • Guide students through the protocol using the first learning target. Scan student 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 persevered in this lesson.
  • Invite students to record 'Y' for 'Yes' and the date in the final column of their Informative 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 reading: While reviewing the checklist criteria, some students may need additional clarification about the language of each criterion. Example: "What does it mean when writing is appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience?" (Everything I wrote is about the main idea of the essay. It is not about something else. It is written in a way that will help others understand it.) (MMR)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: For heavier support, create a template with a cloze version of an informative essay introduction. Reduce the complexity of the task by allowing students who need prompting or who may be overwhelmed to use this version. Example: "[Name of poet] was a ________. She or he is most famous for ________. She or he also ________." (MMAE)
  • Consider offering lined paper where every other line has an X or is highlighted in order to remind students to skip lines. (MMR)
  • For students who may need additional support with writing stamina: Before they begin writing, create a writing goal that is appropriate for the individual student (e.g., two pages). Place a star or a sticker at the goal point so that they can self-monitor their progress as they write. (MME)
  • For students who may need additional support with writing stamina: Consider offering breaks at pre-determined time points. Place a timer on the students' desks to help them monitor their own time. Provide students reasonable choice around what they do during the break (e.g., get a drink of water, stretch). (MMAE, MME)
  • For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Consider offering supportive tools (e.g., pencil grip, slanted desk, or the use of a word processor). (MMAE)
  • Minimize distractions by offering students supports such as dividers or sound-canceling headphones. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. Ask students about the meaning of the sentence from the lesson/text: William Carlos Williams was an award-winning poet who wrote 48 books of poetry and won prizes including the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Examples:
    • "How does this introduction sentence give important information about the author?" (Responses will vary.)
    • "What is prize in our home languages?" (hadia in Malay) Invite all students to repeat the translation in a different home language.
    • "What is a prize? You can use your dictionaries." (a reward offered or won in a contest, competition, or game of chance)
    • "What is the subject of this sentence?" (William Carlos Williams)
    • "What is the predicate?" (was an award-winning poet ...)
    • "Why is the word was used to talk about William Carlos Williams? Why is this sentence in the past tense? What information does that tell us about William Carlos Williams?" (He is not living anymore. To talk about living people, we use the present tense.)
    • "What is an award-winning poet? Can you find evidence in the sentence that William Carlos Williams was an award-winning poet?" (A poet who has won prizes and awards. He won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize.)
    • "What is interesting about winning all those awards? What might that tell us about William Carlos Williams?" (He was a great writer. Lots of people liked his poetry.)
    • "What else does this sentence tell us? What does it help us learn about William Carlos Williams?" (He wrote 48 books. He loved to write).
    • "Can you rephrase the sentence in your own words?" (Responses will vary.)
    • "How does this introduction sentence give important information about the author?" (Responses will vary.)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

  • Invite students to whisper read their drafts to themselves.
  • Ask:

"Show a thumbs-up if your draft is appropriate for the task, purpose, and audience or a thumbs-down if you are not sure. How do you know?"

  • Check in with students who showed a thumbs-sideways or a thumbs-down in the next lesson.
  • Invite students to reflect on the process writing by thinking about the following to themselves:

"What were your challenges as you drafted today?"

"What were your successes?"

  • As time permits, select volunteers to share out.
  • Some students may feel uncomfortable sharing their reflections with the whole group. Consider providing a method for students to privately reflect, such as an exit slip with multiple choice and short answer reflection questions. You can collect these and use them to inform future instruction. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: Review the learning targets introduced in Opening A. Ask students to give specific examples of how they worked toward achieving them in this lesson. Invite students to rephrase the learning targets now that they have had more experience writing complete sentences and writing introductory paragraphs.

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

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

B. Complete the Sentences practice in your Unit 2 Homework.
  • 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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