Domain: Literacy Dimension: Writing

Main focus: The writing trait voice was chosen as the fundamental focus of the following unit of work. Voice is the dynamo of the writing process, the reason for writing in the first place (Graves, 1983). It is the writers ability to express personality in language. This learning sequence encourages students to find their voices, match voice to purpose and then find new voices.

Year Level: 1 & 2

Text type and mode Factual text (s) Fictional narratives Listened to

Term: 4
Spoken Read Written

Date: Week commencing 19th November 2012

Viewed Produced

Steps in Teaching and Learning Cycle: (adapted Derewianka, 1990/2007) At the conclusion of this unit students will be able/capable of: Develop an understanding of the writing trait voice, and be able to express their personality and emotions in writing. Use Voice (a component of the 6 + 1 traits of writing). Students will express their voices through writing about a particular topic that they feel strongly about. Students write letters about a topic which they have a significant amount of interest or concerned about. Students write narratives from a characters perspective Frequently used Literacy Instructional Strategies: Think Aloud Language Experience Approach (R/W) Read to Shared R/W Guided R/W Modelled writing Interactive writing Independent R/W Literature Circles 1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Building topic knowledge Building text knowledge/Model the genre Guided activities to develop vocabulary and text knowledge Joint construction of text Independent construction of text Reflecting on language choices

Reciprocal Teaching Mini lesson Roving conferences Comprehension Strategies: Predicting; Visualising; Making connections; Questioning; Inferring; Determining important ideas; Summarising; Finding evidence in the text; Understanding new vocabulary; Synthesising; Comparing and contrasting; Paraphrasing; Recognising cause and effect; Thinking Tools/techniques to support chns thinking before/during/after an activity: Graphic Organisers (GO) e.g. Venn Diagram, Y-Chart, T-chart, Semantic grid; Brainstorm; Mind map; Think-Pair-Share; DOVE; Placemat; Graffiti Wall; Post-it Notes; Sunshine Wheel; A-Z; Problem-solving; Reflective Learning Journals; Share time; Reflection Circles; Role-play; Fish Bowl; Debate; Discussion; PNI; 5VIPs; Bundling;

Analysing Checking Classifying Cooperating Considering options Designing Elaborating

Estimating Explaining Generalising Hypothesising Inferring Interpreting Justifying

Listening Locating information Making choices Note taking Observing Ordering events Organising

Performing Persuading Planning Predicting Presenting Providing feedback Questioning

Reading Recognising bias Reflecting Reporting Responding Restating Revising

Seeing patterns Selecting information Self-assessing Sharing ideas Summarising Synthesising

Testing Viewing Visually representing Working independently Working to a timetable

Learning outcomes Lesson 1 Students discover that voice is the writers ability to express personality in writing. As well as emotions. Students will express their voices through writing about a particular topic.

Whole class focus

Independent learning

Summary/ closure

Lesson Resources

Evaluations of pupils learning

Assessment

Brainstorm what a successful writer would include when writing. Examples of voice from 6+1 traits of writing, read to students to evaluate writers voice in each. Students write about a topic that they feel strongly about Select a group of students to share their writing to the rest of the class. Text on the hunt for voice YouTube video about characters emotions. Writing materials. Students were engaged, all seemed to comprehend the activity and followed task requirement , only one student required additional support which was good. Most were able to express emotion in writing. -

Can write with energy, expression, emotions.

Lesson 2

Students write letters demonstrating their understanding of voice.

Model letters. Talk about text tone, letter structure, etc.

-Students write letters -Students revise letters students publish their letters. -Use focus questions.

Select 2-3 students to read their writing using emotion and voice

Sample letters Writing materials

Teacher reads the modelled letters with different tones.

Letters we all accurately laid out. Students appeared to be engaged in this task, as the letters were personal and the letter topics were important to the students.

Letter structure Students include emotion and voice in their letters.

Lesson 3

Students write narratives demonstrating voice as well as emotion.

Lesson 4

Lesson 5

Students will further develop their understanding the writing traits, voice from the shared reading text, my brother Dan is delicious (S, L Layne)

Shared reading: fancy Nancy. Jane OConnor. Discuss ways in which the character feels. Personality traits. Discuss how the reader must feel. Model sample narrative introductions. Get one student to read aloud the introduction of their narrative. Discussion: what is the purpose of using voice in writing?, How can we show this in our writing? Discuss various aspects of Voice, from the text. Do we have an idea of what the

Students write narratives in the voice of a fictional character. They are encouraged to be creative.

Fancy Nancy Jane OConnor.

Students work had shown that they have built up an understanding of voice over the last few sessions.

Students write with voice using a identifiable tone. Students effectively revise then publish their own work.

Students continue to write their narratives.

Read aloud two narratives. Students take part in think pair share finding where voice and emotion are in the, modelled narratives. Share a couple of writing samples which depict a significan t amount Sample voice sentences. Students got the idea of voice from the modelled text. They could indicate which one sounded better, which one contained more expression, emotion, etc.

Students write with voice using a identifiable tone. Students effectively revise then publish their own work. Students are creative. Students write with voice using a identifiable tone. -

Students continue to write their stories. Emphasize that they must write being something/on e else. Must remember to

Students will continue to write narratives demonstrating their understanding of emotion and the writing trait voice.

main characters personality is like? Discuss traits of voice, use the posters and ask students to provide an example for each. MODEL reading my two sample sentences. Briefly describe traits of voice, use the same visual posters and ask students to provide an example for each. MODEL

use the posters to check they writing well. Be creative, showing emotion etc, They must think of a good catchy title, to grab the readers attention.

of voice.

Once finished writing, they revise. Then publish

Lesson 6

Students will finish writing drafts of narratives demonstrating their understanding of emotion and the writing trait voice.

Share the two writing samples which depict a significant amount of voice. Students then continue Christmas vocab word search. Or students read made up sentences and enhance them by adding more voice. Once that is completed, ask students to include that

Read a couple of narratives out. Point out the aspects of voice. Think pair share.

Writing materials computers

Successful session, majority of students stayed focused.

Students write with voice using a identifiable tonefrustrated, terrified, compassionate,

reading my two sample sentences: Lesson 7 Students publish narratives.

sentence in a story including a complication and resolution. Computers to publish work on Coloured cardboard for publishing