Animal Research Writing Unit

Unit Description: This animal focused writing unit is intended to build on the specific research
students have done on animals during readers workshop. The students have been exposed to a
variety of nonfiction books about animals and they have been taught to focus on specific facts
about animals: habitat, diet, and body. Now they are expected to transfer the knowledge they
have acquired during reading into their own books about a specific animal of their choice. They
will be guided through a step-by-step process that results in a full and detailed animal report.
This unit is intended for a 1st grade class of 22 students, 2 of which are ELL of varying levels, 3
who are provided writing services because of IEPs, and a few students who have difficulty
producing writing.

STAGE ONE - Established Goals

Inherited Standards/Intended Learning Outcomes and Goals:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1

Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1

topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1.A

Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care,
speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2

Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts
about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.6

With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce
and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

Essential Questions:
What is research?
How can we conduct research?

Enduring Understandings/ Take-Aways:

Research can be conducted with a
variety of sources.
Research should focus on a specific
topic.
Each part of research should focus
on a detail without straying from
the topic.

A glossary should define the words

a reader would find difficult.
Editing is an essential aspect of
writing.
Researched information should
always be written in our own
words.

Content Knowledge:
Skills:
Research is meant to provide new
Have discussions about the
information and knowledge.
meanings of words such as
research, sources, habitat, diet,
Many different sources can be used
diagram, glossary, and editing.
to find information for the same

Use various sources to find new and

topic
different information.
Varied or different information on a
Write a draft of animal information
topic can be found through many
sources
using sentence stems or own words.
Facts about animal habitats, diets,
Determine if a word is difficult and
and bodies can be found in a variety
use sources to define it.
of sources and recorded in our own
words.
Content Needing Uncoverage:
The meaning of plagiarism

STAGE TWO Assessment: Acceptable Evidence

Performance Tasks:
Students will use a variety of sources to conduct animal research. They will then compile the
information found throughout the research to create a book that serves as a detailed report
about one specific animal of their choice.
Other Evidence to be Collected:
Contributions to class discussions and turn and talks
Ability to edit own work and assist a peer in editing their draft
Student Self-Assessment and Reflection:
Students will self assess through editing their own draft and determining their own writing
progress.
They will be asked to reflect on each step of the process with a show of thumbs.

Objectives
Lesson 1:
Discussing the
meaning of research
and deciding on an
animal

STAGE THREE Learning Experiences

Assessment
Core Activities
Strategy
-Turn and Talks
Discuss the word research.
-Whole class
Think of ways to do research.
share outs
Brainstorm different animals to conduct
-Ability to
research on and choose an animal.
choose a topic

Lesson 2:
-Turn and talks
Discussing ways to
-Whole class
do research (sources) share outs
-Ability to use a
source to write
fun facts

Lesson 3:
Ways to write facts
about animal
habitats

Lesson 4:
Ways to write facts
about animal diets

-Turn and talks

-Whole class
share outs
-Ability to use
sources to write
about their
animals habitat
in their own
words
-Turn and talks
-Whole class
share outs
-Ability to use
sources to write
about their
animals diet in
their own words

Discuss the word sources.

Review the sources names in the prior
days lesson.
Discuss the ways to use the various
sources (book, technology, magazine).
Begin to use sources to write fun facts
about animals.
Review the meaning of the word habitat
and our experience with the word.
Talk about plagiarism and ways to avoid it.
Create sentence stems to assist in writing
in own words.
Use sources to write facts about their
animals habitat.
Review the meaning of the word diet and
our experience with the word.
Create sentence stems about diets to assist
in writing in own words.
Use sources to write facts about their
animals diet.

Lesson 5:
Ways to write facts
about animal bodies

Lesson 6:
How to create and
label an animal
diagram

Lesson 7:
Creating a glossary

Lesson 8:
Self editing and peer
editing for
publishing

-Turn and talks

-Whole class
share outs
-Ability to use
sources to write
about their
animals body in
their own words
-Turn and talks
-Whole class
share outs
-Ability to create
and label a
diagram of their
animals body
-Turn and talks
-Whole class
share outs
-Ability to find
difficult words in
their own rough
draft to be
defined in
glossary format
-Turn and talks
-Whole class
share outs
-Ability to edit
own draft and
contribute to a
classmates
editing process

Review ways we can talk about an

animals body.
Create sentence stems about animal bodies
to assist in writing in own words.
Use sources to write facts about their
animals body.

Discuss the purpose of an animal diagram.

Model drawing and labeling a diagram.
Use rough draft body sections and sources
to draw and label a diagram of their
animal.

Review the purpose and use of a glossary.

Model using a draft to find words a reader
would find difficult and defining those
words.
Allow students to use their own drafts to
find difficult words and define these words
in the glossary form.

Review the purpose of editing in writing.

Demonstrate how to edit own work and
then use student volunteers to help to
model peer editing.
Allow students to self edit and peer edit.
Provide materials for final drafts and
publishing.

Lesson 1: Writers Workshop Animal Research, Defining Research

Overview:
Subject: 1st grade Writers Workshop
Topic: Animal Research
Lesson Target: Students will understand the meaning and purpose of research in order to choose
a animal to conduct research on.
Summary: Students will discuss the meaning of the word research and agree upon a class
definition. They will talk about possible way to do research and then brainstorm a personal list of
animals they would like to research for their animal report.
Time: 30 mins
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1

Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and
texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1.A

Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one
at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
Knowledge/Understandings:

Skills:

Research is meant to provide new information and knowledge.

Discuss the definition of research based on prior knowledge.

Choose an animal to research and a few ways to do this research.

Assessment:
Students responses the discussion on research will inform me of their understanding of what
research is and ways we could do it.
Students brainstorming of animal choices and their ideas of how they would like to conduct this
will show me they understood that they will do research with a variety of methods.

Materials:
Chart paper for recording discussion
Brainstorming list
Hook:
Think about a time when you wanted to learn about something you were really interested. Turn
and talk with the person next to you about how you went about learning about that topic.
Activities:

1. Write the dictionary definition of the word research on the chart paper but cover it up so
that students can not see it. Arrange students in the discussion square. (2 mins)
2. Write the word research on the chart below the covered up dictionary definition and ask
students what they think of when they hear the word research. (10)
Allow students to discuss their knowledge of the word and how they have
experienced research. Record their responses.
3. Once there is a solid class definition of research, expose the dictionary definition and
explain to students that they have created a much more full and descriptive definition. I
always tell them their definitions are better than the dictionary. (3 mins)
4. Now that there is a class definition of research, ask the students to turn and talk about
how they would go about conducting research. Write ways to do research on the chart
paper then ask students to share out a few ways to be recorded. Prompt students if
necessary to gather a variety of ways.
5. Tell students that you are glad they have many ways to do research in mind because they
will be doing their own animal research of an animal of their choice. (2 mins)
6. Ask students to return to their work seats to brainstorm with the kids at their table a few
animals they would like to research. When students have come up with a few animals,
provide each student with a blank list to write down individually a list of at least 5
animals. (15 mins)
Ask students to write a 1 next to there first choice and a 2 next to their second.
Wrap-up:
Ask each student to share their first choice for animal research with the class.
Differentiation:
Allow students to turn and talk for students to think and talk through their ideas. Some students
need time and the influence of others thoughts in order to gather and create their own ideas.
Give students the opportunity to brainstorm as a group a few animals that they may be interested
in, to give ELL students a boost if they may need one and give students who are delayed in
created ideas a chance to hear those of others.
Grouping:
Students will be grouped temporarily to brainstorm animals they would like to do research on.
The groups will be based on the tables where the student sit during seat work.
Sponge activity:
Students can begin to look through the classroom library to see if they can find books or
magazines on their first or second choice animal.
Reflection:
This lesson could have been ineffective if they students were not understanding of their own
experiences with research. I am pleased that they were able to connect their everyday
experiences with books and reading with research and finding new and interesting information. I
think the turn and talk opportunities gave students more of an understanding, as they were able to
hear their peers thoughts. I would improve the length of time I kept the students on the rug, as

they were beginning to become distracted, although I think the turn and talks helped to diminish
distractions.
Lesson 2: Writers Workshop Animal Research, Using Various Sources
Overview:
Subject: 1st grade Writers Workshop
Topic: Animal Research
Lesson Target: Students will be able to use a source to conduct general research on an animal.
Summary: Students will begin to learn about using sources to conduct research on an animal of
their choice. They will be expose to a variety of sources and learn how to use them to record
facts for an animal book.
Time: about 45 mins
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2

Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about
the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.6

With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and
publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.8

With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather
information from provided sources to answer a question.
Knowledge/Understandings:

Many different sources can be used to find information for the same topic
Varied or different information on a topic can be found through many sources

Use a source to find fun facts on animal of their choosing

Jot or write the information in a rough draft format

Skills:

Assessment:
Students responses to the way we use sources will inform my understanding of how they know
how to use sources.
The written notes the students produce will inform me of their understanding of using a source to
gather information.
Materials:
A variety of animal books (each student is provided with at least two books on the animal
they chose from lesson 1 and their entire report is about this one animal)

 Laptops and IPads

Paper for recording facts
Chart paper for modeling
Hook:
Many of you said you would like to use the IPad or computer as a source for research, how
would you get to the facts you wanted? How would you save the information you found?

Activities:
1. Ask students how they would use the ipad or computer to gain information and how
they would organize the information. (5 mins)
Chart answers
2. Explain that the methods of doing research are called sources. Ask students to look at
the other sources we listed from Monday and ask they how to organize that
information. (5 mins)
Chart answers if different from 1st round
3. Allow students to come up to the front of the class to model using a resource and ask
students in the audience to state what they notice. Use these ideas to guide students on
how they will use the Ipad or computer to do research. Allow different students to
review how to use the text features we have been studying for months. (10 mins)
4. Model using a source to find the information I want on Koalas (my research animal)
and then show students how I would write this information down on paper for my
rough draft. (5 mins)
5. Tell students they will be using 1 source today and eventually they will experience
most if not all of the sources we came up with as a class (Technology, books,
magazines, library, people, dictionaries). All students will certainly use technology. (2
mins)
6. Separate students into types of sources they will be using. Ask them to take down
information in the way we talked about on the paper provided. They will only be
gathering fun facts about the animal they choose today. (25-30 mins)
Wrap-up:
Ask students to reflect aloud on the process of gathering information. Ask students what they
experienced. What was easy, challenging, and unexpected about using sources? Try to gather a
reflection from each source group.
Differentiation:
All students have books or source at their reading level and are able access the reading and
writing portion because it is so individualized. This also attributed to student interest because
students are receiving sources based on their own animal interest.
The beginning ELL student will work with technology, as the videos and passages on
pebblego.com can be read aloud to him through the audio recordings.

Grouping:
Students will work independently unless they are researching an animal that is the same as
another student. There are 3 partnerships of students who will benefit from working together and
they will be able to produce writing without distractions because of the distinct pairings.
Sponge activity:
Students will be asked to practice taking down as many fun facts about their animal as possible
and then begin to check their spelling and editing sentences if they run out of time. They will
also have the option of helping a classmate that may need their assistance.
Reflection:
This lesson went reasonably well and a large percentage of the class was extremely eager to
begin their researched using sources. I think they enjoyed having a choice of animal raised
student interest and they had control over the fun facts they would be reading and writing
about. The students using technology were especially excited to watch videos and read
information online about their animals. I found that students were a bit antsy on the rug when we
were reviewing the use of text feature because weve had extensive practice and they would have
liked to begin. Students enjoyed having their classmates act out using the sources instead of me,
which I had assumed would be the case. A pitfall of this lesson that I want to address in the next
lesson is plagiarism. I hadnt considered that students didnt know to put facts theyve read into
their own words when possible. I could have mentioned this when I modeled writing my own
facts about Koalas. Luckily I will be modeling how write focused facts in the next lesson and I
can address this issue then.

Lesson 3: Writers Workshop Animal Research, Writing Facts About Animal Habitats
Overview:
Subject: 1st grade Writers Workshop
Topic: Animal Research
Lesson Target: Students will understand how to use sentence stems to write focused facts on
their animals habitat.
Summary: We will review the meaning of the word habitat and then we will come up with ways
to write facts about animal habitats with a variety of sentence stems. Students will then use a
source to find information on their animals habitat and then record it in their own words.
Time: 45 mins
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2

Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about
the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.6

With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and
publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

Knowledge/Understandings:

Facts about animal habitats can be found in a variety of sources and recorded in our own
words.

Skills:
Find information on their animals habitat.
Write facts about their animals habitat using sentence stems and own words.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed based on their ability to use a source to find information on a habitat
and write this information uses a provided sentence stem or their own words.
Materials:
Chart paper for recording example sentence stems
Book, laptops, magazines
Habitat lined paper for writing facts
Activities:

1. Remind students that they have been reading a lot about specific animal information
during readers workshop. One kind of specific information about animals is their habitat.
(5 mins)
Ask a student to remind the class of the definition of the word habitat.
Ask a few students to name an animal and its habitat that they have read about
during reading.
2. Explain to the students that as authors, they will be using sources to find focused facts
about their animals habitat and they will need to out those facts into their own words so
that they do not plagiarize. Explain what it means to plagiarize. (5 mins)
3. Tell the students that they can avoid plagiarizing by using sentence stems or starters. Also
tell them that I have been gathering my sources for my own animal research about
Koalas. This is used to model all of the different steps they will be doing throughout this
writing process. (2 mins)
4. Pull out of the koala books and model using the table of contents to find the section on
habitats. Ask a student to read that section. (5 mins)
5. Ask the students to turn and talk to think about the information on koalas they just learn
and to come up with 1 way to write that information in their own words. (3 mins)
6. Have students share out the ways they would restate the facts and record the entire
sentence and square of the start of the sentence. Record at least 4 different suggestions. (5
mins)
7. Tell students that they will be repeating this same process of finding and writing
information about animal habitats with their own sources.
8. Divide students into the sections where their sources are and allow them to begin
researching. (25 mins)
Wrap-up:
Ask students to share the ways the put information from sources into their own words or ways
they used the sentence stems. Ask students to reflect on how this process went with a show of
thumbs.
Differentiation:
Provide sentence stems for students to use when writing facts about their animal habitats.
Allow certain students to work in partners depending on topic and need.
Grouping:
Students that need accommodations with have a partner to work with to provide support and
frequent teacher conferences.
Sponge activity:
Students can draw pictures to accompany their writing and then help a friend if necessary.
Reflection:
The pitfall of this lesson was that students had limited ways to start sentences about habitats.
Many of them repeated what another student had previously said and the same students would
provide responses. For the next lesson I will provide the students with a model of a sentence
starter, ask them to turn and talk, and then ask them to share out. I think seeing a model will
spark their thinking.

Lesson 4: Writers Workshop Animal Research, Writing Facts About Animal Diets
Overview:
Subject: 1st grade Writers Workshop
Topic: Animal Research
Lesson Target: Students will understand how to use sentence stems to write focused facts on
their animals diet.
Summary: We will review the meaning of the word diet and then we will come up with ways to
write facts about animal diets with a variety of sentence stems. Students will then use a source to
find information on their animals diet and then record it in their own words.
Time: 45 mins
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2

Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about
the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.6

With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and
publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

Knowledge/Understandings:

Facts about animal diets can be found in a variety of sources and recorded in our own
words.

Skills:
Find information on their animals diet.
Write facts about their animals diet using sentence stems and own words.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed based on their ability to use a source to find information on an animals
diet and write this information uses a provided sentence stem or their own words.
Materials:
Chart paper for recording example sentence stems
Book, laptops, magazines
Lined paper for writing facts about animal diets
Activities:

1. Askstudentstoremindtheclassofthetypesoffactswewroteaboutthepreviousday
(habitat).Remindstudentsthatanotherkindofspecificinformationaboutanimalsistheir
diet.(5mins)
Ask a student to remind the class of the definition of the word diet.
Ask a few students to name an animal and its diet that they have read about during
reading.
2. Remind students of the way we came up with ways to write facts in our own words when
we wrote about habitats. Remind them that they can avoid plagiarizing by using sentence
stems or starters. (2 mins)
3. Pull out a different the koala books and model using a different source than the previous
time and find the section on diet. Ask a student to read that section. (5 mins)
4. Ask the students to turn and talk to think about the information on koalas they just learn
and to come up with 1 way to write that information in their own words. (5 mins)
5. Model one way I would put the information I just heard about koalas in my own words
using a sentence starter. Record this information and then have students share out the
ways they would restate the facts and record the entire sentence and square of the start of
the sentence. Record at least 4 different suggestions. (5 mins)
6. Tell students that they will be repeating this same process of finding and writing
information about animal diets with their own sources. Assign students new sources to
work with.
7. Divide students into the sections where their sources are and allow them to begin
researching. (25 mins)
Wrap-up:
Ask students to share the ways they put information from sources into their own words or ways
they used the sentence stems. Ask students to reflect on how this process went with a show of
thumbs.
Differentiation:
Provide sentence stems for students to use when writing facts about their animal diets.
Allow certain students to work in partners depending on topic and need.
Grouping:
Students that need accommodations will have a partner to work with to provide support and
frequent teacher conferences.
Sponge activity:
Some students need to finish the writing from the previous day and then they can draw pictures
to accompany their writing. If they finish everything they can help a friend if necessary or read a
book from their literacy book bags.
Reflection:

I think providing a model and a turn and talk to discuss ways to record information in our own
words worked for this lesson. I also think the prior days practice and the consistency helped
students to get into the mode of writing these facts. Im finding that students are impatient when
waiting for help or conferences. I need to find a way to keep students working throughout the
entire writing period.

Lesson 5: Writers Workshop Animal Research, Writing Facts About Animals Bodies
Overview:
Subject: 1st grade Writers Workshop
Topic: Animal Research
Lesson Target: Students will understand how to use sentence stems to write focused facts on
their animals body.
Summary: We will review the way we can talk about and animals body and then we will come
up with ways to write facts about animal bodies with a variety of sentence stems. Students will
then use a source to find information on their animals body and then record it in their own
words.
Time: 45 mins
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2

Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about
the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.6

With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and
publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
Knowledge/Understandings:

Facts about an animals body can be found in a variety of sources and recorded in our
own words.

Skills:
Find information on their animals body.
Write facts about their animals body using sentence stems and own words.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed based on their ability to use a source to find at least 3 facts on an
animals body and write this information using provided sentence stems or their own words.
Materials:
Chart paper for recording example sentence stems
Book, laptops, magazines
Lined paper for writing facts about animal body
Activities:
1. Askstudentstoremindtheclassofthetypesoffactswewroteabouttheprevioustwo
days(habitatanddiet).Remindstudentsthatanotherkindofspecificinformationabout
animalsistheirbody.(5mins)
Ask a student to remind the class of the way we discuss the different parts of an
animals body.

2.
3.
4.
5.

6.
7.

Ask a few students to name an animal and a few of its body parts that they have
read about during reading.
Remindstudentsofthewaywecameupwithwaystowritefactsinourownwordswhen
wewroteabouthabitatsanddiets.Remindthemthattheycanavoidplagiarizingbyusing
sentencestemsorstarters.(2mins)
Use the computer and use pebblego.com to look at information about koalas to model
using a different source than the previous time and find the tab about body. Play the
recording for this section. (5 mins)
Ask the students to turn and talk to think about the information on koalas they just heard
and to come up with 1 way to write that information in their own words. (5 mins)
Model one way I would put the information I just heard about koalas in my own words
using a sentence starter. Record this information and then have students share out the
ways they would restate the facts and record the entire sentence and square of the start of
the sentence. Record at least 4 different suggestions. (5 mins)
Tell students that they will be repeating this same process of finding and writing at least 3
facts about their animals body and why those body parts are necessary if possibly using
their own sources.
Divide students into the sections where their sources are and allow them to begin
researching. (25 mins)

Wrap-up:
Ask students to share the ways they put information from sources into their own words or ways
they used the sentence stems. Ask students to reflect on how this process went with a show of
thumbs.
Differentiation:
Provide sentence stems for students to use when writing facts about their animal diets.
Allow certain students to work in partners depending on topic and need.
Grouping:
Students that need accommodations will have a partner to work with to provide support and
frequent teacher conferences.
Sponge activity:
Some students need to finish the writing from the previous day and then they can draw pictures
to accompany their writing. If they finish everything they can help a friend if necessary or read a
book from their literacy book bags.
Reflection:
The students and I are equally excited about getting into writers workshop and I have found that
they are really engaged when they are writing about their animals. They were especially engaged
when they heard the recoding about Koalas. Interestingly enough I conferenced with a student
that was not using the sentence starters and she was copying the book word for word. I had to
have a talk with her about plagiarism and remind her to look at the chart paper for sentence
stems.

Lesson 6: Writers Workshop Animal Research, Drawing and Labeling an Animal Diagram
Overview:
Subject: 1st grade Writers Workshop
Topic: Animal Research
Lesson Target: Students will understand the purpose of a diagram and how to draw and label a
diagram.
Summary: We will discuss the meaning of the word diagram and the student will collaboratively
label a diagram of a koala based on the information we know about koala bodies. Students will
then use a source or their animal body rough draft to draw and label a diagram of their own.
Time: 45 mins
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2

Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about
the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.6

With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and
publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

Knowledge/Understandings:

An animal diagram is a drawing of an animal that is labeled to give visual information on

the animals specific body parts.

Skills:
Draw and label a diagram of an animal based on their knowledge of that animals body.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed based on their ability to create a labeled diagram that points to some
parts of their animals body.
Materials:
Chart paper for modeling a diagram
Book, laptops, magazines
Blank paper for drawing a diagram

Activities:

1. Drawapictureofakoalasfullbodyonchartpaperandaskstudentstoturnandtalk
aboutwhattheyknowabouttheworddiagram.
2. Afterstudentshaveachancetoshareoutwhattheydiscussedduringtheturnandtalk,
tellthestudentwhatadiagramisinmyownwords.
3. Ask students to use their new knowledge of diagrams to assist me in labeling my diagram
of a koala. I model the first labeling. Mention to the students that labels of a diagram do
not need to be full sentences but simple descriptions( mins)
4. Tell the students they should use the facts they wrote about their animals body to help
them label the diagram properly. Mention that they should state the purpose of each body
part if there is one, i.e. claws for hanging on to trees. (5 mins)
5. Tell students that they will be repeating this same process of drawing and labeling of their
animal using their own writing and sources. Assign students new sources to work with.
6. Divide students into the sections where their sources are and allow them to begin
researching. (25 mins)
Wrap-up:
Ask students to share their diagrams with the class and share one point of labeling they did. Ask
students to reflect on how this process went with a show of thumbs.
Differentiation:
Provide certain students with an example of a diagram of their animal to use when making their
own.
Allow certain students to work in partners depending on topic and need.
Grouping:
Students that need accommodations with have a partner to work with to provide support and
frequent teacher conferences.
Sponge activity:
Some students need to finish the writing from the previous day and then they can add color to
their diagram. If they finish everything they can help a friend if necessary or read a book from
their literacy book bags.
Reflection:
If I could redo this lesson, I would rethink a way to incorporate the students understandings of a
diagram into my own definition. I think it would be more meaningful. I could have repeated the
dictionary definition, our definition model.

Lesson 7: Writers Workshop Animal Research, Creating a Glossary

Overview:
Subject: 1st grade Writers Workshop
Topic: Animal Research
Lesson Target: Students will understand how to create a glossary by identifying difficult words
in their own animal reports.
Summary: The purpose and use of a glossary will be reviewed. Students will then use there own
rough draft of their animal report to find difficult words to define in a dictionary.
Time: 45 mins
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2

Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about
the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.6

With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and
publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
Knowledge/Understandings:

A glossary is composed of difficult words in text that need explicit defining and
explaining.

Skills:
Use rough draft of animal report to find difficult words.
Include these difficult words with an accompanying definition in a glossary.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed based on their ability to use their own animal reports to determine
difficult word and then create a glossary that defines these words.
Materials:
Chart paper for modeling how to make a glossary
Book, laptops, magazines
Glossary form

Activities:
1. Askstudentstoremindtheclassofthepurposeofaglossaryandhowitisused(5mins)
2. Tellstudentsthataglossaryismadewhenanauthorconsidersthereaderandthinks
aboutwhichwordsmaybedifficultforthereader.Theglossaryshouldhelpthereader
understandthebookasmuchaspossible.(2mins)

3. Read students my rough draft animal report on koalas that they have assisted me in
creating. Tell them I was thinking about them when I was writing this draft and I thought
the phrase fur coat could use some defining. (2 mins)
Show students how to write the word that is being defined on the left side of the
colon and the definition of the right side.
4. Then ask students to point out other words in my draft that they find difficult as readers.
(5 mins)
Take student suggestions from a few words and then ask students to help me to
define these words. (Asking them to help, models how they should ask each other
if they are unsure of words they want to define in their own books)
5. Tell students that they will be repeating this same process of finding difficult words in
their own rough drafts to define on the glossary form provided.
6. Tell students that they should use their own expertise, then a partner's, and lastly the
dictionary when attempting to define words. This begins peer collaboration in the writing
process.
7. Divide students into the sections where their sources are and allow them to begin
researching. (25 mins)
Wrap-up:
Ask students to share the ways the put information from sources into their own words or ways
they used the sentence stems. Ask students to reflect on how this process went with a show of
thumbs.
Differentiation:
Assists certain students in highlighting difficult words and then allowing them to use a dictionary
to define the words.
Allow certain students to work in partners depending on topic and need.
Grouping:
Students that need accommodations with have a partner to work with to provide support and
frequent teacher conferences.
Sponge activity:
Some students need to finish the writing or diagrams from the previous day and then they can
draw pictures to accompany their writing. If they finish everything they can help a friend if
necessary or read a book from their literacy book bags.
Reflection:
In order to improve this lesson, I would allow students to draw pictures along with their words
and definitions. This would be a great differentiation strategy as well. Otherwise I think many of
the students received this material well and they were able to implement it in their own work for
the most part.

Lesson 8: Writers Workshop Animal Research, Editing for Publishing

Overview:
Subject: 1st grade Writers Workshop
Topic: Animal Research
Lesson Target: Students will understand the purpose of editing and use this understanding to
edit their own work and a peers.
Summary: Strategies for editing will be reviewed and students will use these strategies to edit
their own work as well as a friends. Once they have completed editing, they can copy their work
over in their best handwriting for publishing.
Time: 45 mins
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2

Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about
the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.6

With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and
publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
Knowledge/Understandings:

Editing is essential to the writing process.

Skills:
Edit their own book using the learned strategies.
Edit a peers book using the learned strategies.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed based on their own editing and the editing and advice they provide to a
peer.
Materials:
Overhead projector for modeling how to edit
Red and green colored pencils for each partner

Activities:
1. Begin by putting my koala rough draft on the overhead projector for all students to see
and ask the to turn and talk with the person next to them about how we have edited our
drafts in the past.

2. Ask students to share out some of the strategies and write them down on a piece of paper
shown by the projector.
3. Model how I would begin to edit by own draft by using a green colored pencil to fix
words I misspelled, made sure I had capitals at the start of sentence and and check all my
sentences to make sure they all make sense.
4. After I show them a few examples of me fixing my own work, ask a few students to
come up and use a red pencil to help me fix parts of my draft that I may have missed
Mention to students that we sometimes need a fresh pair of eyes to look at our
writing because a peer can sometimes see things that need fixing that we, as the
writer, cannot.
5. Tell students that it is now their turn to edit and they will be editing their own work with
a green colored pencil first, and then they will be partnered with a peer who will use a red
pencil to peer edit.
6. Once student have self and peer edited their own work, they will be provided with the
materials to write their final drafts with all the edits incorporated.
Wrap-up:
Ask students to share one thing they edit and one thing their partner edited. Ask students to
reflect on how this process went with a show of thumbs.
Differentiation:
Provide extra assistance to students who may need help self-editing and peer editing a friends
work.
Give students a list of strategies use to edit work and ask them to check of ones they have used.
Grouping:
Students will be put into partnership for peer editing and they will be based on students ability to
work well with another student and keep each other on track.
Sponge activity:
Students will begin their final draft with the edits included, then they can draw detailed pictures
with labels and color.
Reflection:
I realized after this lesson that one of my pet peeves in writing is when students do not use the
resources around the room or the spelling of difficult words from the sources theyve been using
throughout the entire process. Many students had spelled their animals name wrong and other
students would ask me how to spell word that were right in from of them. I want to see if I can fit
in a mini talk about how to use the resources around us to spell words correctly.