Lesson: Differentiated Lead Writing Practice Summary: This lesson builds on the previous lesson that encouraged students

to look at lead writing similarly to filling out a Mad Lib. In this lesson, students will practice this process of lead writing. Instruction is based on three tiers of understanding. Students work to complete progressively more difficult projects as they work up the ladder. Each assignment offer students less and less scaffolding. Students struggling with the first tier will be offered additional assistance and one-on-one reteaching. Learning Objectives: SWBAT identify the 5Ws and H in a story summary. SWBAT to construct sentences by stringing the 5Ws and H together in various orders. SWBAT explain the difference between verbs, adjectives and nouns and choose creative and effective examples of each in their writing. Hook: Complete one lead Mad Lib together in front of the class. During this time, quickly review the definition of adjective, noun and verb. Guided/Independent Practice: Students work up the three tiers by finishing the activities above. Students cannot graduate to a new tier until their work is approved by the teacher. As time goes on, students stuck on Tier 1 are given assistance from the classroom aid.

Tier 1
Low understanding level

Tier 2
Middle understanding level
Activity: Students identify the 5Ws and H in reporters notes. Students then fill in an entirely incomplete Mad Lib. Students complete two Mad Libs.

Tier 3
High understanding level
Activity: Students write different leads based on reporters notes. Students write a lead starting with Who, starting with What, starting with When, Where.

Activity: Using 5Ws and H flashcards to write leads. 5Ws and H are previously identified for students. To complete the activity, students must put the elements in the order of the previously discussed formula.

Activity: Students are given two lead Mad Libs. They fill them out with the appropriate adjectives, nouns and verbs.

Assessment: Students are informally assessed at their graduation from each tier. Students are not allowed to move up to a new activity until they demonstrate understanding by successful completing each activity. Final assessment will occur at the completion of Tier 3.

Tier 1 Use the following formula to write an effective news lead:

adjective + what +verb + where + when

Professor Stanton Smith of Iowa State University is an authority on Native American people and their social customs. He will be the featured speaker at an assembly at Southeast Polk Senior High School next Friday. The title of his speech will be How We Can Help Preserve Native American Life. Who: Professor Stanton Smith What: Giving a speak entitled How We Can Help Preserve Native American Life When: Next Friday Where: Southeast Polk gym LEAD: _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Use the following formula to write an effective news lead:

adjective + what +verb + where + when

Eighty seven students have overdue library books from the Southeast Polk library. Students owe a total of $723 in fines for this year alone according to teacherlibrarian Carol VanHook. Students have until April 1 to return their books or they will be assigned detention every day until the books are returned. Who: Eighty seven students What: Return overdue books with fines of $723 When: April 1

Where: Southeast Polk library LEAD: _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Tier 1 Fill in the following Lead Mad Lib based on the reporters notes below. For senior Scott Campbell, the dream is about to come true. Scott has been selected to represent Southeast Polk Senior High school in a study abroad program in Tokyo. The new program is sponsored by the Altoona Rotary Club. Next fall in Tokyo, he will be attending a school and living with a host family. Senior ______________________________________(who) was selected to ___________________________________________________(what) in a study abroad program in Tokyo this coming __________________________(when) announced sponsoring organization ____________________________________________ (attribution).

Fill in the following Lead Mad Lib based on the reporters notes below. Kevin Stalter, science teacher, announced this week that he is retiring from SEP after 30 years on the faculty. Teaching here was the best decision I ever made. Leaving here is the hardest thing Ive ever had to do, he said. Stalter teaches Chemistry and biology and coaches the girls soccer team. In his retirement, Stalter will focus on his hobby, collecting Ram figurines. _____________________________(adjective) science teacher _____________________________(who) announced his _______________________________________________(what) after 30 years of teaching at ________________________________________________________________(where).

Tier Two Identify the 5Ws and H in the following reporters notes. Then use the following formula to write an effective news lead:

adjective + what +verb + where + when + attribution

Journalism adviser Carole Henning and 10 students attended a conference at Drake University on March 5. Total attendance was 300. Journalists from all over the state attended. Results of the yearly contest for high school journalists were announced. The Rampage was declared the best newspaper in the state for the third straight year. Mrs. Henning said of the award, I could get used to this. Who: What: When: Where: Lead:

Identify the 5Ws and H in the following reporters notes. Then use the following formula to write an effective news lead:

adjective + what +verb + where + when + attribution

Freshman Bernice Walsh has a pet boa constrictor. It is six feet long and six months old. She keeps it at home. It has a cage to sleep in but usually has the run of the house, she says. Im not afraid of any old snake. The snakes name is Bubbles. It was a birthday present from older sister, Jan, who is a biologist at Iowa State. Bernice says her parents didnt want her to have the snake but that her sister convinced them it wouldnt harm anyone. When Bubbles is a year old, the family plans to donate it to the Blank Park Zoo. Bernice says she doesnt know if Bubbles is a boy or a girl. Who:

What: When: Where: Lead: Tier 3 Identify the 5Ws and H in the following reporters notes. Next, write four different leads, one beginning with who, one beginning with what, one beginning with when and one beginning with where. Start with the lead Mad Lib formula. Rearrange the elements of this formula in order to jump start your thinking.

adjective + what +verb + where + when + attribution

A stray dog visited school last Friday. No one knows where the dog came from. It was first seen in the publication lab in room 115. When students called it, it ran down the hall and into an empty science room on the east end of the building. It upset some test tubes, spilling several experiments. From there, it trotted into a speech class, interrupting a mock debate on animal rights. Then, it left. It was last seen going out the west doors. Who: What: When: Where: Lead starting with what:

Lead starting with who:

Lead starting with when

Lead starting with where:

Identify the 5Ws and H in the following reporters notes. Next, write four different leads, one beginning with who, one beginning with what, one beginning with when and one beginning with where. Start with the lead Mad Lib formula. Rearrange the elements of this formula in order to jump start your thinking.

adjective + what +verb + where + when + attribution

The senior class has a new project. They are asking all members to collect cans and bottles and to turn them in for their nickel refunds, then to donate the refunds. The class hopes to raise $200 to help defray the costs of graduation. Class members are asked to get their families and friends involved in the project. The drive will go on all through the month of April, according to counselor Rosemary Freel, class sponsor. Who: What: When: Where: Lead starting with what:

Lead starting with who:

Lead starting with when

Lead starting with where:

In a press release, Samuel L. Jackson announced that he plans to reenact the movie Snakes on a Plane. He is going to fill a 747 jet with over 400 snakes and fly from New York to Los Angeles. The trip will take place on June 11th and will last about four hours. While the plane will include over 25 different species of snakes, none of them will be poisonous. Im not scared of no snakes on a plane, Jackson said.