Mrs.

Blankenships Lesson Plan

Angela Blankenship Grade 3 Subject: Writing

Common Core Standards: Writing Grade 3

Text Types and Purposes

W.3.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. a. Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons. b. Provide reasons that support the opinion. c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons. d. Provide a concluding statement or section. W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. a. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information. d. Provide a concluding statement or section. W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations. c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order. d. Provide a sense of closure.

Production and Distribution of Writing

W.3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 3 on pages 28 and 29.)

W.3.6 With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge

W.3.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic. W.3.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
Range of Writing

W.3.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Lesson Summary: For this lesson plan students will write narratives. I will begin by explaining that a narrative is simply telling a story. For this lesson plan students will be exploring and using the website storybird.com. I will lead students into a discussion about the best day they ever had as this is the topic for their narrative. After discussing what a narrative is and explaining what they will be writing about the students will be asked to use storybird.com where they will choose the artwork that will be included into their narrative. Students will use the artwork to develop real experiences/events using descriptive detail, effective technique, and organize an event sequence. Students will be able to group together and share their ideas. Students will plan, write and revise their narrative. Estimated Duration: This lesson plan will take about three hours. I plan on dividing the lesson into three days, allowing 55-60 minutes for each class period.

Commentary: Students will enjoy exploring Storybird.com. Students will appreciate the opportunity to create their very own narrative stories using the artwork of their choice and also having the opportunity to share their stories. I will get my students hooked by first exploring Storybird.com together as a class, reading stories written by other third grade students to inspire my students. Students face the challenge of deciding which artwork to use that will provide the best detail to their narratives.

Instructional Procedures:

Day 1: First 30 minutes: Introductory activity-Students will explore Storybird.com where we will review stories

written by other third grade students, review samples of narratives, and explore the artwork provided on Storybird.com Second 30 minutes: Students will be given the chance to choose the artwork that they will use in developing their own narratives. Students will then be given the chance to pair up in groups where they can discuss their ideas with their classmates.

Day 2: 60 minutes: Students will begin developing and writing their narratives about The best day they ever had, using the title My Best Day Ever. Students will write their narrative entirely online using Storybird.com with a minimum of 5 pages and no more than 10 pages. Students will incorporate the pictures that they picked throughout their narrative using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequence and provide a sense of closure to their stories. Day 3: First 30 minutes: Students will spend the first 15 minutes revising the work of their classmates. Students will be paired up and asked to review the narrative of their classmate. Students will be required to check for the following: grammar, punctuation, spelling, and form does the student include a beginning, middle, and end? Students can suggest ways to their classmate on how the can make their story better. The next 15 minutes students will spend reviewing and revising their own narratives. Last 30 minutes: Students will publish and share their work on Storybird.com. Students present their Storybird narrative in groups by reading aloud about their best day ever.

Pre-Assessment: Reflection is the strategy I will use in order to pre-assess student knowledge of the standards my lesson plan addresses. Using a verbal reflection assignment I will ask my students to grade their own narratives. Students will discuss with me the following: organization, theme, details, dialog, characterization and thoughts and feelings. Using reflection allows students to think about what they have learned and how they can use it. I can use reflection as a way to explore what the student has learned and how the applied it in this assignment as well as exploring what the student already knew from previous lessons and how they applied these as well. Scoring Guidelines: I will use Analytic and Holistic scoring using a rubric such as this:
Writing Content/ Ideas

Great
Focuses on event/experience, multiple use of excellent sensory details, engaging story with appropriate content that conveys a message to the reader.

Good
Mostly focuses on event/ experience, use of sensory details, engaging story with mostly appropriate content that sends a slightly confusing message to the reader.

Average
Switches around from event to event, average use of sensory details, interesting story with questionable content and doesn't convey a message of any sort to the reader.

Poor
Cannot tell what the topic is about, uses no sensory details whatsoever, confusing story with questionable content and doesn't convey a message of any sort to the reader.

Organization

Great

Good

Average

Poor

Very organized and sequential, uses transitions in writing, can follow the story easily and flows very smoothly. Voice

Organized, uses some transitions in writing, is a little choppy and mostly easy to follow.

Somewhat organized, uses little transition between paragraphs, is very rough and cannot follow the story easily.

Not organized, events out of order and extremely hard to follow, is very rough and no use of transitions.

Great
Reader can tell that writer is genuinely interested in topic, vivid use of words and thoroughly engaging and interesting.

Good
Reader can tell that the writer is mostly interested in topic, some vivid use of words and engaging.

Average
Writer does not seem interested in story, barely any vivid use of words and is semi-interesting to the reader.

Poor
The reader can tell that the writer has no interest in the story, has no vivid word usage, and is not an engaging story to the reader.

Grammar/ Conventions

Great
Good variety in sentence structure, correct punctuation, capitalization, and spelling, and an excellent use of word choice and variety.

Good
Good variety in sentence structure, few mistakes in punctuation, capitalization, or spelling, and has a great use of word choice and variety.

Average
Somewhat same sentence structure, some noticeable mistakes in punctuation, capitalization or spelling that slightly puts off the story, and has a solid use of word choice and variety.

Poor
Simple sentence structure, major mistakes in punctuation, capitalization or spelling that completely throws off the story, and has little or no variety in word choice.

Post-Assessment: Students will be asked to write a short essay again where they reflect on their own writings and ideas. This will allow me to get a better idea of what they have learned through this lesson and where we may need to focus more attention in future assignments. I will also be looking at all pre work, ideas, and writing process of the student. Scoring Guidelines: Students will be graded on whether or not they understand the concepts that were explored and used in their narrative writings. I will use the students reflection writing as a way to evaluate what the student has learned throughout this assignment and how they have applied these ideas into their narratives. It will give me an idea of which concepts the students understands and which concepts I need to spend more time on.

Differentiated Instructional Support Describe how instruction can be differentiated (changed or altered) to meet the needs of gifted or accelerated students: In this case I would implement students to peer-tutor students who are struggling or having a difficult time understanding the ideas behind the assignment. In addition, I can use other exercise such as writing assignments, worksheets, and group activities to provide additional support to students that may be struggling. I will also make myself available to support my students throughout their writing process. For example; use practice writing assignments to help better prepare students who may be struggling.

Extension http://macmillanmh.com/ccssreading/imagineit/grade6/ccslh_g6_wr_5_1c_tl1.html On this site students can continue learning about the writing process through explanations, examples, and practice writing. The site explains the concepts to students in detail and can benefit students by helping them to gain a better understanding and become more comfortable as writers.

Homework Options and Home Connections I will encourage parents to explore storybird.com with their children. Storybird.com can be accessed at school or at home and does not require the student to register in order to generate a story as well as explore stories written by others.

Interdisciplinary Connections The lesson plan for writing a narrative can explore areas of history for example; Students can use specific historical events as the topic for their writing. Students can also incorporate Art into their writings by using the artwork of others to tell their own story, for instants using Storybird.com

Materials and Resources:

For teachers

Materials needed for this assignment is computer and internet access Storybird.com Rubric

For students

Students will use desktop computers such as in the computer lab to complete this writing assignment Internet access Access to Storybird.com