Name

Alexis Kiriakos Grade Level: 4th

Writing Mini-Lesson Template

Mini Lesson Topic Grabbers-
The students will anaylze word choice and how authors describes setting to hook readers in
their storys opening. This lesson will help students investigate how authors use language to
effectively "grab" readers' attention so that students can do so in their own writing.
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, Smartboard, Anchor chart, Writer's notebooks
Materials
Connection: "Last writer's workshop, we talked about how authors hooks readers in the beginning of
Tell them what you stories. We started an anchor chart of the different authors choose to capture the reader,
taught in the such as simple sentence or statement. Today, we are going to add to our anchor chart and
previous lesson. talk about how we can "paint a picture" of a story's setting" to draw the reader in to our
How does this idea stories."
connect?
"Today we are going to be talking about a new writing technqiue of how we can draw
Explicit Instruction: readers in with our story's opening. We are going to learn about how we can "paint a
Tell them what you picture" for the readers by describing the setting of the story. What is the setting? Yes, the
will teach today. place where the story takes place. Describing the setting is an exciting way to get readers
Show them interested in a story. Now, when we read stories we visualize what is happening on the
examples of how book, which means we can picture what is happening in the book in our heads. Today, we
others use the are going to look at HOW an author paints this picture by describing the setting."
technique(s). "I'm going to read the opening of Owl Moon by Jane Yolen. As I read, I want you to close
your eyes and think about how her word choice allows you to picture the setting of the
book and grabs your attention."
Read: It was late one winter night, long past my bed time, when Pa and I went owling.
There was no wind. The trees stood still as giant statues. And the moon was so bright the
sky seemed to shine. Somewhere behind as a train whistle blew, long and low, like a sad,
sad song. (p.1)
"Raise your hand if you could picture that winter night. Did it draw you in as a reader? Jane
Yolen described the setting of the book so that you wanted to know more. You could
picture the character and her father going owling, so it drew you in. The authors described
the setting painted a picture for you."
"Now let's go to our anchor chart and add to the list of how we can draw readers in."
On the right side of the Grabber anchor chart write "describe the setting". On the left side,
start a list of technqiues the author used to paint the picture to draw readers in. Have the
book on the Smartboard so these techniques can be underlined as you talk through the
points. Underline words of phrases/words that make the setting interesting:
"long past my bed time; describes that it is late at night."
"The trees stood still as gaint status; like a sad, sad song; use of similes."
"The moon was so bright the sky seemed to shine; showed that the moon lit up the night
sky."
"long and low; describing words."

Write these notes on the left side of the anchor chart so the students can refer back to
these examples. "Now we know how describing the setting can hook is an effective way to
grab our readers attention."

 "Now we are going to practice describing different settings. I'm going to give us different
Guided Practice: settings, and we are going to practice using descriptive lanuage to describe each setting."
Engage them in Make another T chart. The T chart with include: a sunny day at beach with your family, in
practicing youre your living room playing video games with your friend, and waking up on a rainy day"
your and/or "I want us to think about phrases that will help us "paint a picture" of each setting. Let's
other(s). start with a sunny day at the beach with your family, what are some things you want the
reader to visualize?" Start by writing the phrase 'splashing in the water with my brother'
then call on students to add descriptive language.
Pair up students and have each pair pick one senerio: 'in your living room playing video
games with your friend' or 'waking on up a rainy day'. Have students brainstorm different
phrases, just like we did for the beach day.
"With your partner, I want you to think of different phrases that will help describe the
setting. Remember we are trying to paint a picture for our readers, so choice descriptive
language."
After three- five minutes, have each partner share their phrases and write them on the
anchor chart under each setting senerio. Talk through the words the students chose and
how this paints a picture to grab the reader's attention.

Independent Practice: "Now it's time to describe your own setting to grab your readers attention. We are only
Remind students working on your opening, so you will be writing your own story. In your writers notebooks,
how the teaching describe a setting in which your story is going to take place. Remember we are using
point can be used in descriptive language that will paint a picture for the readers. This should draw the reader in
independent to make them want to read the rest of your story!"
writing. The students will then go back to their seats and think about a setting they want to
Link mini-lesson and describe. They will then describe the setting using the techniques we discussed in direct
writing lives. instruction and guided practice.
Groups Wrap Up: Have students bring their writing notebooks back to the carpet. "Today we learned about
Restate the teaching how writers describe the story's setting to draw readers in. Who can tell me why this grabs
point. readers attention? Good! Because it paints a picture using descriptive language to describe
Ask: Did you try the setting. Let's share how we used this technique in our own writing. I cannot wait to
what was taught? hear what we all wrote to grab readers' attentions!
Did it work for you?
How will it affect Have students 3-4 students share their writing (more if time permits). Ask if the students
your future writing? this technique worked for them and how they will use it in their future writing.
Give students specific feedback of how they helped paint a picture of the setting of their
choice.
Go back to the anchor chart and review what were learned today about describing the
setting of a story to grab readers attention.

Self Check:

I modeled writing for the students.

I used a mentor text.

I used excerpts from the mentor texts.

I provided details as to what I was doing for each stage of the lesson.

I provided details as to what the students were doing for each stage of the lesson.