Fourth grade

Narrative writing unit

Day 3: Zooming in (apple vs. Apple seed writing)
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will learn to differentiate between large
ideas/events and focused-in/small moments. Teacher will read an excerpt from a mentor

text, in which the author zooms into a small moment in his life and gives us very specific

details that make us feel like we are in the moment with him. As a class, we will discuss the

difference between big events (apples) and small moments that happen within big events

(apple seeds). Students will recognize the value narrowing the focus of a narrative story

adds to the final piece (rather than telling a broad/generalized story).

Time: 60 minutes

Resources or Materials Needed

• Mentor Text: Excerpt from Marshfield Dreams by Ralph Fletcher

• Chart Paper

• Markers

• Student Writing Notebooks

• Glue

• Pencils

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• ELMO

• SMART Board

Performance Objective: Given a prompt, students will effectively distinguish between large

ideas/focused-in moments in drafting their “pre-write” pieces. Student work will be

formatively evaluated using a criterion-based rubric, in which a minimum of 3 out of 4 is

achieved.

Step 1: Pre-Instructional Activities

• Students will engage in a “Quiet 10”, during which time, students are to silently write for

ten minutes without stopping.

• Students are given the prompt, “My Best Day Ever” and are encouraged to write about

all of the small details of the day that, added together, made their day the “best day

ever”.

Step 2: Content Presentation

• Students will join teacher at carpet area

• Teacher will read an excerpt from narrative mentor text aloud to students

• Students will discuss the BIG PICTURE that the author was writing about

• Students will discuss the specific moment in time that the author was writing about

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• Teacher will guide discussion so that the main point is discussed: an author can utilize a

small moment, really drawing the moment out, adding specific sensory details to make

readers feel that they are in the moment

• Teacher shows refers to chart paper with pre-drawn diagram of the inside of an apple

(an apple cut in half)

• Teacher explains to students that the BIG PICTURE is the WHOLE APPLE, yet the author can

choose to zoom their focus, not only on the whole apple, but small moments that take

place within the main event...we call these moments “apple seed” moments

• Students are asked to brainstorm OTHER apple seed moments that the author may have

chosen to write about, rather than the apple seed he selected

• Teacher listens to discussions, asking 3-4 students to share their ideas, drawing them

onto the chart paper as “apple seeds”.

Step 3: Learner Participation

• Students will return to their seats

• Students are given time to brainstorm “apple” ideas (large events) that they would like to
write about in their writing notebooks

• Students are instructed to narrow the focus of their apple, to 3-4 apple “SEEDS”

(zoomed in, smaller moments)

• Students are asked to select one apple seed and write begin to brainstorm specific

ideas/details/moments for their selected apple seed.

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Step 4: Assessment

• During learner participation, teacher will be walking around, formatively assessing

students on their “pre-write” using a criterion-based rubric.

Step 5: Follow-Through Activities

• Students will partake in a Round Robin activity, in which the teacher provides the class
with an “APPLE” event: “Christmas Break 2018”, and each student stands and gives a specific

“APPLE SEED” example (real or imagined) of a moment/instance that occurred during the

larger event.

• Teacher will close by discussing the 25 different unique writing opportunities we just

shared by zooming into a specific moment in time, rather than just talking about a broad/
general event.

Printable RESOURCES
• N/A

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