Lcwu unit 2 unit plan

Working Draft of Informational Writing Unit

Day Big Picture Goal Lesson Steps Materials

1 Collecting functional topics of expertise

-Teacher introduces collecting strategy: “What do you do all the time?”-Teacher models with think-aloud, listing on board-Students list for 3-5 minutes-Students choose one topic from list and write about it in a teaching voice, fast and furiously


-Teacher introduces collecting strategy: “Where do you go all the time?”-Teacher models with think-aloud, listing on board-Students list for 3-5 minutes-Students choose one topic from list and write about it in a teaching voice, fast and furiously


-Teacher introduces collecting strategy: “What do you know all about?”-Teacher models with think-aloud, listing on board-Students list for 3-5 minutes-Students choose one topic from list and write about it in a teaching voice, fast and furiously-Teachers chooses topic (while students are working), plans out subtopics on white board, and begins to write well about one of the subtopics (do this without drawing too much attention to yourself-- I took a picture of my work to integrate into my slides for later lessons)

4 Choosing a topic and proving expertise

-Students refer to collecting lists to choose a topic they can teach about-Teacher refers back to topic he/she planned out in previous lesson, and emphasizes that to be an expert, one must be able to generate teaching points about the topic-- they will later become chapters-Teacher models “testing” a topic with “Proposed Topic” form on slides-Teacher helps student test topic on “Proposed Topic” form on slides in front of whole class-Students complete “Proposed Topic” form

*after lesson, teacher analyzes forms to determine functionality of topic

“Proposed Topic” form

LCWU Unit 2 Slides

5 Assisting students in need of functional topic; focusing in on subtopic to prepare for chapter drafting

-Teacher shows examples of strong topics, and topics that could be stronger-- think aloud with class re: how to strengthen or narrow topics-Teacher emphasizes that “teaching points” and “subtopics” are basically synonymous-Teacher models choosing subtopic to test for true expertise using “Proposed Subtopic” form on slides-Teacher helps student test subtopic on “Proposed Subtopic” form on slides in front of whole class-Students complete “Proposed Subtopic” form

“Proposed Subtopic” form

LCWU Unit 2 Slides


6 Learning chapter structures through mentor texts

-Teacher introduces idea that all informational chapters fall into 5-6 basic categories-- today will look at “Kinds of,” “Parts of,” and “How to”-Teacher directly instructs on chapter types using slides, encouraging students to make connections between planned subtopics and chapter structures that best fit their plans-Students analyze different Tables of Contents to identify different chapter structures-- when they believe they have correctly identified structure, teacher shows the pages in the mentor text to confirm or disprove-Students complete bottom of “Proposed Subtopic” form re: chapter structure they will use to deliver subtopic information


LCWU Unit 2 Slides

Elephants

Deadliest Animals

If You Lived in Colonial Times

The Human Machine

7 Analyzing best-fit chapter structures from mentor texts for inspiration before drafting

-Teacher reviews chapter structure descriptions/Table of Contents examples-Teacher models close reading of mentor text chapter to explore how authors use the various chapter structures, using chapters previously identified from the Table of Contents analysis-Students close read examples of their respective chapter structures, recording different techniques mentor authors use in their delivery of information-Students reconvene to share out techniques they noticed in close reading-- “What Nonfiction Authors Do” chart


Kinds of:-Ferocious Fish (DA)-Small But Deadly (DA)

How to:-How did people get the news? (CT, p. 62)-TFK sample paper

Parts of:-Trunks, Tusks, Ears (E)-The Final Hours (Titanic)

8 Drafting first chapters with focus on embedding writing techniques

-Teacher refers back to techniques surfaced by class in previous session-Teacher models using embedding selected techniques into a successful chapter draft (written prior to the session, and carefully constructed)-Students identify techniques in the model chapter draft-Teacher emphasizes three key focuses during session’s chapter drafting time:1. adhere to the subtopic2. incorporate lots of teaching points3. structure the chapter in an intentional way-Students draft first chapters-Teacher facilitates reflective conversation at end of session, using stems on the “Discussion Starters” slide

LCWU Unit 2 Slides

6-page booklet


9 Planning second chapter/finishing first chapter

-Teacher reviews “Proposed Subtopic” form, and informs students they’ll be planning out a new chapter during this session-Teacher emphasizes the importance of using a variety of chapter structures to truly teach ALL ABOUT the main topic-Teacher models thinking through best structure fit for new subtopic-- how does each structure open the door for different teaching points?-Student volunteers attempt to utilize “Proposed Subtopic” form with coaching at board-Students work on planning new chapter using “Proposed Subtopic” form-Students continue drafting first chapters when finished with form-Teacher collects forms for analysis

LCWU Unit 2 Slides

6-page booklet


10 Learning about compelling leads/ applying in second chapter drafting

-Teacher introduces “Lead” rubric with slide-Students analyze examples from mentor texts to determine nonfiction lead techniques-Teacher teases out most prevalent techniques in compelling leads: -question -interesting fact -short burst -sound effect-Teacher models different lead types using personal topic of expertise-Students draft second chapters using “Proposed Subtopic” form, with an eye on crafting compelling leads

LCWU Unit 2 Slides

6-page booklet


11 Integrating expert vocabulary/introducing “Craft” rubric

-Teacher recalls “What Nonfiction Authors Do” chart to accentuate that the writer’s job is to tell interesting information-Teacher introduces “Craft” rubric with slide-Teacher emphasizes need for “expert vocabulary”-Teacher models reading text to identify expert vocabulary using scanned pages on slides-- bold words, as well as content-specific words-Students identify expert vocabulary in text excerpts-Teacher draws connection between bold words and glossary-Teacher explains that too many bold words would become overwhelming-- other expert words can be defined using context clues-Students jot expert vocabulary to include in texts on “Expert Vocabulary I Know” half-sheet-Teacher shows student models of other techniques-- questions, comparisons, facts-- as send-off before students continue drafting chapters

LCWU Unit 2 Slides

6-page booklet

“Expert Vocabulary I Know” half-sheet


12 Introducing informational checklist/drafting with technique

-Teacher marvels at all the students have learned so far-- leads, craft techniques, structures, planning-Teacher introduces “Informational Checklist” to help writers keep track of all they’ve learned-Teacher draws attention to parts of checklist that have not yet been introduced (namely “Ending” and “Transitions”)-Teacher suggests that today would be a great day to just write using the techniques we’ve learned, and practice self-assessing with the checklist-Teacher models with sample work (either teacher work or student work)-Students continue drafting chapters one and two, and use checklists to self-assess-Teacher wraps lesson by assigning homework: students will plan next subtopic at home with parent support, because many of them are getting down to teaching points that they are less expert on (send home “Proposed Subtopic” form)

LCWU Unit 2 Slides

6-page booklet

“Informational Checklist”


13 Drafting from at-home planning

-Teacher celebrates working on “Proposed Subtopic” form at home, and inquires into who at home was helpful/how the process went-Teacher reminds students they have multiple useful resources at their disposal-- “What Nonfiction Writers Do” chart, “Informational Checklist”-Teacher gets out of the way, allows for drafting of third chapter-Students begin drafting third chapters

6-page booklet

14 Learning final three chapter structures through mentor texts

-Teacher recalls idea that all informational chapters fall into 5-6 basic categories-- today will look at “Day in the Life,” “Life Cycle,” and “Comparison”-Teacher directly instructs on chapter types using slides, encouraging students to make connections between planned subtopics and chapter structures that best fit their plans-Teacher probes for student willing to attempt to outline using new chapter structure-Student models thinking through the planning of a new chapter utilizing a new structure-Teacher offers at-home assignment: write an optional fourth chapter using new chapter structure, and receive no additional homework for first three days of following week-- must sign contract AND email parents-Students continue drafting first three chapters

LCWU Unit 2 Slides

6-page booklet


15 Understanding the purpose of introductions/drafting introductions reflective of teaching points

-Teacher refers back to “Lead” rubric, and makes observation that we are writing great chapter leads, but some nonfiction texts have a special kind of lead for the whole story called an introduction-Teacher shows examples of two different introductions on slides, emphasizing that authors use short burst/interesting fact/action sequence to start an introduction, AND use a preview sentence to state the purpose of the text-Teacher introduces AND models format for writing introduction, explicitly teaching each step: 1. short burst/interesting fact/action sequence2. preview3. question 1,2,3 (answer must be embedded in

chapters)4. smooth transition-Students offer smooth transitions (phrases that utilize topic-specific vocabulary/vernacular) to build capacity-Teacher puts all pieces of format together to complete model-Students begin and finish introductions in single session-Students do “Snapshot Share” of favorite sentence to wrap

LCWU Unit 2 Slides

6-page booklet

Single sheet of notebook paper

16 Understanding the purpose of conclusions/drafting conclusions

-Teacher introduces “Ending” rubric, and acknowledges that the wording of the third grade expectation is pretty confusing-Teacher takes students through examples of several conclusions, asking students to make observations about what the author is doing in each, and looking for pattern across the examples-Teacher introduces idea that a conclusion should FEEL like the end, without saying “The End”-Teacher unpacks the language of the third grade expectation, and invites students to offer ideas for application-Students assist teacher in “Putting It All Together”:1. “Don’t forget” part (review of key teaching points)2. Posing unanswered questions3. Suggestion part (what reader should do next)-Students begin and finish conclusions in single session-Students do “Snapshot Share” of favorite sentence to wrap

LCWU Unit 2 Slides

6-page booklet



17 Crafting functional and helpful tables of contents

-Teacher shares that at the end of the drafting process, authors are able to create a table of contents; teacher emphasizes that authors do not write tables of contents until the text has been completed, because plans change so frequently during drafting that a table of contents typically looks very different from the beginning of drafting to the end-Teacher takes students through examples of several T.O.C.s, asking students to make observations about what the author is doing in each, and looking for pattern across the examples (examples are carefully chosen good and not-as-good models)-Students vote on which T.O.C. example should receive first, second, and third place medals, and discuss reasons why -Students assist teacher in composing “What should a good table of contents?” list, which can get a bit lengthy depending on the depth of the original analysis of the examples; important points to hit might be:1. have chapter numbers AND names2. tell what page the chapter starts on3. have a way to support the reader’s eyes in moving

from the chapter title to the page number (i.e. dotted line)

4. include “Introduction,” “Conclusion,” and “Glossary” if applicable

5. say “Table of Contents” at the top6. all chapter titles should be capitalized-Students continue drafting, or begin T.O.C.-- whichever is most needed

LCWU Unit 2 Slides

6-page booklet


18 and beyond

Finish rough drafts/compose final drafts

-Work sessions as needed Informational Writing Templates

Education

Lcwu unit 2 unit plan