Week 2, Wednesday

Full Lesson

Dialogue

Essential Question:
How can we, as young writers, produce meaningful dialogue for our
characters that showcase their personality and part in the plot?
Objective:
Students will understand the role of dialogue and learn to develop relevant
dialogue with their characters.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3.B
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and
reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3.D
Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory
language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
Materials Needed:

SmartBoard
A copy of the "Writing Really Good Dialogue" worksheet
Extra copies of the blank Comic Strip worksheets
Pens/Pencils
Activity:
Teacher
1. Take attendance
2. Show students an example
of Instant Messaging on the
SmartBoard (and read aloud):
Princess34: hey
PenguinsRock222: hey
Princess34: omg, crazy
day
PenguinsRock222: ya
lol
Princess34: sup?
PenguinsRock222:
nothin, homework

Student
1. Listen for name to be
called
2. Look at the
SmartBoard and listen
to me read the
messages. A few
students will answer the
questions I asked to the
class.

Time
1. 2 minutes
2. 4 minutes

Princess34: ya, me too

PenguinsRock222: ya,
cool k ttyl

Ask the students what they

think about these two people
just from this message. Ask
them if they would keep
reading and if they found it
interesting.
3. Now go to the next slide and
read aloud this instant
message:

PenguinsRock222: hey
tammy

Princess34: hey
carolina

PenguinsRock222:
D00d can you believe
ms. lancers class
today?!

Princess34: I KNOW,
that woman totz lost her
mind at chondra for, like,
nothing

PenguinsRock222:i
think she's pregnant and
that's why her emotions
are all INSANE

Princess34: yeah, i
mean who cries when
someone gets eraser
shavings on the floor?

PenguinsRock222:

3. Students should
listen as I read the
message and reflect on
this one vs. the one
before. They should
notice that this one was
more interesting and
told more about the
characters.

3. 6 minutes

dude, it wasn't even a

cry, it was like
a...bleat...like a whale
noise like
AAUGHAGAGGAAAHAH
plus some snot and
tears

Princess34: hahahah!!
lol! Oh man, you're so
right. Now I'm crying
from laughing so hard
PenguinsRock222:
gotta start on that
homework. oh wait,
someone is home, um,
who is that . . .
JKHKJGKJKJ

Princess34: huh?

PenguinsRock222is
signed off

Princess34:TAMMY?!

I will ask the same questions

as the first messages. Point out
that in novel dialogue, a few
well-chosen words and phrases
can make all the difference in
keeping readers hooked.
4. Relate dialogue to plot and
character. Last week we
learned about plot and a few
days ago we practiced
character development. I want
to show you guys how
conversations that characters
have with each other makes

4. 1 minutes

4. Some students will

volunteer to talk in front
of the class about their
characters.

5. 15 minutes

5. We will popcorn read

when we read the
worksheet. Students will
raise their hand if they
would like to read aloud.
After each set of
dialogue, the students
will discuss with their
table partners about the
personalities of the

6. 15 minutes

the story line more interesting.

Have you guys thought about
how your characters will talk?
How will they act and what
tone will they have?
5. Hand out Writing Really
Good Dialogue worksheet. I
will students to speak the
dialogue in the examples while
another student narrates.
6. We will then move on to the
comic strip exercise. I will
instruct students to pick a part
of their plot that they have
chosen (such as the climax or
resolution) and create the
dialogue of the characters. I
want them to choose to write
from the perspective of at least
two characters, so they must
fill out at least two comic book
strips.
Encourage students to write
dialogue using as many of their
characters as possible.
7. After the students have
written the dialogue, I will ask
them to share their work with
their table partners. Then, I
will ask if any students would
like to volunteer to read their
dialogue to the whole class.

characters.
6. The students will pick
a part of their plot and
create dialogue from the
perspectives of two
different characters
using the comic book
strips.

7. 7 minutes

7. Share work with table

partners and volunteers
will share with the
whole class.

TIME: 50 minutes.
Assessment:
The comic book strip with dialogue from at least two different characters
perspectives.

Accommodations:
Bob: I will allow Bob extra time out of class to work on dialogue if he has
trouble thinking of ideas. I will also let him know that these words can be
completely made up; they do not have to deal with real life. Hopefully, he
does not have thoughts about his fathers death why writing because I will
stress that he can use his imagination.
Sally: If Sally has a hard time understanding the purpose of dialogue, I will
give her an extra worksheet with the definition and examples. I will also
show an example to her of how I would use dialogue with a character so
might be able to think of more ideas that way.