Plan for Students Learning Writing Workshop

Planners Name: Mica Lewis Focus:

Tone
Title of Lesson: Using tone in writing Grade Level: 1 st
grade
Academic Standards for Lesson PA Core ELA Standards
CC.1.4.1.E Choose words and phrases for effect.
CC.1.4.1.F Demonstrate a grade appropriate command of the conventions of
standard English
Grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
-Capitalize dates and names of people.
-Use end punctuation; use commas in dates and words in series.
-Spell words drawing on common spelling patterns, phonemic awareness, and
spelling conventions.
CC.1.4.1.K Use a variety of words and phrases.
CC.1.4.1.M Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events
CC.1.4.1.N Establish who and what the narrative will be about.
CC.1.4.1.O Include thoughts and feelings to describe experiences and events.
Essential Question
How can tone be expressed in writing?
Objectives (as many as needed for the lesson, usually no more than
three):
Objective 1: Students will use descriptive words to create the tone of their
stories
Objective 2: Students will write short stories or narratives that have a
specific tone.
Learning Activities
1. Introduction/Activation Strategy: Review read-aloud of Stellaluna
from yesterday. Ask students what were some of the things that
happened in the story. Ask the students what they think the character
was feeling during the story. Were they happy when telling the story,
or were they angry? Were they scared? Ask students how they knew
what the character was feeling. Think aloud about some of the
language used by the narrator to express how they were feeling.
Remember when they used phrases like the dark leafy tangle? or
Tremble with cold and fear. How did that tell you they were Scared?
2. Instructional Strategies/Learning Tasks:
a. Model/Explicit Instruction: Explain to students that when writing
a story, you want to set an overall tone of the story. The tone is
 what you want the reader to feel when they read the story. Model
for the students by creating your own story. Explain that it can be
made up, or it can be a real event. Think aloud what your story is to
the students. Now explain what you feel when you think about it. Is
it an exciting story, or a scary story? Now explain to the students
that to get the readers to feel the tone of the story, you can use
descriptive words when writing. Brainstorm out loud some
descriptive words to convey how you felt. (ex. I raced out of bed and
flew down the stairs, my head filled with wonderful thoughts of our
fieldtrip!) Remind students that they can think about the senses to
help add to the tone. (ex. The air was heavy and dreary with rain.)
Write down a few sentences for your story, as the students read it
out with you. (Remind them that punctuation can help add to the
tone, such as exclamation marks and periods.)
b. Guided Practice: Take a minute with students to think silently in
their heads about what story they want to tell, and what they want
the tone to be when writing their story. After a minute of
brainstorming, tell students that when they are ready with an idea,
they can go back to their seat and begin writing.
c. Independent Practice: students practice writing their stories
using descriptive words.
d. Conferencing Individual or Small Group Ask, How is it going?
Find an aspect of their writing to complement. Decide what the
most beneficial concept to teach is.

3. Share Time: Share struggles and celebrate successes. Ask a few

students to share their story, and make sure to take note of the
descriptive words they use to convey the tone. Ask students or
comment on what the tone is of the stories.
Differentiation: Content, Process, or Product
If students have trouble thinking of the tone they want before writing,
explain that they should stay on the carpet and raise their hand for your
assistance. Remind students that if they have a question, they can use the
turn to three before me rule. Refer students to previous lesson charts for
help with descriptive words, story structure, or other important elements.
Remind them that they can also use the thesaurus to find better words.
Students may instead choose a previous story to go back a revise with
descriptive words if they so wish.
Assessment: Formative
Formative: Walk around room and monitor writing processes. Conference
with students to review writing.
Rubric/Checklist: see Writing Workshop Scoring Rubric
Materials/Resources/Technology

Reflection (responses regarding strengths, areas needing

improvement for next time, and ideas for follow-up)

Writing Workshop Scoring Rubric

Element 3 2

Meaning Meaning is clear to the Meaning is somewhat Meanin

reader. clear to the reader. t

Structure Structure is present and Structure is attempted. Confusin

helps the reader. appa

Detail Purposeful sensory Attempt at purposeful Minim

details pull the reader use of sensory details, use of
into the piece. sometimes distracting or
not present.

Pacing Sentence structure, Attempt at controlling Limite

detail, and word choices the pace through varied attemp
purposefully slow or sentence structure and s
speed the pace to word choice.
enhance the readers
experience.

Conventions 3 2

Ending Punctuation Provides a smooth read. Sporadically used ending Ending

punctuation. mis

Spelling High frequency words Most high-frequency Reade

are spelled correctly, words spelled correctly. deciphe
other errors are not in
distracting.

Capitalization Capitalization rules are Capitalization rules are Capital

correctly applied. attempted. and/o