Emma Sorensen November 26, 2011 Writing Unit Grade: 4 Overarching goal: Students will be able to write an opening

paragraph that grabs attention. Continuum of Literacy Learning: Writing: Craft: Beginning and Ending: Students will begin with a purposeful and engaging lead. Common Core: W: Grade 4: Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. Day 1 Topic: What is a good opening paragraph? Resources: o The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary o Overhead or whiteboard o Overhead or whiteboard markers Teacher actions: o The teacher will start by asking students why it is important to have an opening paragraph that grabs the readers attention. o The teacher will then ask students what makes an opening paragraph attention grabbing and write what the students say on the board after doing a think-pairshare. o The teacher will then read aloud the opening paragraph of The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary o The teacher will then ask the students about the opening paragraph that was read. Think-pair-share Strengths and weaknesses o Then the class will make a chart of what an attention grabbing opening paragraph should have and hang it on the wall. Student actions: o Students will discuss why a grabbing opening paragraph is good. o Students will discuss what makes an open paragraph attention grabbing o Students will listen to the teacher read aloud o Students will discuss the strengths and weakness of the opening paragraph in small groups and then share out o Students will help make a list of what makes an opening paragraph attention grabbing. Differentiation o This lesson does not really need any differentiation. I feel that it is structured I a way that makes it accessible with the think-pair-share Day 2 Topic: Setting the scene Resources: o White board or overhead

o Markers o The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis Teacher actions: o The teacher will have the students recap what setting is o Then the teacher will read aloud the opening paragraph from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe o Then the teacher will have the students discuss how the author described the setting in their table groups. o The teacher then asks the student to help her write an opening paragraph on a topic that the students choose. Student actions: o The students will discuss what setting is o The students will listen to the read aloud o The students will discuss what paragraph that was read o The students will choose a topic to write a paragraph about and then help the teacher write the paragraph on the board. Differentiation o For this lesson, the group discussion will help those students who need more support. Those students will also be sitting with groups that are very open and friendly. Day 3 Topic: Descriptive words Resources: o Paragraph from the day before o White board/chart paper o Markers o Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett Teacher actions: o The teacher will have the students discuss what descriptive words are and why they are important to a paragraph in groups and then share. o The teacher will read aloud the paragraph that was written yesterday. o The teacher will then read the opening paragraph of Chasing Vermeer o The teacher will then read their paragraph aloud again and have a discussion about the paragraph o The teacher will then assist the students in adding descriptive words to their paragraph Student actions: o The students will discuss descriptive words and their use o They will listen to their paragraph and Chasing Vermeer. o The students will add descriptive words to their paragraph Differentiation o For students who have a harder time with knowing the parts of a sentence, I am going to have up a poster that dissects a simple sentence so that they know what I am talking about. o For students who think this is too easy, I will be asking them to think of more advanced words to use in their paragraphs.

Day 4 Topic: Putting it together part 1 Resources: o Graphic organizer o Checklist o Markers o Whiteboard o Pencil o Paper Teacher actions: o The teacher will have the students review what makes a grabbing opening paragraph is groups and then share out. o The teacher will point out the list that was written and hung up on the wall. o The teacher will read aloud the paragraph the class wrote aloud for a refresher. o The teacher will then explain to the students that today they are going to write a rough draft of an intro paragraph for a story they have. o The teacher explains the graphic organizer to the students. o The teacher passes out the organizers and lets the students work independently with help from their friends if they get stuck. Student actions: o Students will review what makes a grabbing opening paragraph in groups. o Students will receive the graphic organizer and start working with the help of their group. Differentiation o For students who have difficulty with writing, they will be required to do less of the worksheet and they can ask for the teacher to write a few things for them. o For students who are higher, they will be asked to think of more advanced words to use. Day 5 (Full lesson) Topic: Putting it all together part 2 Resources: o Graphic organizer o Poster on opening paragraphs o Pencil o Paper Actions: o First the teacher asks the class what they have been reviewing the past 4 days. Students respond with opening paragraphs o The teacher then asks the students what makes a good opening paragraph. Students throw out answers o The teacher asks the students to look up on the board where the teacher has filled out a larger graphic organizer. o The teacher will tell the students that she is going to model writing an opening paragraph using the sheet that was filled out yesterday. o The teacher models using the organizer how to write an opening paragraph that grabs attention.

o The teacher then asks the students to rate her paragraph. The students give feedback. o The teacher will put another scenario on the board and have the students work with the teacher to write an opening paragraph. The students will first give ideas, and then votes will be taken on which words to use. o The teacher then hands out another filled out worksheet, and asks the students to write a paragraph with what they were given. (4 different sheets so students can meet in groups and share) o The teacher will monitor the students and after a majority is complete, the groups will meet and share their paragraphs. o The teacher will listen in to the groups as they share. o After the groups have talked together, the teacher will ask the students to get out their sheet from the day before. o The teacher says that they are going to use what they wrote down to create an opening paragraph that grabs attention o The students will work on their paragraphs with help from peers and the teacher. Differentiation o For students who have trouble writing, they will be given more time to write and will not graded on neatness. Assessments o At the end of the writing time, students will complete a checklist of what they have in their paragraph. Students will also be asked to reflect on other students work.

Graphic Organizer Name: ____________________________ Date:___________________ Below you are going to describe the setting. Then you are going to write down descriptive words that you could use in your paragraph. Setting: _________________________________________________________________ Descriptive Words: _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Action: ________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

Checklist When you have finished writing, use this checklist on your paragraph. I have set the setting. There is action. I spelled the words on our word list correctly. There are at least 4 descriptive words. I have re-read it and like it. Name: _______________________________________________