JamiLenz

EDUC239:WritingUnitOverview
April22,2015

th
Grade:
5

WritingTopic:
Describingcharactersbyshowingratherthantelling,withafocusondialogue

UnitObjectives:
IACoreW.5.3
Writenarrativestodeveloprealorimaginedexperiencesoreventsusing
effectivetechnique,descriptivedetails,andcleareventsequences.

CCL(Fountas&Pinnell):
Describecharactersbywhattheydo,say,andthinkandwhatotherssayaboutthem
Usedialogueinawaythatreflectssettingandattributesofselfandothers
Showratherthantellhowcharactersfeel

MentorTexts:
1. Dahl,R.(1982).
TheBFG.
P.2530.TheBFGsintroduction.ConversationbetweentheBFGandSophie.Note
theBFGslanguage,thewayhetalks,hissenseofhumor,thewaySophiespeaks,
andtheywaytheyreacttoeachother.
2. Dahl,R.(1988).
Matilda.
P.2226:MatildasfathershowingMichaelandMatildahiscarsellingtricks.Notethe
wayhebragsaboutrippingpeopleoff,Matildasresponsetothis,andhowhetreats
Matildavs.Michael.
P.120125:TheTrunchbulltorturingastudentasanexampletohispeersbyforcing
himtoeataginormousamountofchocolatecake.Notethedescriptivedialoguetags
(boomedbarkedexclaimedmumbled),anddescriptionsofactions,reactions,
andexpressionsonthecharactersfacesastheyinteract.
3. Munsch,R.N.(1980).
ThePaperBagPrincess
.
Readwholebook:NotehowElizabethisneverexplicitlydescribedasclever,
adventurous,brave,etc.butwecaninferthesethingsthroughherwordsandactions.
4. Polacco,P.(1992).
Mrs.KatzandTush.
P.511:NotethewayMrs.Katzspeaks,howherlanguage(useofYiddish,repeated
useofphrasesuchaperson!,talkingaboutherpast)informsthereaderabouther.

Day1
Topic
Shownottellcharacterspersonalitytraits
MentorText
PaperbagPrincessbyRobertMunsch
Materials
Mentortext,paper,writingutensil
TeacherAction
Read
PaperbagPrincess
toclass.Whenfinished,askstudentstowritedown
whattheyinferaboutthepersonalitiesofElizabeth,thedragon,andtheprinceafterhearingthe
story.Listentostudentsinferences.Leaddiscussiononhowtheauthordescribedthecharacters
throughtheiractionsanddialogue.Shareunitobjectives.
StudentAction
Listentoreadaloud,writedownandshareinferencesaboutcharacters,and
participateindiscussion.


Day2
Topic
Shownottellcharacterspersonalitytraits
MentorText
MatildabyRoaldDahl
Materials
Mentortext,whiteboard,Elmo,Charactertraitlist,writersnotebooks
TeacherAction
Readpp.2226outofMatilda.WriteDo,Say,andWhatotherssayonthe
whiteboard.AskstudentstoThinkPairSharewithpartnerabouthowDahlshowsthereaderthat
Matildasfatherisameancrook,thenrecordtheiranswersunderthecategoriesontheboard.Put
listofcharactertraitsonElmotofacilitatewritingactivity.Monitorstudentsandprovide
support.
StudentAction
Listentopassagefrom
Matilda
,participateinThinkPairShare.Choose
charactertraitdisplayedonElmoandwriteshortshownottelldescriptionofthatcharacterin
theirnotebooks.

Day3
Topic
Dialoguetagsanddescription
MentorText
MatildabyRoaldDahl
Materials
Mentortext,posterpaper,markers,writersnotebooks
TeacherAction
Readpp.119122outofMatilda,askstudentstopaycloseattentiontohowthe
charactersspeechisdescribed(dialoguetags)andrecordanydescriptivedialoguetagstheyhear
(boomed,screamed,barked,mumbled).Askstudentshowusingwordslikeboomed
andbarkedhelpsuscreateamentalpictureofTheTrunchbull.Havestudentsbrainstorm
differentdialoguetagsandrecordthemonaposterforcontinuedreference.
StudentAction
Listentopassagefrom
Matilda
,recorddescriptivedialoguetagsfrompassage,
brainstormadditionaldialoguetagsforposter,revisitpassagefromDay3andmakerevisions
usingdescriptivedialoguetags.Beginbrainstormingcharacterideas.

Day4
Topic
Creatingcharacters
Materials
Mentortexts,examplesofcharacterideas,inside/outcharactergraphicorganizers&
finishedexample,Elmo
TeacherAction
ModelcharacterideasonElmo.Conferwithindividualstudentsasthey
brainstorm,helpasneeded.Havestudentsshareideaswithaneighbor,superviseandlisten.
Modelinside/outcharacterdevelopmentgraphicorganizeronElmo.
StudentAction
Write23characterideasinwritersnotebooks.Discussideaswithneighbor.
Decideononecharacteridea.Completeinside/outcharactergraphicorganizer.

Day5
Topic
Characterlanguage
MentorText
TheBFGbyRoaldDahl,andMrs.KatzandTushbyPatriciaPolacco
Materials
Mentortexts,inside/outcharactercharts,writersnotebooks,laptops/ipads,nonfiction
texts
TeacherAction
Readpp.2530from
TheBFG
andpp.511from
Mrs.KatzandTush
.Ask
studentswhatthetwotextshaveincommon(thecharactershavestrongvoice.)Discusshowthe
languagetheircharactersuseshouldreflectwhotheyare,howtheywereraised,wheretheyare
from,etc.Remindstudentstobeawareofstereotypesandtoavoidreinforcingthemintheir

writing.Informstudentsthatoften,authorsmustconductresearchinordertoaccuratelyportray
theircharacters.
StudentAction
Listentopassagesfrommentortexts,participateincharacterlanguage
discussion.Addaspectsoflanguagetotheirinside/outcharactercharts,conductresearchon
charactersculture,timeperiod,location,etc.ifnecessary.

Day6
Topic
Showvs.Tellcharactersnapshots
Materials
Mentortexts,inside/outcharactercharts,writersnotebooks,completedteacher
examples,Elmo,rubric
TeacherAction
Informstudentsoftheirshowvs.tellcharactersnapshotassignment.Provide
owncompletedexamplesandshowonElmo.Passoutanddiscussassignmentrubric.Wander
andhelpstudentsasneeded.
StudentAction
Listentoassignmentandexample.Readrubric.Writetellcharactersnapshot.
Beginwritingshowcharactersnapshot.

Day7
Topic
Showvs.Tellcharactersnapshots
Materials
Mentortexts,inside/outcharactercharts,writersnotebooks,completedteacher
examples,Elmo,rubric
TeacherAction
Wanderandhelpstudentsasneeded.Whenfinished(anextradaycouldbe
addedifstudentsarestillworking),formstudentsintosmallgroups,observestudentsingroups
andprovidefeedback.
StudentAction
Continuewritingshowcharactersnapshot.Sharesnapshotsinsmallgroups,
providepositivefeedbacktopeers.

Differentiation
:
ForstudentswhoneedextrasupportExtratimetocompletewritingactivitieswillbegivenas
needed.Ifcreatingtheirowncharacteristooadvanced,studentsmaychooseanexisting
characterfromabook(usethisforcharacterideas,inside/outgraphicorganizer,andshowvs.tell
charactersnapshot).Ifanexistingbookcharacterischosen,thestudentisstillexpectedtocreate
originalwritingforthesnapshotassignment.

ForstudentswhoneedextraextensionStudentswillbeencouragedtoaddaresearchcomponent
totheircharactercreationstoadddepth.Thiscouldmeanconsultingbookswithsimilar
characters,iftheircharacterisanalienthenstudentmightresearchmars,iftheircharacterwas
borninthe1920sthenstudentwouldresearchtypicallanguageofthetime,etc.Ifstudentsfinish
theirsnapshotsearly,theymaywriteanotherforadifferentcharacterorcontinuewritingand
extendthesnapshotintoastory.

Finalsnapshotsmaytypedorhandwritten,andmaycontainanillustrationifthestudentdesires.

Assessment:
Dailyinformalassessmentwillbecompletedbyteacherobservationandstudentcheckins.
Teacherwillcheckstudentswritersnotebooksforcompletionofactivitiesandprovide
feedbacktostudentsonarotatingschedule.


Dailystudentselfassessmentcanbecompletedbycomparingownwrittenmaterialtomentor
textpassagesandteacherprovidedexamples.Checkyourselfforunderstanding,askteacherfor
helpifneeded.

FormalassessmentofShowvs.TellCharacterSnapshots:Seerubricbelow.

StudentselfassessmentofShowvs.TellCharacterSnapshots:Whilewriting,referbackto
inside/outcharactersheet.Areyoudescribingthecharacterbywhattheydo,say,think,howthey
look,andwhatotherssayaboutthem?Oncefinishedwriting,consulttherubrictoensureyou
haveallthecomponents.

Completionof
Assignment

Completedbothtell
snapshotandshow
snapshotsaboutthesame
character.Theshowand
tellsnapshotsareclearly
differentfromeachother.

Completedoneorboth
Didnotcomplete
snapshots.Theshowand snapshots.
tellsnapshotslookvery
similartoeachother.

UseofShow
character
descriptions:
whatthe
characterlooks
like,says,does,
thinks,&what
otherssayabout
them

Showsnapshotcontains
3ormoreofthefollowing
descriptivetechniques:The
characterisdescribed
throughtheiractions,
words/language,thoughts,
outsideappearance,and
whatotherssayabout
them.

Showsnapshotcontains
1or2ofthefollowing
descriptivetechniques:
Thecharacterisdescribed
throughtheiractions,
words/language,thoughts,
outsideappearance,and
whatotherssayabout
them.

Showsnapshotdoesnot
containthefollowing
descriptivetechniques:The
characterisdescribed
throughtheiractions,
words/language,thoughts,
outsideappearance,and
whatotherssayabout
them.

Useofdialogue
anddescriptive
dialoguetags

Showsnapshotuses
dialogueandincorporates
descriptivedialoguetags
(notjustsaid).

Showsnapshotuses
dialoguebutdoesnot
incorporatedescriptive
dialoguetags(onlyuses
said).

Showsnapshotdoesnot
usedialogueordescriptive
dialoguetags.

Accuracy:isthe
character
believableand
consistent?

Thecharacterswords,
thoughts,actionsand
descriptionsareclear,
consistent,andbelievable.
Ihaveaclearmental
pictureofthecharacter.

Thecharacterswords,
thoughts,actionsand
descriptionsarealittle
confusingandcontradict
themselves.Ihaveafuzzy
mentalpictureofthe
character.

Thecharacterswords,
thoughts,actionsand
descriptionsareunclear
andallovertheplace.I
cannotcreateamental
pictureofthecharacter.

Charactertraitlist
(foruseonDay2writingactivity)

Adventurousteenagegirl

Crankyoldman

Independentlittleboy

Sneakyyoungerbrother

Annoyingoldersister

Imaginativeyoungwoman

Boredstudent

Exuberantteacher

Braveteenageboy

Unfriendly10yearold

Arrogantman

Selfcenteredgirl

Lazyyoungman

Intelligent6yearold

Bossyoldlady

MyCharacterInsideandOut
CharacterName:

Physicaldescriptionhowmy
characterlooks

Actionswhatmy
characterdoes

Dialoguewhatmy
charactersaysandhow
theysayit

Thoughtswhatmy
characterthinksandfeels

Whatotherpeoplesay
aboutmycharacterand
howtheyreacttomy
character

Characterideaexamples:

NameTanner
ImportantCharacteristics15yearsold.Oldestbrotheroutof4kids.Parentsare
separated,liveswithmom.Momworks2jobs,sohehastowatchhissiblingsall
thetime.Hescaring,butresentsspendingsomuchtimewithhisbrothersand
sistersbecausehemissesoutonlotsofstuffwithfriends.

NameJosephina.LikestobecalledJo.
th
ImportantCharacteristicsIn6
grade.Kindofanoddball.Onlychild.Shelikesto
readalotanddoesnthavegreatsocialskills.Shecanbeverycompetitivewhich
scaresotherpeopleoff.Lovesplayingsportsbuthatesgymclassbecauseshe
alwaysgetspickedlast.

NameGretchen
ImportantCharacteristicsAnevilwitchthatskindoftiredofbeingevil.Shes
lonely.Castingbadspellsonotherpeopledoesntreallymakeherhappy,butshe
isntreallysurewhatdoesmakeherhappy.Shecomesfromalonglineofevil
witchesandisafraidofdisgracingherfamilybytryingsomethingelse.

Showvs.TellCharacterSnapshot,teacherexample

TellExample
Gretchenwasanevilwitch.Shecamefromalonglineofevilwitches,itwaswhat
shewasborntodo.However,shedidntreallylikebeinganevilwitch.Shewasafraid
thatherfamilywouldfindoutandnevertalktoheragain.Shedidntreallyknowwhat
elseshecouldbe,sincewitchingwasallshedeverdone.

ShowExample
Gretchenwatchedastheterriblyannoyingprincetransformedbeforehereyes.He
shrankdownuntilshecouldseenothingleftofhimbuthisclothes.Thensheheardan
angryribbetfrombeneathoneofhisshoes.Ah,well.Shethoughttoherself,much
betterthanthepompousbabblethatwascomingoutofhismouthbefore.Shetookone
morelookatthefrogprince,sighed,placedthenowemptyvialbackinherpocketand
beganthelongjourneyhome.
Asshewalked,sherememberedthefirsttimeshewatchedafrogtransformation.
Shehadsatasclosetothecauldronashermotherwouldletherandwatchedasher
motherandgrandmotherthrewplants,herbs,acouplelizardtails,andtwofisheyeballs
intothesteamingwater.Thenhermothersaidsomethings,stirredthepot12times
clockwise,andtheliquidturnedbrightgreen.Sherememberedhowexcitedtheywereas
theybottleditoff.Whentheytossedinonthetownblacksmith,theylaughedevillyin
perfectunison.Shehadgiggledtoothelookonhisface!Thesecondtimethey
transformedsomeone,ithadbeenalittlegirl,notyet7yearsold.Gretchendidntlaugh
thattime.Shesighedagain.
Overhead,anowlglidedoverherandlandedonGretchensshoulder,startlingher
outofherthoughts.
Oh!,sheexclaimed.Glennyougavemeafright,Gretchensaidaffectionately
asshegentlyuntangledhisclawsfromhersapphirehair.Shewalkedon,carefulnotto
jostlethebirdtoomuch.
Itransformedaprincetoday,shetoldhim.Intoafrog.Glenngaveashort
irritatedcaw.Yes,Imsorry.Iknowyouwouldhavepreferredamouse.ButyouknowI
dontlikeitwhenyoueatmycreations,shescoldedhim.Althoughhe
was
particularlyirksome.
OhGlenn,Gretchensaidasshestrokedhisfeathers.WhydontIenjoy
witchingmore?ImexcellentatmakingpotionsIjustdont
enjoy

cursingpeoplevery
much,shetoldGlenn.Frustrated,shesuddenlyblurted,IwishIcouldbesomething
else!shegaspedalittle,surprisedatherself,andquicklyglancedaround.Whatif
someonehadheard?Worse,whatifhermotherhadheard?


WritingModelReflection

IcompletedtheunitplanpriortocreatingmywritingexamplesoIwouldhavemy
objectives,goals,andmentortextsinmind.IwasalittleselfconsciouswhenIfirstbeganbutas
thewordswereflowingonthepageIfoundthatIwashavingfun.Ihadafairlyclearpictureof
mycharacterinmyheadandthedirectionIwantedmysnapshottogo.However,onceIstartedI
kindofletthewritinggowhereitwantedtoanddidnttryandforceitanywhichway.IthinkI
didaprettygoodjobshowingmycharacterthroughherthoughts,actions,andwords.Itriedto
incorporatesomedescriptivedialoguetags(asdiscussedonDay3).IwonderifIshouldhave
usedmoredialogue,sincewefocusonthatintheunit.Itshardtoincorporateallthethingswe
discussedinasnapshot,andIwouldmakeapointofsharingthiswithstudents.Infact,thisled
metogobackandrevisemyrubric.Still,Ithinkthisexercisecanbefunandaccomplishesthe
goalofpracticingshowingratherthantelling.Writingthecharactersnapshotalsogavemeideas
forhowImightcontinuethisstory,sothisexercisecouldbeanicejumpingoffpointfor
generatingstoryideasaswell.