Jeff Rost Intermediate Lit.

Methods Spring 2013 Writing Unit Unit Topic: Crafting Effective Introductions Grade: 5th Purpose: At the end of the unit, students will be able to compose effective introductions for a selected piece of work, ranging from those taught in class (autobiography, fiction, nonfiction, expository/article/report, essay, and extended response test), using the techniques and format reviewed in each lesson. Common Core Standards: W.5.1. Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writers purpose. W.5.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting, illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. W.5.3. Write narrative to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. W.5.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Continuum Goals (5th Grade, multiple genres): 1. Writing in the Genre: Write an engaging lead that captures interest and foreshadows the content. 2. Understanding the Genre: Write various kinds of works by studying mentor texts. 3. Writing Process: Write for a specific purpose: to inform, entertain, persuade, reflect, instruct, retell, maintain relationships, plan. Pre-Assessment: Teacher will provide students with an introduction from a reading book that they most likely have not encountered yet in the classroom (shying away from popular titles). Teacher will display the introduction on the board/ELMO and will ask students to write what they know about the characters, the setting, and the plot and to predict what they think will happen in the story from that introduction. Teacher will review these responses to make informed choices about lesson modifications for each individual student as the unit progresses.

Summative Assessment: At the end of the unit, students will be asked to create an introduction from one of the three types we explored throughout the unit. Students will choose to create a fiction, nonfiction, or informative introduction employing the tools and strategies they learned throughout the unit. A rubric will be given to students to aid in assessment expectation understanding. Lesson 1 Topic: Importance of Introductions Resources: How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long and David Shannon, pencils, paper, projector/ELMO, and white board Teacher will explain that students will be learning about introductions during the following days in the writing unit. Teacher will explain that we will be learning about fiction, nonfiction, and informative/report introductions. Teacher will ask students what they know about introductions. As teacher engages the class in whole class discussion, teacher will write student observations about introductions on the board. Students may respond with observations including, Theyre at the beginning of a text, They set the mood for the story, or Introductions tell us who and what the story is about. Teacher will explain the importance of a strong introduction to students. Teacher will explain that introductions assist the reader in understanding the story, the plot, characters, etc. and are a factor for whether or not the reader continues reading. Teacher will show students the book How I Became a Pirate. This book was chosen because students may have encountered it in previous grades, but most likely not recently (in fifth grade) and the introduction to the story is important. Teacher will start reading the story halfway through, skipping the first several pages/introduction. Teacher will explain that several things are missing from the story that we have missed by not reading the introduction. Teacher will point out two to three missing items, such as why the main character was at the beach or how he got onto the pirate ship. Teacher will group students based on readiness and will have them brainstorm a list of what is missing from the story. Teacher will monitor student progress and engage students with open questions, helping them to focus on what understanding they are missing and what things might be helpful for them to know. Teacher will bring class together and do a group share of what the groups came up with. Teacher will read the missing few pages and engage the class in a discussion on how their understanding increased after hearing the introduction to the story. Teacher will stress the importance of introductions. Teacher will point out that we have learned why the main character was at the beach, what his initial opinion towards pirates was, and how he came to board the pirate ship. Teacher will convey to students the importance of including important details in the introductions. Teacher will give each student a picture book (handed out to students based on readiness) and will ask them to read only the introduction of the book. Teacher will ask students to write down 3-4 sentences about their introduction, including what important information they have gleaned from it and what they think may happen based on what they have read. Lesson 2 Topic: Fiction Introductions

Resources: Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J.K. Rowling, pencils, paper, projector/ELMO, white board Teacher will engage with students about what they have learned thus far regarding fiction introductions and assist them in recalling what was learned yesterday through group and independent practice. Teacher will put the first one and a half pages of Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone on the overhead/ELMO so that students are able to see the first three paragraphs of text only. Teacher will explain that all introductions are different, and that fiction and nonfiction introductions can be more than one paragraph, while introductions for reports, essays, etc. are often only one paragraph. Teacher will read the introduction to students (and will have printed copies available for students who wish or need to follow this way). Teacher will underline key words, phrases, characters and setting that will be important to the story while explaining why these items are important and how to find them in an introduction (use context clues, look for key vocabulary, etc.). Teacher will explain how his understanding of the story is starting to be shaped by what the introduction has laid out. Teacher will ask for 2-3 students input on what they think is important in the introductions. Next, teacher will group students (based on readiness and previous lessons observations) and will give them introductory paragraphs from following chapters from the same book. Teacher will ask students, as a group, to identify important elements from the introduction, and write why they think each item is important. Teacher will also ask students to predict what they think is going to happen based on the introduction. Teacher will bring class back together and ask for key words or phrases from each group and why they thought those parts of the introduction were helpful to their understanding of the chapter as a whole. Finally, teacher will ask students to choose a book from the classroom library or their free reading book and find an introduction. Teacher will ask students to rewrite the introduction to make it more helpful and/or engaging for the reader. Teacher will encourage students not to give away all the important details, but to tease the reader and encourage them to continue reading. Lesson 3 Topic: Non-Fiction Introductions Resources: Excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.: Young Man with a Dream by Dharathula Millender, pencils, paper, projector/ELMO, white board Teacher will explain that nonfiction introductions are often different from fiction introductions. Teacher will explain the differences, including the fact that content is often organized differently, more specialized vocabulary is often used, and, depending on the type, the introductions can be shorter and more direct/to the point. Teacher will read the first few paragraphs/introduction of the first chapter of the book out loud to the class. When the teacher is done reading, he will display it on the overhead for students to reference. Teacher will point out how this introduction was structured differently from the Harry Potter introduction, including the aforementioned characteristics.

Teacher will write these differences on the board, as well as similarities. Teacher will ask students to turn to their partner and create a small list of similarities and differences. Teacher will reconvene the whole group and will ask for what the class has come up with. Teacher will write these observations on the board, and will refer back to the text when an answer is given to point out where it is in the text, and to ensure student understanding of the importance of the item. Teacher will give each student the Fiction/Non-Fiction graphic organizer (Venn diagram) and ask that they each complete it individually. Teacher will monitor student progress during this time, and will provide assistance as necessary. Teacher will use this organizer to make lesson modifications for the remaining three lessons.

Lesson 4 Topic: Interactive Writing Non-Fiction Introductions Resources: Excerpts from Martin Luther King Jr.: Young Man with a Dream by Dharathula Millender, pencils, paper, projector/ELMO, white board Teacher will return the previous lessons graphic organizer to students to use for todays lesson. Teacher will engage students in a discussion about the major differences in fiction and nonfiction introductions. Teacher will read the first few paragraphs of the next chapter in the Martin Luther King Jr. book, and will again (as he reads, not solely after) point out the key parts of the introduction, as well as differences he is noticing. Teacher will then craft an introduction for a chapter not being used in the group activity (see below). Teacher will specifically think out loud and write the introduction in front of the class, pausing in places to emphasize understanding. Teacher will craft the entire introduction in front of the class. Teacher will place students in group based on readiness, and will give each group a chapter copied from the MLK book. Teacher will explain to the groups that they will be reading the chapter together, but they will only be reading the chapter they are given. Teacher will give each student chart paper, and will ask them to create a new introduction for their chapter based on what they have read. Teacher will remind students of the key elements the introduction should contain (written on board or chart paper from previous day). During this time, teacher will monitor student progress to ensure students are not solely copying the introduction from the chapter they were given. Teacher will engage students in discussions about what they think would be important to draw the reader into their chapter without giving all the information away. Teacher will have groups write the title of their chapter on the chart paper, as well as the introduction they are creating. When each group is finished, teacher will reconvene the whole class and ask that students share their title and introduction. Teacher will ask students from other groups to point out words, details, or phrases from the presenting groups introduction that stood out to them or interested them in the chapter. After all groups have shared (and while the chapters are still displayed), the teacher will ask each student to individually choose one chapter introduction (other than their groups) and write an exit slip on what stood out to them in that introduction that would make them want to read that chapter. Also on the exit slip (included at end of this unit),

the teacher will have students answer the following question, What are two major differences between fiction and non-fiction introductions? Lesson 5 Topic: Informative (Essay, Report) Introductions Resources: Essay Introduction Example by Mr. Rost, pencils, paper, projector/ELMO, white board Teacher will start by explaining to students that informative writing pieces are different from the fiction and nonfiction they have just learned about. Teacher will discuss differences amongst these writing styles with students, including how to answer an essay/report question or prompt, how to structure the informative introduction, and how to end it. Teacher will explain what a thesis is to students (in grade level terms), and will explain the importance of organizing informative introductions in a certain way. Teacher will show his example introduction to students, and will go sentence by sentence to explain the placement of each, as well as the information in the thesis. Teacher will ask students to partner up and will give each group a topic that was recently discussed in class (famous people or events in social studies, inventions in science/health, etc.). Teacher will ask students to create a list of items to include in an introduction based on the topic. Teacher will remind students of what is included in an informative introduction, encourage them to engage their reader to continue reading, and think of what to include in a thesis. Once each group has created their respective lists, the teacher will ask each student individually to create an informative introduction based on what they have learned in class previously and incorporating their list items. Teacher will monitor student progress and prompt students with open-ended questions/provide assistance when necessary. Teacher will collect the introductions at the end of the class and review them to make lesson modifications for lesson six. Lesson 6 Topic: Power Writing Informative Introductions Resources: Student created introductions from previous lesson, pencils, paper, projector/ELMO, white board Teacher will pass back student introductions from previous lesson. Teacher will give general remarks to class based on trends seen in class writing (what to improve on, what was done well). Teacher will ask students to get back with their partner from the previous lesson and exchange introductions. Teacher will ask that partners proof read each others work, making suggestions for improvement based on conventions, sentence use, vocabulary use, thesis creation, etc. Teacher will give time for students to proof read each others introductions and discuss the suggested corrections with their partner. Teacher will collect these. Teacher will explain the process of power writing to students, and will explain that they will be power writing introductions on a given topic (one that has been discussed in class

recently) in the form of a report. While power writing is to build stamina, giving students the aforementioned parameters will assist them in collecting their thoughts, including only what is vital, and starting the creative process of thesis writing. Teacher will guide students through the power writing process, and explain that their goal is to write as much as they can think of in their introduction while also ensuring they create a solid piece of work. Teacher will engage students in a whole class discussion about the power writing process, and will encourage students to compare their three pieces to see how they improved or how their thoughts/direction changed. Finally, teacher will explain the summative assessment. This assessment allows students to choose between one of the three studied types of introductions and create one individually. Teacher will explain that students must create a new introduction (cannot be one that was done in class), but that it can be informative, fiction, or nonfiction. Teacher will give students the rubric, and answer individual questions.

Differentiation: For struggling and/or special education students, more time will be given to read and understand the materials, as well as complete tasks. Students will be able to choose books that they are comfortable or more familiar with, and the teacher will ensure appropriate books are selected for the student and the task. Students will be provided with checklists of what to include in assignments, which may include visuals or other information needed to assist. TAG students will be given the opportunity to create more than one product during the appropriate days, or they may choose to delve further into their introductions (proof read, revise, etc.), in preparation for their final product. These students may also use/receive more challenging content related reading materials for them to investigate. Teacher Created Writing Model: Prompt: Write a 5 paragraph essay detailing three to five key events, people, or battles of the Civil War. Mr. Rosts Introduction: The Civil War was one of the costliest wars for the United States, costing almost seven billion dollars. Over 600,000 people died in the Civil War, which was caused by states disagreeing about the rights of African Americans and slaves in the 1860s. There were many people involved in Civil War efforts, and there were many important battles and historical figures that made the war famous. While there are many important battles and figures of the Civil War, the war would have been extremely different without Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, the Battle of Fort Sumter, and the Battle of Antietam. Reflection on Teacher Writing: It was a lot harder for me to create a grade-level writing piece than I thought it would be! I wanted to utilize a content related piece, but it was difficult for me to ensure I achieved the standards for paragraph writing, introduction writing, and content writing while still conveying a

message to my students about what effective writing looks like. As I wrote this, I was envisioning Mrs. Harker, my fifth grade teacher who was a stickler for grammar rules. When Mrs. Harker would give us questions to answer (like the prompt above), or when we had to answer questions from a textbook or worksheet, we would get the paper handed back to us if we did not include part of the question in the answer. For example, if the question was, What was your favorite part of the book, we could not answer, I liked the middle, or The part where Sally meets Scruffy, etc. We were expected to answer, My favorite part of the book was the part where Sally meets her dog, Scruffy. She expected us to include part of the question in our response, and to this day, I cannot undo that tactic (not that I would want to)! So, as I was setting out to write an introduction, I was trying to balance best practice with my expectations, as well as general grammar rules, and I would have to include any expectations our school or team of teachers was trying to encourage the students to achieve as well. Overall, not as easy of a task as I thought/hoped it would be!

Lesson 4 Exit Ticket

Name__________________

1. Choose one groups chapter introduction (not your own) and tell me why you would want to read that chapter based on the introduction (at least 2-3 sentences).

2. What are two major differences between fiction and non-fiction introductions?

Name__________________________ Fiction vs. Nonfiction! Fill in the Venn Diagram below explaining the similarities and differences between introduction in fiction texts and introductions in nonfiction texts.

Only Fiction Introductions:

Both:

Nonfiction Introductions:

Summative Assessment Student Assessment and Rubric

Name______________ Introduction Self-Assessment 1. Did I answer all parts of the prompt? 2. Did I challenge myself with my introduction choice? 3. Does my introduction flow smoothly? 4. Does my introduction establish a purpose? 5. Does my introduction contain a well-written thesis? 6. Did I use mentor texts and/or peer support? 7. Are my spelling, punctuation, and grammar perfected?
4 Outstanding Organization of Introduction
Grammar

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

1 Incomplete

No No No No No No No
0 Missing No Introduction, or no Introduction organization present Introduction contained severe grammatical or spelling errors Introduction did not contain full sentences

3 Satisfactory Introduction contained minor organization or formatting errors Introduction contained few grammatical or spelling errors Almost all sentences contained in introduction varied in length and complexity Introduction uses some words and phrases that draw the reader in and show thoughtful integration Introduction uses many successful appeals, but does not draw the reader to wanting to learn more

Sentence Fluency

Word Choice

Voice

Introduction was neatly organized and creatively formatted Introduction contained no grammatical or spelling errors All sentences contained in introduction varied in length and complexity Introduction uses many words and phrases that draw the reader in and show thoughtful integration Introduction successfully appealed to the reader to engage them with the topic

2 Needs Improvement Introduction contained multiple errors in organization or formatting Introduction contained some grammatical or spelling errors Most sentences contained in introduction varied in length and complexity Introduction uses few words and phrases that draw the reader in and show thoughtful integration Introduction makes attempt to draw the reader in, but is not successful

Introduction contained severe errors in organization or formatting Introduction contained many grammatical or spelling errors Few sentences contained in introduction varied in length and complexity

Introduction contains words that may draw the reader in, but they are not accurately used or placed

Introduction does not attempt to draw the reader in and/or writer does not appear to care about the topic

Introduction does not contain a varied vocabulary variety and/or fails to capture readers interest Introduction was incomplete, voice was unable to shine through