San Joaquin Valley Writing Project - Summer Institute 2016

Whos That?

Creating Interactive Writing Experiences for Primary Grades

Demonstration Lesson: Presented by Ashley Henderson
San Joaquin Valley Writing Project 2016

I. COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS

1.
2.
3.
4.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.7
Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.2
Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2
Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply
some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.8
With guidance and support from adults, recall information from
experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

II. RATIONALE
When seeking to write, first we must have something to say or knowledge to build upon Schumm,
2006).. For many primary-aged students the difficulty of a writing task is compounded by not only their
possible lack of knowledge on a subject, but by their limited vocabulary as well. They have, after all, only
been alive for a few years. Pre-writing activities assist students in developing a reservoir of terms, phrases,
and ideas relevant to a particular topic (Templeton, 2015). When students are 1) provided with front-loading
input about a topic, 2) given time to process and/or reflect independently, and 3) collaborate or practice new
language with peers we are building capacity to produce quality writing at the end of the lesson series.
Instead of demanding a complete, well-crafted product at the beginning of instruction this process provides
students with gradually more challenging writing tasks as well as the necessary academic, conversational,
and social scaffolds to encourage participation (Donnelly, 2010; Templeton, 2015).
The idea for todays demonstration lesson is pulled from a Biography Unit of Study developed within
the Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District for first grade students. Children love learning about other
people, they are inherently inquisitive (and downright nosy sometimes), which makes this unit a home run
every year. Throughout the quarter students learn about a handful of important, influential people and are
eventually tasked with constructing an informational paragraph about an individual of their choice. This lesson
would be the first in a set as the teacher introduces a new person of study. The objective of this lesson is to
provide background information, stimulate students interest in the topic, and provide opportunities for
learners to practice the new vocabulary terms they will likely need to write and communicate their knowledge
about the topic/individual.

III. REFERENCES
Donnelly, W. B., & Roe, C. J. (2010). Using Sentence Frames to Develop Academic Vocabulary for English
Learners. The Reading Teacher, 64(2), 131-136.
Giroir, S., Grimaldo, L. R., Vaughn, S., & Roberts, G. (2015). Interactive Read-Alouds for English Learners in the
Elementary Grades. Read Teach The Reading Teacher, 68(8), 639-648.
Schumm, J. S. (2006). Reading assessment and instruction for all learners. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Templeton, S., Bear, D. R., Invernizzi, M., & Johnston, F. R. (2015). Vocabulary their way: Word study with
middle and secondary students.

Ashley Henderson

Page 1

San Joaquin Valley Writing Project - Summer 2016

IV. LESSON SERIES OUTLINE & MATERIALS

Day 1: Pre-Writing**
-

Activate prior knowledge with a Picture Walk & Talk

Students share observations, questions, and predictions
with elbow partners
Begin whole-class bubble map
Students share aloud using sentence frames
- I predict ______ because ______ .

Day 2: Input**
-

Review Picture Walk & Talk

Whole Class: Interactive Read Aloud w/Source 1
Continue whole-class bubble map
Partner talk using sentence frames
- An important fact about ______ is _______.
- One source said ______________________.

Day 3: Input**
-

Partner talk using sentence frames

- An important fact about ______ is _______.
- One source said ______________________.
Partner Reading: Re-Read Source 1
Word Hunt w/clues
Whole Class: Interactive Read Aloud w/Source 2
Students begin individual bubble maps

Day 4: Vocabulary
-

Class Paragraph with missing word cards

Partners fill-in missing words on class paragraph handouts
Finish individual bubble maps

Day 5: Review & Writing

-

Re-Read Class Paragraph Text

Review important elements of a paragraph
- Topic sentence
- Facts
- Closing Sentence
Students work on writing using their collected resources
Authors Chair-Share Writing

MATERIALS
Picture Cards
Sticky Notes
Sentence Strips
Bubble Map (Poster)
Bubble Map Handouts
Articles/Sources
Highlighters
Class Paragraph
(Poster)
Word Cards
Writing Paper
Authors Share Chair
Bio. Quilt Template

San Joaquin Valley Writing Project - Summer 2016

Lesson Outline:
1.

Introduction-- 5 minutes
a. Standards: Writing in 1st Grade, Pulling Information
b. Research: Limited Vocabulary, Time to Practice/Process, Multiple Exposures

2.

Picture Walk w/Sticky Notes-- 10 minutes

a. Walk with your team from one picture to the next.
b. Do not talk. Youre on a hunt for clues- dont share.
c. 1 minute to think at each picture, 1 minute to write

3.

Partner Share: Elbow (Longest Hair?) -- 2 minutes

a. Did you notice any of the same things? What was different? Do you want to add any ideas to your stickies?

4.

Text #1 -- Listen & Sketch -- 10 minutes

a. Lets see if we can confirm any of your predictions/observations
i.
Listen & Sketch
b. Follow along 2nd reading
i.
Mark a few important words
ii.
Draw picture cues

5.

Table Share: Face (Who got up earliest?) -- 3 minutes

a. Everyone read/share their favorite sticky or sketch
b. Stick it in the middle.

6.

Class Bubble Map: One idea from each table --2 minutes
a. Point & Share
b. Sticky on bubble map

7.

Text #2 -- 10 minutes
a. With your elbow partner, take turns reading the text.
b. When you finish use a sentence frame to share or write a fact at the bottom of your page.

8.

Bubble Map: Individual -- 5-7 minutes

a. What did we learn? Share out
b. Begin your own map, add 5-7 facts youve learned about Jane Goodall.

9.

Class Share-Out -- 5 minutes

a. Look at your bubble map
b. Build two sentences about Jane Goodall in your head and practice them.
c. Stand-up, Find a Partner, Share
d. Take your bubble map

10.

BREAK-- The next days we would: 5 minutes

a. Continue to read/review
b. Start focusing on vocabulary words that are essential to understanding
c. Build a class paragraph, tear it apart, re-organize our bubble maps into complete sentences

11.

Biography Quilt-- 15 minutes

a. Based upon our picture walk, bubble map, and the information within the texts we are going to create a Biography
Quilt about Jane Goodall. These are the most important things about her life.
i.
Introduction- name, born, general sentence
ii.
Most important thing people should know
iii.
What does she like?
iv.
Another interesting fact of your choice.

12.

Closing: -- 5 minutes
a. Use these ideas to craft a paragraph-- its like a rough draft in disguise
b. Share Chair/Authors Seat
c. Writing that includes repetition of vocabulary, ample opportunities to practice in low-stress situations, and
the use of sentence frames to scaffold benefits primary age students tremendously as well as our EL students
across the grades and subjects.
d. Packet explanations

13.

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