Grade Level: Fourth Grade Iowa Core Literacy Standards Reading Standards- Refer to details and examples in a text

when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. Writing Standards- Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. Continuum of Literacy Learning (Pages 84-85) Language Use use concrete sensory details and descriptive language show through language instead of telling use examples to make meaning clear use words in gurative ways to make comparisons (simile, metaphor, personication, hyperbole) Word Choice use memorable or vivid words use gurative language to make comparisons (simile, metaphor, personication, hyperbole) choose words with audiences background knowledge in mind use words that convey an intended mood or effect Objectives/Purpose: *Students will understand that a descriptive writing text vividly portrays a person, place or thing in such a way that the reader can visualize the topic and enter into the writers experience. *Students will write a descriptive piece by selecting a secret topic about food that they will not share with their peers. At the end of the lesson they will be sharing their piece with the class, while the class guesses what is being described. *Students will understand how the use of the 6+1 traits relates to descriptive writing. *Students will demonstrate understanding of personication, simile, hyperbole, and metaphor by incorporating each in sentences that they write *Students will use a graphic organizer to formulate their thoughts and ideas and help them start writing their paper Pre-requisite Skills: *Background on descriptive writing *Some practice/experience with gurative elements such as simile, hyperbole, personication and metaphor *Understanding of what the 6+1 traits

Mentor Texts: *Charlottes Web by E.B. White *The Red Racer by Audrey Wood *Owl Moon by Jane Yolen *A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting *Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton *Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings by Shel Silverstein (No Differences)

UNIT PLAN
Day 1: Review Descriptive Writing Characteristics Resources needed: The Red Racer by Audrey Wood Charolettess Web by E.B White Discuss with students the characteristics of descriptive writing. The general characteristics of descriptive writing that we would cover as a class include: *Elaborate use of sensory language *Rich, vivid, and lively detail *Figurative language such as simile, hyperbole, metaphor, and personication *Showing rather than telling through the use of active verbs and precise modiers When discussing these characteristics with students, use examples from literature previously read in class. Next, read two of the mentor texts listed above. (The Red Racer by Audrey Wood and Charolettes Web by E.B White) These texts are read to the class to help reinforce the concept of descriptive writing along with familiarizing students with descriptive texts. Discuss with students the following questions after reading each of these texts: What do you notice about this style of writing? What is the purpose of this writing style? Did you notice any of the elements we reviewed earlier? How is this writing style different from others texts you may know or been exposed to?

 Day 2: Elaborate use of sensory language DETAILED LESSON PLAN Grade Level: 4th grade Lesson Overview Skill from grade level learning continuum: Language Use- Pg.84 use concrete sensory details and descriptive language show through language instead of telling Skill from Iowa Core/Common Core: Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. Resources Needed: vase of lilacs, graphic organizer, variety of items to pass out to each group Lesson Objective/Outcome: Students will understand what sensory language is and how it is used. Students will demonstrate understanding of sensory language by completing their graphic organizer Focus Lesson:Teacher Models and Demonstrates (I do) Today we are going to learn about Sensory language! What do you think the word sensory means?Wait for students responses. Sensory language is when 5 senses are used to describe objects, places, and experiences. Can someone tell me what the 5 senses are? Have students list off 5 senses. Write the ve sense on the board. We can use words to describe how something tastes, smells, feels, looks, and sounds like. For example, Lets look at my vase of lilacs over here. If I wanted to describe the lilacs using the ve senses I would say, (Write this on the board) The lilacs are purple. They smell laundry detergent. When I touch the lilacs, they feel smooth and soft. If I were to eat a lilac, I think it would taste gross! Can someone tell me how I used the senses to describe my vase of lilacs? Wait for student responses. Now we are going to describe an object in the classroom together using the ve senses!

Guided Practice (We Do) Have student pick an object in the room- Say it is a desk. Write the words, Taste, Smell, Sound, Sight, Touch on the board. What are some words we can use to describe a desk using our sense of Sight? Call on students- write down the words they say under

the word Sight. Go through each of the senses, asking students for describing words. After a column of words have been formed below each of the Senses words on the board, inform students that they will now work in their table groups for the next activity! Collaborative Practice (You do Together) Each table is going to receive a bag with a mystery item in it. As group, you must write a paragraph about your mystery item using the senses. Each group must write at least one sentence that covers each of the ve senses. After you have completed, your group will present your paragraph to the class and the rest of the class will guess what your mystery item is! -Give students time to work. Once students are done, have each group present. Comment on things you liked in the students paragraphs and what could use improvement. Independent Practice (You do alone) Now that we have practiced sensory language by coming up with describing words that cover each of the ve senses, its your turn to do your very descriptive writing assignment. I will be giving you each a graphic organizer, which will help you when you are working with your end of the unit assignment. At the end of this unit, you are all going be writing a descriptive writing piece about a secret food of your choice. You will not share this food with any of your peers. After everyones done with their paper, you will be sharing your piece with the class, while the class guesses what is being described. Pass out graphic organizer. This graphic organizer has 5 big circles, each labeled with one of the ve senses. I would like you to think about what your secret food is going to be and ll out this graphic organizer accordingly. List at least 4 words in each one of the ve senses circles that describe your secret food item. Assessment: I will informally assess my students through observing their group work. Along with this, I will look to be seeing if they are paying attention and following directions. I will formally assess the students through the completion of their graphic organizer by using the checklist. Checklist: Five Senses 4 words for smell 4 words for sight 4 words for touch 4 words for taste 4 words for sound

Differentiation Struggling Students- On the graphic organizer, there will be an example describing word in each of the ve senses circles. Advanced Students- On the graphic organizer, they will have to formulate 5 sentences using a describing word from each of the ve senses circles pertaining to their secret food they have chosen.

Day 3: Rich, vivid, and lively detail Resources needed: White board Graphic Organizer Mini Lesson- Word Choice (6+1 Traits) (Word Work) *Compare/contrast similar sentences to help students understand the difference between non-descriptive and a descriptive sentence Teacher will model this technique by creating her own sentence on the board for students to see. Students will then discuss as a class what was good and bad about the sentence. Example of sentence: The boy ran down the eld. Students will help teacher formulate a more descriptive sentence than the one written on the board. Example of revised sentence: The slim, young boy jolted down the muddy eld. Students will pair off and with their partner and will rst write a non descriptive sentence and then re-write it using rich, vivid, and lively detail ( A few groups will share their sentences to the whole class. Students are encouraged to use their graphic organizer constructed on Day 2 to begin writing sentences using rich, vivid, and lively detail. Differentiation- The pairs will consist of one struggling student and one advanced student. The advanced student will be responsible for writing each of the sentences, while the struggling student is responsible for sharing good describing words to add to the sentence! Day 4: Figurative language such as simile, hyperbole, metaphor, and personication Resources needed: A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting White board Primary focus on similes and metaphors.

Before reading the text, A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting, inform students that their purpose for listening is to pick out similes and metaphors that they recognize. *Ask students what they think a simile and metaphor are *Write student created/teacher modied denition of each on the board *Re-read the story. Tell students to write down a simile or metaphor that they hear. *Discuss with students the similes and metaphors used in the book *Teacher will begin creating a small list of similes and metaphors on the board to build on students understanding *As a class, teacher and students will make a column of both similes and metaphors to be hung in the classroom for future use. *Next, students will group into pairs and come up with 2 similes and metaphors of their own that they will share with the class. *After students have presented the class, each student will be responsible for writing one simile and one metaphor about their secret food item. Differentiation- The pairs will consist of one struggling student and one advanced student. Each group will be able to look at the list the whole class created for ideas of what they can write down. Day 5: Focus on understanding personication Resources needed: Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton White board Personication worksheet Before reading the text, Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton, inform students that their purpose for listening is to pick out personication used in the book. Ask students what they think personication means Write student created/teacher modied denition of personication on the board. Re-read story. Tell students to write down any examples of personication they hear from the book. Teacher will model two to three sentences that demonstrate personication and two to three examples that do not demonstrate personication As a whole class, students will complete the rst two sentences on their worksheet. Students will nish the rest of the worksheet on their own. After students have completed the worksheet, they will be asked to write one sentence on their own, demonstrating personication, about their secret food item.

Differentiation- Struggling students will be given an example of personication involving a food item to help guide them while they work on their sentence about their secret food item. Advanced students will asked to incorporate 2-3 vivid describing words in their sentence demonstrating personication.

Day 6: This day will focus on hyperbole Resources needed: No differences by Shel Silverstein White board Strips of paper Before reading the selected text, No Differences by Shel Silverstein, tell the students to be looking out for hyperboles. Let them know that their purpose is to nd and understand the situations in which hyperbole is used. As a class, dene what a hyperbole is. Have students give examples of hyperboles used in the text read to them The students will group in pairs and will be given a bag full of paper strips. On these strips will be sentences that either are hyperboles or arent. The students will have to organize them on their desk accordingly. Discuss as a class, after students have nished organizing their strips. Teacher should bring class together again, and model putting at least three different sentences together that use hyperboles Next the students will create their own individual sentences using hyperboles. (These sentences should be related to their secret topic) Differentiation- Struggling students will be given an example of a hyperbole involving a food item for extra support while writing a sentence on their own. Advanced students- will be asked to write one sentence describing what their hyperbole means.

Day 7: Showing, rather than telling through the use of active verbs and precise modiers Resources needed: Owl Moon by Jane Yolen *Teacher beings class by having a set of ve different words. Students will have to guess the ve different words the teacher has after the teacher acts out each word without using actual words. This will display to the students how you can show rather than tell. Relate this concept to their writing.

 *Before reading the selected text, inform students that the purpose for reading is to listen for how the author shows without telling. *Mini Lesson- Voice(6+1 traits) (Read Owl Moon by Jane Yolen) * Discuss with students specic examples in the book that show rather than tell. Have students go back to previous days of writing. Reect on sentences already written. Ask students to determine if their sentences are lled with language that shows rather than tells. If they determine their sentences do, they are ready for a peer evaluation. If not, they will be given time to add language that displays showing rather than telling. Power Writing- Students will be given the prompt, Write about your favorite holiday by showing rather than telling. Students will be given 5 minutes to write as much as they can about their favorite holiday.

Day 8: Create rough Draft Resources needed: lled out graphic organizer blank graphic organizers object from the classroom *Mini Lesson- Organization (6+1 trait) (Paper should be organized based on the ve senses and the components of each. Teacher models how to take what is in a graphic organizer and put it into a rough draft. (Show specic example- Show a lled out graphic organizer that is organized by the 5 senses. Teacher will choose to describe something in the room. After showing the graphic organizer, teacher will then show how to formulate what is written in the graphic organizer into a paragraph. Students will be given their own graphic organizer to complete based on what they have already written about their secret topic from previous days work Students will write rough draft for their descriptive piece. See attached rubric for requirements. Day 9: Revise Resources Needed: Descriptive writing rubric * Review Descriptive rubric Students will swap papers with a partner to receive feedback While one partner is sharing, the other student is using the rubric to ensure the student has all elements of a descriptive piece. See attached rubric.

Day 10: Revision Cont. Resources needed: list of adjectives * Mini Lesson Word Choice -Adjectives *Word Work* *Teacher will model strong adjectives to use in writing *As a class we will brainstorm even more adjectives to add to the list *Student will then revert back to their papers and include or change any words to include strong and descriptive adjectives Day 11, 12, & 13: Edit Publish and Share *Editing- Convention Quick Check (6+1 traits) *Type/write polished copy of descriptive piece *Share stories in small groups -In small groups students will then reect and evaluate themselves with their peers, focusing on things they would have done different, things they wouldnt change, and if they enjoyed this experience! Overall Differentiation- Throughout this unit, the struggling students are given more support through extra examples. These students are often given a starter example of the task they are to complete to get their brains warmed up. The advanced students are asked to incorporate more into each of their sentences they have to write, involving them to think at a higher level. While students begin to work on their papers, I will meet with individuals who may need some help formulating their ideas or organizing their paper. Due to the papers being written over a course of 4 days, I will most likely be able to visit with each one of my students to conference with them on their papers. Assessment: The teacher and students will both receive a copy of this rubric. I want the students to know what I expect of them. Also, the rubric can somewhat act as a guideline for students while they write their papers.

Descriptive Writing Rubric

Each Category is out of 4 points 4- Excellent (Covers all bullet points) 3- Good (Cover around half of bullet points) 2- Needs Improvement (Covers less than half of bullet points 1- Poor (Covers few to none of the bullet points) CLEAR, WELL ORGANIZED, WELL DEVELOPED IDEAS * Main idea (thesis) is clearly written in the introductory paragraph so that the reader understands what the writer is planning to describe. *Topic sentences in the middle (body) paragraphs clearly relate to main idea. *Supporting details clearly relate to the topic sentences. *Transition words/phrases connect paragraphs smoothly. (First, Finally, In addition, On the other hand . . .) *Introduction, body, and conclusion provide logical sequencing of ideas, leading to an understandable description. WORD CHOICE *Vivid, lively verbs are used. (Weak: Lu is a soccer player. Strong: Running like the wind, Lu blasts the ball down the eld.) *Imaginative, unusual adjectives are used. (scary, menacing, bloodcurdling, chilling) *Vague, overused, repetitive language is avoided (a lot, very, really, then, big, pretty...) FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE *Give the reader a mental picture by incorporating each of the 5 senses and using the following: *Metaphor (Callie's braids are thick, soft, twisted ropes of gold.) *Simile (Justin was as weak as overcooked pasta.) *Personication (The path invited me to begin my journey.) *Hyperbole (I am so hungry, I could eat a whole horse!) EDITING FOR GRAMMAR, USAGE, MECHANICS *No run-on sentences (My grandmother is elegant, she always wears a hat.) *No sentence fragments (Because my grandmother always wears a hat.) *Subject/verb agreement (Correct: One of the toys is missing.) *Correct, consistent verb tense usage (Don't accidentally mix present and past tenses.) *Punctuation is correct. *Capitalization is correct *Spelling is correct. *Paragraphs are indented correctly.