Lesson 1: DAY 1 & 2 - Journey’s Narrative Writing

Elements of the Lesson Evidence that Documents the Elements

I. Standard W.5.3B - Use narrative techniques, such

District curriculum guidelines, MDE as dialogue, description, and pacing, to
core curriculum, or CCSS develop experiences and events or show
the responses of characters to situations.

W.5.3D - Use concrete words and

phrases and sensory details to convey
experiences and events precisely.

II. Objectives/Targets and I can I CAN understand the parts of a

statements descriptive paragraph. Commented [1]: Students should have demonstrated
What am I going to teach? this when working with their partners to label the parts
in a sample paragraph. Group discussion was had after
What will the students be able to do at the I CAN use sensory words to enhance my and students were able to keep the sample paragraph
end of the lesson? writing. to reference throughout the remainder of the unit.
What formative assessments are used to Commented [2]: Students should have demonstrated
inform my instruction? this when completing their 'Dig a Deeper Sentence'
What challenges might students worksheet. They will continue to work on this standard
as they plan, draft, and revise their descriptive
encounter? paragraph.
Why is this concept/target important?

III. Lesson Management: Focus and ● Students will sit in their assigned
Organization seats for instruction.
What positive strategies, techniques and ● Students will raise their hand to
tools will I use? answer questions or share ideas.
What on task, active and focused student ● Students will follow the “call &
behavior will I see? response” procedure in order to
hear next directions.
● If students are struggling to listen, I
will remind them of the “Husky
Howls” (school guidelines)
● Students will actively participate by
working in table groups.
● Students will actively participate by
identifying the lead, supporting,
and closing sentences in writing
 models.
● Students will actively participate by
discussing the importance of
details in writing and be able to
describe what sensory details are.
They will be able to pick out
sensory details in a sentence and
then show their understanding by
writing sentences that contain
sensory detail.

IV. Introduction: Creating Excitement and ● The teacher will (TTW) generate
Focus for the Lesson Target interest by telling the students they
What will I do to generate interest? will be learning about a new type
How will I access prior knowledge? of narrative writing.
What will I have students practice/review? ● TTW access prior knowledge by
discussing what students have
learned about short story writing
and writing with detail. Will use
that knowledge to learn about
paragraph writing and sensory
details.
V. Input: Setting up the Lesson for Task Analysis:
Student Success 1. Discuss prior knowledge of writing
and lessons from previous week.
Task analysis: 2. Launch into paragraph/descriptive
· What information does the learner writing.
need? If needed how will it be provided? a. Ask students what they
· How is the lesson scaffolded? think a descriptive piece of
Higher Level Thinking: Questions to writing would look like.
engage students’ thinking What does a paragraph
· Remembering contain?
· Understanding b. A descriptive paragraph
· Applying contains a lead sentence,
· Analyzing supporting sentences, and
· Evaluating
a closing sentence.
· Creating
c. Display a piece of writing.
Work together to label each
Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
part of the paragraph.
· Recall/Reproduction
d. Have students practice this
· Skills/Concept
· Strategic Thinking
again with their table
· Extended Thinking groups. Share out ideas Commented [3]: Table groups were too large, I
whole group after. decided to have students work in groups of 2-3. I also
Accommodations: Differentiating to had each student label their own sheet so that they
meet students’ needs 3. Discuss terms sensory words, could keep it to refer back to throughout the unit.
· Remediation/Intervention attitude, and setting. Review the
· Extension/enrichment importance of providing detail in
Methods, Materials and Integrated writing.
Technology 4. Come up with a list of sensory
· Instructional techniques details.
· Engagement strategies a. “Instead of using this word
· Materials and Integrated Technology we could say…” Commented [4]: Was not able to do this due to time
list 5. Write ‘Camp Katahdin is fun’. Have constraint. But I believe this is something the students
could really benefit from. They struggle to come up with
students write a sentence that unique and strong adjectives. If I can fit this into
better shows how Althea feels another lesson I definitely will. I would love to create
and anchor chart that students could refer to whenever
about the topic. Practice modeling
they are writing, this would offer them multiple word
with similar sentences. choices and ideas.
6. Have students complete the ‘Dig
Deeper’ worksheet to help them Commented [5]: I modeled this for the students before
practice intentionally develop their having them complete one on their own. We discussed
multiple word options as we did it. I guess this kind of
sentences more. fits what I was talking about above, but an anchor chart
would definitely be more substantial.
Higher Level Thinking:
1. Remembering - Why is it
important to use detail in writing?
2. Understanding - Can you create
 a list of strong sensory words?
3. Applying - What are you trying to
express in this sentence?
4. Analyzing - What does adding
sensory details do to your writing?
5. Evaluating - What is another way
you could write this sentence to
express a similar feeling using
different vocabulary?
6. Creating - Create your own
descriptive paragraph.

Accommodations:
1. Remediation/Intervention-
Students who struggle may use
devices or other students to aid
them in coming up with detailed
sensory word options. They could
also draw pictures of what they’re
describing to help them connect
the two ideas.

2. Extension/Enrichment- Highly
motivated students may create
their own ongoing list of sensory
words to keep in their folders and
reference throughout the year.

Methods, Materials, and Integrated

Technology:
● SmartBoard
● Document Camera
● Computer
● Descriptive Paragraph Hand Out
(from Journey’s curriculum)
● Dig Deeper Sentence Worksheet
● Give clear instructions and
expected procedures
● Encourage responses and ideas
from all students
● Use call and response to get
students attention
VI. Modeling: I Do ● Tell students what a descriptive
SHOW/TELL (Visual/Verbal Input) paragraph is
What will I show/demonstrate for ● Explain each part of descriptive
students? What will I tell them? paragraph and how they’re
HOW/WHAT (Questioning and redirecting) organized
How to do as well as What to do ● Tell students what sensory details
are
● Demonstrate using sensory details
for students

VII. Checking for Understanding ● Have students repeat directions

Samples of questions to be asked back before beginning
Ways in which students will respond and ● Groups will work collaboratively
be engaged with their tables
Formative assessment strategies to be ● Assess student responses
implemented throughout the activity
● Completed sentence worksheet

VIII. Guided Practice: We Do ● Review short stories and writing

What do the teacher and student do with detail
together? ● Work through identifying lead
How will a gradual release of sentences, supporting sentences,
responsibility be accomplished? and closing sentences in pieces of
writing
● Create sentences using sensory
words together

IX. Collaborative (You Do Together) ● Students practice identifying parts

and/or Independent Practice (You Do) of a descriptive paragraph and
What practices will be demonstrated? labeling each with their table
groups
● Students complete ‘Dig Deeper’
worksheet independently
 X. Closure The teacher will state the “I CAN”
How will the ‘I can’ statement(s) be statements and discuss how we
reviewed? accomplished them.
How will students be involved? Teacher will indicate how today’s learning
What connections to future learning will will connect with future learning.
occur? -”Today we talked about descriptive
paragraphs and using sentences with
sensory words. Tomorrow, we will plan a
description paragraph and begin drafting
our own.”

XI. Assessment ● Students labeling the parts of the

What evidence supports that the given descriptive paragraph will
target(s)/objective(s) were met? show me they understand the
What do my students know, understand essential parts.
and are able to do now? ● Students will complete the ‘Dig
What formative assessments will be used Deeper’ worksheet to demonstrate
to inform instruction? their understanding of stretching
out their sentences and adding
detail.

Further Reflection:

Overall, I thought the lesson went well. Switching from thinking about short stories to paragraph
writing was challenging at first, but once we distinguished the difference students began to
grasp the information. They also realized that most of them have heard these terms before and
the only really new element was adding that sensory detail in order to make it a descriptive
piece. When discussing sensory details, it was great to hear them make the connection
between what they were currently learning in science, the nervous system. Ironically enough,
they had just reviewed the five senses earlier that day. I love when those cross curricular
connections happen, but love even more when the students are the ones to discover and point
them out. As I reviewed the students sentences, I would say they are ‘Approaching the
Standard’. This means they are not yet meeting it, but are on track to. They have good ideas to
offer and are starting to add more detail to their writing, but are not quite there yet. I believe that
through our planning and drafting students will continue to add that detail and ‘Meet the
Standard’. I will continue on with my plans as is for the second lesson.