Literacy: The first iteration
Mr. Hickock's 6th Grade Adaptation
Goals/Objectives
Develop an ability to use writing process in constructing a narrative, focusing on plot and characters.
Standards
E06.C.1.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
Materials and Preparation
Note folders including notes from last session. Most of the heavy informational lifting will be done.
Classroom Arrangement and management issues
Twelve students, working either individually or small groups; arrangement will be developed the week before in the Social Studies lesson. Will probably talk before sending students into their small group. I will circulate during the individual work time, answering individual questions and assessing progress.
Plan
Hook- 10-15 minutes
Think about favorite TV Shows or Video Games. Why are those your favorite? Look at character and plot. Talk about character sketches and plot outlines. Demonstrate with my own from my own, independent work.
Body- 25-30 minutes
Individual development of character and plot. Some brainstorming.
Closure- 5 minutes
Short debriefing session and collecting the note-folders.
Anticipating Student Responses
Not using an example they can put wholesale in their product.
"I can't think of anything!"
-Base it on a real person to start
-Refer to your notes
Assessment
Assessment will take three forms: monitoring progress, note folders collected at the end, and Video Games (final product).
Accommodations
If a student finishes early, they can develop more characters or a more intricate plot.
If a student is struggling, suggestions and/or questions may be given by the teacher to facilitate thinking. Fewer characters may also be accepted.
Ms. Wraiths' 4th Grade Adaptation
Goals/Objectives
Develop an ability to use writing process in constructing a narrative, focusing on plot and characters.
Standards
E04.C.1.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
Materials and Preparation
Freedom River by Bryan Collier
Sample character sketches and plot outline by Ms. Wraith in graphic organizer they have in class
Paper and pencils
Classroom Arrangement and management issues
4-5 students at a desk group during “center” time, while all desk groups are doing some project within their own groups. Students are generally used to sitting and working together, and they are also used to small group work with Ms. Wraith during center time. All class rules apply as usual.
Plan
Hook- 10-15 minutes
Read Freedom River to students. Debrief plot and characters briefly. Show example of character sketches and plot outline teacher made and brought ahead of time.
-What does the narrative tell us?, How do we know character traits? What is the plot in less than 2 sentences?
Body- 25-30 minutes
Group write of plot outline and 3 character sketches based upon group’s own historical fiction (a genre they have studied) narrative about Underground Railroad. This will be framed as an idea to give to the 6th graders who will be making a video game based upon this topic.
-What role do characters play in plot? What makes a plot a story?
Closure- 5 minutes
Read our character sketches and plot out loud together to check for coherence and understanding. Each student will offer their favorite thing and one thing they might change.
-What did we create? Does it make sense? How might you change it next time?
Anticipating Student Responses
"I can't think of anything!" and other off task behaviors
-mitigated by group’s cooperation
-desk groups are chosen to help each other
-base characters off real people
-motivation of giving product to 6th graders
Assessment
Assessment will take three forms: discussion, final product, short debrief after reading.
Accommodations
Each student will receive different support both from classmates and teacher based upon their ability to generate new ideas. Group dynamic will allow students to participate to own abilities and will give them the opportunity to self-direct their level of challenge. Can create more or fewer characters or plot elements.
Goals/Objectives
Develop an ability to use writing process in constructing a narrative, focusing on plot and characters.
Standards
E06.C.1.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
Materials and Preparation
Note folders including notes from last session. Most of the heavy informational lifting will be done.
Classroom Arrangement and management issues
Twelve students, working either individually or small groups; arrangement will be developed the week before in the Social Studies lesson. Will probably talk before sending students into their small group. I will circulate during the individual work time, answering individual questions and assessing progress.
Plan
Hook- 10-15 minutes
Think about favorite TV Shows or Video Games. Why are those your favorite? Look at character and plot. Talk about character sketches and plot outlines. Demonstrate with my own from my own, independent work.
Body- 25-30 minutes
Individual development of character and plot. Some brainstorming.
Closure- 5 minutes
Short debriefing session and collecting the note-folders.
Anticipating Student Responses
Not using an example they can put wholesale in their product.
"I can't think of anything!"
-Base it on a real person to start
-Refer to your notes
Assessment
Assessment will take three forms: monitoring progress, note folders collected at the end, and Video Games (final product).
Accommodations
If a student finishes early, they can develop more characters or a more intricate plot.
If a student is struggling, suggestions and/or questions may be given by the teacher to facilitate thinking. Fewer characters may also be accepted.
Ms. Wraiths' 4th Grade Adaptation
Goals/Objectives
Develop an ability to use writing process in constructing a narrative, focusing on plot and characters.
Standards
E04.C.1.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
Materials and Preparation
Freedom River by Bryan Collier
Sample character sketches and plot outline by Ms. Wraith in graphic organizer they have in class
Paper and pencils
Classroom Arrangement and management issues
4-5 students at a desk group during “center” time, while all desk groups are doing some project within their own groups. Students are generally used to sitting and working together, and they are also used to small group work with Ms. Wraith during center time. All class rules apply as usual.
Plan
Hook- 10-15 minutes
Read Freedom River to students. Debrief plot and characters briefly. Show example of character sketches and plot outline teacher made and brought ahead of time.
-What does the narrative tell us?, How do we know character traits? What is the plot in less than 2 sentences?
Body- 25-30 minutes
Group write of plot outline and 3 character sketches based upon group’s own historical fiction (a genre they have studied) narrative about Underground Railroad. This will be framed as an idea to give to the 6th graders who will be making a video game based upon this topic.
-What role do characters play in plot? What makes a plot a story?
Closure- 5 minutes
Read our character sketches and plot out loud together to check for coherence and understanding. Each student will offer their favorite thing and one thing they might change.
-What did we create? Does it make sense? How might you change it next time?
Anticipating Student Responses
"I can't think of anything!" and other off task behaviors
-mitigated by group’s cooperation
-desk groups are chosen to help each other
-base characters off real people
-motivation of giving product to 6th graders
Assessment
Assessment will take three forms: discussion, final product, short debrief after reading.
Accommodations
Each student will receive different support both from classmates and teacher based upon their ability to generate new ideas. Group dynamic will allow students to participate to own abilities and will give them the opportunity to self-direct their level of challenge. Can create more or fewer characters or plot elements.
Feedback Summary
Feedback on each of our lesson adaptations was focused on different areas for improvement. The areas which elicited the most focus in my lesson plan adaptation were time management and more explicit instruction. Because of changes both in my co-planner's overall vision for his sequence of lessons and in recent work in my classroom, I decided to change the topic focus of our shared writing, allowing students to come up with their own topics. I removed the read aloud in observance of time constraints, and I added more explicit planing steps. See our revised lesson plan on the next page.