ccc collaborative literacy being a writer

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5GRADE

Being a Writer™

CCC Collaborative Literacy

SECOND EDITION

Teacher’s Manual | Volume 1

S A M P L E L E S S O N

Being a Writer™ Sample Lesson, Grade 5 © Center for the Collaborative Classroom collaborativeclassroom.org

122 Being a Writer™ Teacher’s Manual, Grade 5

Knots in My Yo-yo String: The Autobiography of a Kidby Jerry SpinelliAuthor Jerry Spinelli recounts his youth in this memoir.

OVERVIEWWeek 1

Online ResourcesVisit the CCC Learning Hub (ccclearninghub.org) to find your online resources for this week.

Whiteboard Activities •WA1–WA3

Assessment Forms •“Class Assessment Record” sheet (CA1)

•“Conference Notes: Focus 1” record sheet (CN1)

Reproducible • (Optional) “Excerpt from ‘George Street’ ” (BLM2)

Professional Development Media •“Cooperative Structures Overview” (AV9)

•“Using ‘Turn to Your Partner’ ” (AV11)

•“Using ‘Think, Pair, Share’ ” (AV13)

•“Asking Open-ended Questions and Using Wait-time” (AV18)

•“Introducing Vocabulary During a Read-aloud’ ” (AV30)

•“Conferring About Personal Narrative” (AV40)

•“Exploring Personal Narrative” (AV41)


Personal Narrative Genre Week 1 123

TEACHER AS WRITER

“No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader. For me the initial delight is in the surprise of remembering something I didn’t know I knew.”

— Robert Frost

Think about memorable events from your life that you could write about. List these in your notebook; then select one or two of the most vivid memories to describe in short drafts. Write about what happened, when it happened, who was involved, and what was memorable about each event.

Writing Focus • Students hear and discuss personal narratives. • Students learn about a professional author’s writing practice. • Students generate writing ideas from their own lives. • Students visualize sensory details. • Students draft personal narratives, focusing on single, interesting events or topics from their own lives.

Social Developmental Focus • Teacher and students build the writing community. • Students listen respectfully to the thinking of others and share their own.

• Students express interest in and appreciation for one another’s writing.

DO AHEAD ✓ Consider reading this unit’s read-aloud selections with your English Language Learners before you read them to the whole class. Stop during the reading to discuss vocabulary and to check for understanding. Since this week’s readings do not have illustrations, consider bringing in visual aids (such as a medal, a photograph, or an old baseball glove) to support the students’ comprehension.

✓ Prior to Day 1, decide how you will randomly assign partners to work together during this unit. For suggestions about assigning partners, see “Random Pairing” on page xxix and “Considerations for Pairing ELLs” on page lii. For more information, view “Cooperative Structures Overview” (AV9).

✓ Prior to Day 1, make a copy of the “Class Assessment Record” sheet (CA1) on page 32 of the Assessment Resource Book.

✓ Prior to Day 3, make a class set of the “Conference Notes: Focus 1” record sheet (CN1) on page 38 of the Assessment Resource Book.



In this lesson, the students: • Work with new partners • Hear and discuss a personal narrative • Quick-write about special objects • Write freely about things that interest them

abOuT PErSONal NarraTIvEPersonal narratives offer writers the opportunity to think about and write true stories about the meaningful experiences of their lives. Personal narratives describe significant events and explain how those events led to learning or a change of some kind. Character change in a narrative, whether of a fictional character or a real person, often results from learning an important lesson or gaining a new realization about oneself or the world. Personal narratives also include sensory details to make the writing come alive for the reader.

In the study of personal narrative at grade 5, the students identify significant single events or topics from their lives and write about them in detail. They learn to focus on the most important parts of the events they are describing, use sensory details, use verb tenses in a consistent way, and write engaging openings and endings that draw a story’s events to a close.

GETTInG READY To WRITE1 Pair Students and Discuss Working Together

Randomly assign partners and make sure they know each other’s names (see “Do Ahead” on page 123). Have the students bring their notebooks and pencils and gather with partners sitting together, facing you.

Explain that today’s lesson is the beginning of a four-week unit in which the students will explore a kind of writing called personal narrative. In personal narratives, authors tell stories about true things that have happened to them. Explain that partners will stay together for the unit. Ask:

Q What have you learned about working with a partner that can help your new partnership go well?

Materials • “Never the Monkey” (Knots in My Yo-yo String, pages 26–28)

• “Writing Time” chart (WA1)

• “Class Assessment Record” sheet (CA1)

Teacher noteFor more information about personal narrative, view “Exploring Personal Narrative” (AV41).

Teacher noteThe partners you assign today will stay together for the unit. If necessary, take a few minutes at the beginning of today’s lesson to let them get to know each other better by talking informally in a relaxed atmosphere.

Teacher noteIf you are teaching other programs from Developmental Studies Center, the students can work within partnerships already established, or you may assign new partners for the writing lessons.

Exploring Personal narrativeDay 1


Personal Narrative Genre Week 1 Day 1 125

Students might say:

“ We can ask each other questions and help each other.”

“ In addition to what [Sean] said, you can work better together if you get to know someone.”

“ I agree with [Cerelle]. You don’t have to be best friends—you just have to work together.”

Encourage the students to keep these ideas in mind as they begin working with their new partners today.

2 Introduce and Read “Never the Monkey” AloudShow the cover of Knots in My Yo-yo String and read the title, subtitle, and author’s name aloud. Explain that Knots in My Yo-yo String is made up of numerous short pieces that Jerry Spinelli wrote about growing up in Pennsylvania in the 1950s. Today you will read the piece called “Never the Monkey.” In it, Jerry Spinelli writes about something special he owns. The object is special to him because it reminds him of proud and happy moments in his childhood. Invite the students to think about special things they own that they may be able to write about.

Read “Never the Monkey” (pages 26–28) aloud slowly and clearly, clarifying vocabulary as you read.

Suggested Vocabularycherished memento: favorite object kept to remember a place or event (p. 26)Hartranft: the name of an elementary school (p. 27)

ELL VocabularyEnglish Language Learners may benefit from hearing additional vocabulary defined, including:medal: prize given for winning a race (p. 26)50-yard dash: running race 50 yards (150 feet) long (p. 26)

3 Discuss the ReadingAsk and briefly discuss the questions that follow. Be ready to reread passages to help the students recall what they heard. Remind the students to use the discussion prompts to add to the discussion.

Q What events does Jerry Spinelli tell about in this story?

Q Why do you think he might have chosen to tell this story?

Teacher NoteRegularly remind the students to use the discussion prompts they learned when they participate in class discussions. The prompts are:

• “I agree with because . . .”

• “I disagree with because . . .”

• “In addition to what said, I think . . .”

Teacher NoteIf necessary, explain that an autobiography is a “kind of personal narrative in which an author writes the story of his or her life.”

Teacher NoteTo review the procedure for defining vocabulary during the read-aloud, see Unit 1, Week 1, Day 1, Step 3 on page 8. For more information, view “Introducing Vocabulary During a Read-aloud” (AV30).



Students might say:

“ Maybe he chose to tell this story because winning was exciting.”

“ In addition to what [David] said, I think he wanted to tell about a time he won a medal because he’s proud of himself.”

“ I agree with [Destiny]. The author tells us about the medal at the beginning so we already know he’s going to win.”

4 Quick-write: Special ObjectsUse “Think, Pair, Share” to discuss:

Q Jerry Spinelli writes about an object that is very special to him—a gold-plated medal. What special object do you have that you could write about? [pause] Turn to your partner.

Scan the class as partners talk. When most pairs have finished discussing the question, signal for the students’ attention. Have the students open their writing notebooks to the next blank page in the writing ideas section, label it “Special Objects,” and list special objects they could write about. After a few moments, call for the students’ attention and have a few volunteers share their ideas with the class.

Explain that during Writing Time today the students may write about an object that is special to them, as Jerry Spinelli does in “Never the Monkey,” or they may write about anything else that interests them.

WRITInG TIME5 Write Independently

Have the students sit at desks with partners together. Display the “Writing Time” chart ( WA1) and have the students write silently for 20–30 minutes.

WA1Writing Time •Write about an object that is special to you. •Write about anything else that interests you.

Teacher noteRemember to pause for 10 seconds for the students to think before you say “Turn to your partner.” To review the procedure for “Think, Pair, Share,” see Unit 1, Week 2, Day 1 on page 30. To see an example, view “Using ‘Think, Pair, Share’ “ (AV13).

Teacher noteNote that on Days 1 and 2 of this week, the students may write personal narratives or anything else they wish. On Day 3, after exposure to a couple of examples of personal narrative, they will all begin writing in this genre.

EELL noteEnglish Language Learners may benefit from drawing their ideas before they write. Encourage them to draw what they want to write about and then talk quietly with you or their partners about their drawings. If necessary, write out key words and phrases they want to use so they can copy the words into their writing.



Remind the students to double-space their writing. If necessary, review that during Writing Time there should be no talking, whispering, or walking around.

Join the students in writing for a few minutes; then walk around the room and observe, assisting students as needed.

CLASS ASSESSMEnT noTE

Observe the students and ask yourself: •Are the students staying in their seats and writing silently? •Do they write readily about themselves? •Are they double-spacing their writing? •Do the students who have difficulty getting started eventually do so?

If you notice many students having difficulty starting to write, call for the class’s attention and have partners talk to each other about what they might write. Have a few volunteers share their ideas with the class, and then have them resume silent writing. If necessary, remind students to double-space their writing.

Record your observations on the “Class Assessment Record” sheet (CA1); see page 32 of the Assessment Resource Book.

Signal to let the students know when Writing Time is over.

SHARInG AnD REFLECTInG6 Briefly Share Writing and Reflect

Have partners share with each other what they wrote today. Then ask and briefly discuss questions such as those that follow. Invite the students to read passages of their writing aloud as they share.

Q Who wrote about something special that you own? Tell us about it.

Q What other topics did you write about? Tell us about them.

Help the students reflect on their partnerships by asking:

Q What did you find out about your partner today?



EXTEnSIonDiscuss the Past Perfect Tense in “Never the Monkey”Remind the students that in the story “Never the Monkey,” Jerry Spinelli says that he knew how to position himself on the starting line of the 50-yard dash because he had watched many track meets before the day of his own race. Read this sentence from the story aloud: “I knew what to do from the many meets I had attended with my father.”

Point out that Jerry Spinelli uses a special verb tense to show that he had watched those other track meets before he raced in the 50-yard dash. He puts the helping verb had before attended. Explain that when writers want to show that one action in the past happened before another action in the past, they add a form of the helping verb to have to a past tense of the main verb. Tell the students that this verb tense is called the past perfect tense. Explain that perfect, in this sense, means “completed”; the tense shows that one action was completed before another.

Read the following sentence from “Never the Monkey” (page 27) and ask students to identify the verb that is in the past perfect tense: “ ‘Froggy,’ as he was known to everyone but his teachers, had won the fifty-yard dash the year before as a mere fifth grader.” If necessary, explain that had won is the verb in the past perfect tense: Froggy won a race one year, and then the next year he ran in the 50-yard dash with Jerry. The past perfect tense helps make clear which action happened first.

Write the following sentence where everyone can see it: Jerry other races before he ran in his own race. Explain that a form of the verb watch in the past perfect tense is needed to complete the sentence. Ask:

Q What had Jerry done before he ran in his own race?

Have a few volunteers share their thinking with the class. If necessary, follow up by asking questions such as:

Q How do we know that [“had watched”] is in the past perfect tense?

Skill Practice noteFor more practice with forming and using the perfect verb tenses, see Lesson 13 in the Skill Practice Teaching Guide.



In this lesson, the students: • Informally explore features of personal narratives • Hear and discuss a personal narrative • Quick-write about interesting events • Write freely about things that interest them

GETTInG READY To WRITE1 Start “Notes About Personal Narratives” Chart

Have the students bring their notebooks and pencils and gather with partners sitting together, facing you. Remind them that yesterday they heard “Never the Monkey,” a personal narrative by Jerry Spinelli.

Title a sheet of chart paper “Notes About Personal Narratives.” Remind the students that a personal narrative tells a true story from the author’s own life. Add this to the chart. Explain that you will continue to add to the chart as they learn more about what makes personal narratives different from other kinds of writing.

2 Read Part of “Shortstop” AloudExplain that you will read part of another personal narrative from Knots in My Yo-yo String called “Shortstop.” In “Shortstop” the author writes about learning an important lesson. Invite the students to think about the important lesson he learns.

Read the first part of “Shortstop” aloud slowly and clearly (pages 29–31: “From ages eleven to sixteen . . . . I nodded. And I never forgot.”), clarifying vocabulary as you read.

Suggested Vocabularyshortstop: baseball position that requires especially quick thinking and excellent catching and throwing skills (p. 29)console: comfort (p. 30)

ELL VocabularyEnglish Language Learners may benefit from hearing additional vocabulary defined, including:precious cargo: important things being carried (p. 29)error: mistake (p. 30)

Materials • Excerpt from “Shortstop” (Knots in My Yo-yo String, pages 29–31)

• Chart paper and a marker

• “Writing Time” chart (WA2)

Teacher noteSave the “Notes About Personal Narratives” chart to use later this week and throughout the unit.

Exploring Personal narrative Day 2



3 Discuss the ReadingAsk and briefly discuss the questions that follow. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard.

Q What event does Jerry Spinelli describe in this story?

Students might say:

“ He writes about playing Little League baseball.”

“ In addition to what [Arturo] said, Jerry learns a lesson when he makes his first error.”

“ I agree with [Renata]. He learns that he isn’t supposed to stand there pounding his glove if he makes an error. He’s supposed to keep playing.”

Q (Reread the following passage on page 30: “I could hear the ball crunching along the sandy ground. . . . the manager was waiting for me.”) What do you see in your mind when you hear this passage? Turn to your partner.

Point out that in many personal narratives, including this one, the author tells about interesting events from his life and includes sensory details to help the reader see, hear, smell, taste, and feel what is happening.

4 Quick-write: Interesting EventsAsk the students to think quietly about the questions that follow. Say the questions one at a time, pausing after each question (without discussing it) to give the students time to think.

Q Jerry Spinelli writes about an interesting event that happened to him when he was learning how to play baseball. What are some interesting events you could write about from your own life?

Q Jerry Spinelli says he learned a lesson he never forgot from his manager. When did you learn something that you’ve never forgotten?

Without discussing the questions, have the students open their notebooks to the page in the writing ideas section labeled “Ideas from My Own Life.” Have them review the list and add other interesting events from their own lives that they could write about. Stop the students after 3–4 minutes of silent writing and have partners talk about their thinking; then have them resume writing for a few more minutes.

Signal for the students’ attention and ask several volunteers to share their ideas with the class.

Explain that today the students may continue the writing they began during the quick-write, or they may write about anything else that interests them.

Facilitation TipDuring this unit, we invite you to focus on two questioning techniques: asking open-ended questions and using wait-time. Notice that most of the questions we suggest are open-ended, inviting many responses. These questions cannot be answered with a single word and often begin with words like what, how, and why. We encourage you to try asking the questions as they are written and noticing how the students respond. Because these questions require thought, we suggest that you use at least 5–10 seconds of wait-time after asking each question before calling on anyone to respond. This gives everyone a chance to think before talking. To see this Facilitation Tip in action, view “Asking Open-ended Questions and Using Wait-time” (AV18).

Teacher NoteThe students began their “Ideas from My Own Life” list on Unit 1, Week 2, Day 1, Step 4 (see page 31).



WRITInG TIME5 Write Independently

Ask the students to return to their seats. Display the “Writing Time” chart ( WA2) and have the students write silently for 20–30 minutes.

WA2Writing Time •Continue the writing you began in the quick-write. •Write about anything else that interests you.

Remind the students to double-space their writing. If necessary, review that during the writing period there should be no talking, whispering, or walking around.

Join the students in writing for a few minutes; then walk around the room and observe, assisting students as needed.


SHARInG AnD REFLECTInG6 Reflect on Writing

Ask and briefly discuss questions such as those that follow. Invite the students to read passages of their writing aloud as they share.

Q Who wrote about an interesting event from your life? Tell us about it.

Q What other topics did you write about today? Tell us about them.



Exploring and Drafting Personal narrative

In this lesson, the students: • Hear, discuss, and draft personal narratives • Visualize sensory details

GETTInG READY To WRITE1 Gather and Review Sensory Details

Have the students bring their notebooks and pencils and gather with partners sitting together, facing you. Remind them that yesterday they heard the narrative “Shortstop” by Jerry Spinelli. Ask and briefly discuss:

Q What do you remember about the story “Shortstop”?

Review that Jerry Spinelli uses sensory details in his narrative. Remind the students that sensory details help the reader see, hear, smell, taste, and feel what happens. Direct the students’ attention to the “Notes About Personal Narratives” chart and add this to it.

2 Read Aloud from “George Street”Explain that today you will read part of another personal narrative by Jerry Spinelli called “George Street” in which he describes a street he lived on as a child in the 1950s. Point out that in the 1950s, people sometimes used coal to heat their houses. Trucks delivered the coal, which was stored in large bins (boxes) in people’s basements.

Read the first part of “George Street” aloud slowly and clearly (pages 41–42: “Baseball is still baseball . . . . Or if I wasn’t pretending that day, I simply ran outside.”), clarifying vocabulary as you read.

Suggested Vocabularyavalanche: large mass of snow, ice, or earth that suddenly slides down the side of a mountain (p. 41)cellar: basement (p. 41)bombardment: heavy gunfire attack (p. 42)

ELL VocabularyEnglish Language Learners may benefit from hearing additional vocabulary defined, including:racket: loud noise (p. 42)

Materials • Excerpt from “George Street” (Knots in My Yo-yo String, pages 41–42)

• “Notes About Personal Narratives” chart from Day 2

• Class set of “Conference Notes: Focus 1” record sheets (CN1)

Day 3



3 Discuss the ReadingAsk and briefly discuss the questions that follow. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard.

Q What was coal day like at Jerry’s house?

Q (Reread the following passage on page 42: “He lifted the hatch and the coal started coming . . . enemy battleship and its sixteen-inch guns.”) What words did you hear that helped you see and hear what was happening? Turn to your partner.

Students might say:

“ Coal day was noisy and dirty.”

“ I agree with [Blair]. I heard the word racket.”

“ In addition to what [Stuart] said, I heard ‘black, choking blizzard.’ That makes me imagine black dust everywhere.”

4 Visualize Sensory DetailsHave the students open their notebooks to the interesting events they listed yesterday. Ask them to choose one of those events and to imagine it with their eyes closed as they listen to the questions that follow. Say the questions one at a time, pausing after each question (without discussing it) to give the students time to think.

Q What is the event you are imagining?

Q Where is the event happening? What does it look like around you?

Q What sounds do you hear? What do you smell?

Q What do you see moving? How is it moving?

Ask the students to open their eyes, and have partners talk to each other about what they imagined. After a few moments, signal for their attention and ask:

Q What did your partner tell you about what she imagined?

Have a few volunteers share their partners’ thinking with the class.

Explain that today you would like all of the students to try writing a true story about an experience from their own lives. They may continue a piece they started earlier or begin a new one. Direct their attention to the “Notes About Personal Narratives” chart and review the items on it. Encourage the students to keep these things in mind as they begin writing personal narratives today.

Teacher noteTo review the procedure for “Turn to Your Partner, see Unit 1, Week 1, Day 2 (page 11). To see an example, view “Using ‘Turn to Your Partner’ ” (AV11).

Teacher noteIn this lesson, the students are just beginning to explore personal narrative. They are not expected to know or incorporate specific features of the genre into their writing at this point. They will build on their understanding as they explore the genre over the coming weeks.



WRITInG TIME5 Draft Personal Narratives

Have the students return to their seats and work silently on personal narratives for 20–30 minutes. Remind them to double-space their writing.

Join the students in writing for a few minutes; then begin conferring with individual students.

TEACHER ConFEREnCE noTE

Over the next two weeks, confer with individual students about their personal narratives. Ask each student to show you his writing and read some of it aloud to you. Help the student extend his thinking about personal narrative by asking questions such as:

Q Why did you choose to write about this [event/memory/thing]?

Q What else do you remember about it that you can add to the narrative?

Q What words are you using to describe what you [saw/heard/smelled/tasted/felt]?

Q What other experiences from your own life might you want to write about?

Document your observations for each student on a “Conference Notes: Focus 1” record sheet (CN1); see page 38 of the Assessment Resource Book.


SHARInG AnD REFLECTInG6 Share and Reflect on Writing

Ask and discuss the question that follows, inviting the students to read passages of their writing aloud if they wish.

Q What interesting event from your own life did you write about? Tell us about it.

Explain that the students will continue to write drafts of personal narratives during the coming weeks.

Teacher noteThe students will write all first drafts of personal narratives, double-spaced, in their notebooks. In Week 3, they will select one of the drafts to develop and publish. Double-spacing now allows space for revision later. The students will write their final versions in Week 4 on loose, lined paper (or on a computer, if available).

Teacher noteTo see an example of a teacher conferring with individual students, view “Conferring About Personal Narrative” (AV40).



You might say:

“ I think that some of what Jerry Spinelli says makes good sense, but I don’t think television is always bad. I’ll start by writing: In Jerry Spinelli’s story ‘George Street,’ the author says that it takes more imagination to listen to the radio than it does to watch TV. I think that is often true, but I still think people can learn a lot while watching some TV programs. Notice that I stated my opinion and put the title of the story and author in the opening sentences. Now I need to explain my thinking using facts and details. I’ll write: Jerry Spinelli writes that the radio ‘furnished the sounds, and the listener supplied the pictures.’ I agree that radio makes us picture things in our own heads, but we have to know what the things look like to be able to picture them. Television can show me things I could never imagine. For instance, when I watch nature programs about African jungles, I see animals and plants I could never picture from just listening to sounds. Now I need a closing sentence. I’ll write: Jerry Spinelli complains about television, but I think that sometimes TV can show us things we could never imagine on our own.”

Explain that each student should start her paragraph with an opening sentence that states her opinion and includes the title and author of the story, give a reason for her opinion and a fact or detail from the story to support her reason, and provide a closing sentence that wraps up her writing. Have the students return to their seats and write about their opinions. If time permits, invite the students to share their opinions with the class.

Day 4Exploring and Drafting Personal Narrative

In this lesson, the students: • Hear and discuss a personal narrative • Explore sensory details in a passage • Draft personal narratives • Express interest in and appreciation for one another’s writing • Ask one another questions about their writing

GETTING READY TO WRITE1 Briefly Review Personal Narrative

Have the students bring their Student Writing Handbooks and pencils and gather with partners sitting together, facing you. Review that

Materials •Excerpt from “Mrs. Seeton’s Whistle” (WA3)


•Student Writing Handbook page 6



You might say:

“ I think that some of what Jerry Spinelli says makes good sense, but I don’t think television is always bad. I’ll start by writing: In Jerry Spinelli’s story ‘George Street,’ the author says that it takes more imagination to listen to the radio than it does to watch TV. I think that is often true, but I still think people can learn a lot while watching some TV programs. Notice that I stated my opinion and put the title of the story and author in the opening sentences. Now I need to explain my thinking using facts and details. I’ll write: Jerry Spinelli writes that the radio ‘furnished the sounds, and the listener supplied the pictures.’ I agree that radio makes us picture things in our own heads, but we have to know what the things look like to be able to picture them. Television can show me things I could never imagine. For instance, when I watch nature programs about African jungles, I see animals and plants I could never picture from just listening to sounds. Now I need a closing sentence. I’ll write: Jerry Spinelli complains about television, but I think that sometimes TV can show us things we could never imagine on our own.”

Explain that each student should start her paragraph with an opening sentence that states her opinion and includes the title and author of the story, give a reason for her opinion and a fact or detail from the story to support her reason, and provide a closing sentence that wraps up her writing. Have the students return to their seats and write about their opinions. If time permits, invite the students to share their opinions with the class.

In this lesson, the students: • Hear and discuss a personal narrative • Explore sensory details in a passage • Draft personal narratives • Express interest in and appreciation for one another’s writing • Ask one another questions about their writing

GETTInG READY To WRITE1 Briefly Review Personal Narrative

Have the students bring their Student Writing Handbooks and pencils and gather with partners sitting together, facing you. Review that

Materials • Excerpt from “Mrs. Seeton’s Whistle” (WA3)


• Student Writing Handbook page 6

Day 4 Exploring and Drafting Personal narrative



yesterday they began writing drafts of personal narratives. Ask and briefly discuss:

Q What makes personal narrative writing different from other kinds of writing?

If necessary, review the “Notes About Personal Narratives” chart to help the students remember what they learned. Add any new ideas they mention.

2 Read Part of “Mrs. Seeton’s Whistle” AloudExplain that you will read aloud a part of a personal narrative called “Mrs. Seeton’s Whistle” in which Jerry Spinelli writes about one small memory he has. Ask the students to think about what he does to make this memory feel real to us as readers.

Read aloud the section on pages 53–55 that begins “In the warmer months of the year . . .” and ends with “. . . waiting where I have yet to arrive.” Clarify vocabulary as you read.

Suggested Vocabularyflanking the ice: on either side of the ice (p. 54)castanet: musical instrument that makes a clacking noise (p. 54)relishing: greatly enjoying (p. 54)

ELL VocabularyEnglish Language Learners may benefit from hearing additional vocabulary defined, including:our routes about town changed: our ways of going around town changed (p. 54)

3 Explore Sensory DetailsAsk and briefly discuss:

Q What did you imagine seeing as you listened to this passage?

Q What did you imagine hearing?

Q What other senses did you imagine using?

Ask the students to open to Student Writing Handbook page 6 as you display “Excerpt from ‘Mrs. Seeton’s Whistle’ ” ( WA3). Ask partners to reread the passage and together underline words that help them imagine using their senses.

After a few moments, ask pairs to share words they underlined with the class. Underline words on the displayed excerpt as the students report them.

Teacher noteIf it is helpful, write the five senses on the board for students to refer to: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

Some sensory details in this narrative are “clacked it like a castanet,” “the winter on our tongues,” and “heat waves dance above the street.”



Point out that Jerry Spinelli’s memories become real to us because he includes sensory details, or words that help us imagine what is happening, using our senses.

Explain that the students will continue to write personal narratives today, and encourage them to look for places where they can include sensory details. They may continue a personal narrative they started earlier or begin a new one.


Have the students return to their seats and work silently on personal narratives for 20–30 minutes. Join them in writing for a few minutes; then confer with individual students.


Continue to confer with individual students, having each show and read some of her writing aloud to you. Help the student extend her thinking about personal narrative by asking questions such as:







SHARInG AnD REFLECTInG5 Share and Reflect on Writing

Have a few volunteers read their writing aloud. Encourage the other students to express their interest or appreciation after each reading. Ask questions such as:

Q What did you like about [Marie’s] piece?

Q What questions can we ask [Jorge] about what he wrote?

Explain that the students will continue to draft personal narratives tomorrow.



In this lesson, the students: • Review sensory details • Draft personal narratives • Express interest in one another’s writing • Ask one another questions about their writing

GETTInG READY To WRITE1 Gather and Review Sensory Details

Gather the class with partners sitting together, facing you. Review that yesterday the students heard “Mrs. Seeton’s Whistle” by Jerry Spinelli. Ask and briefly discuss:

Q What do you remember about the story “Mrs. Seeton’s Whistle”?

Review that Jerry Spinelli uses sensory details in his narrative. Direct the students’ attention to the “Notes About Personal Narratives” chart and add sensory details help the reader see, hear, smell, taste, or feel what happens to it.

Explain that the students will continue to write personal narratives today, and encourage them to look for places where they can include sensory details. They may continue a personal narrative they started earlier or begin a new one.


Have the students return to their seats and work silently on personal narratives for 20–30 minutes. Join them in writing for a few minutes; then confer with individual students.

Materials • “Notes About Personal Narratives” chart from Day 4

Exploring and Drafting Personal narrative Day 5




Continue to confer with individual students, having each show and read some of his writing aloud to you. Help the student extend his thinking about personal narrative by asking questions such as:







SHARInG AnD REFLECTInG3 Share One Sentence and Reflect

Ask the students to review the writing they did today and have them each underline one sentence they would like to share with the class. Give the students a moment to select their sentences; then go around the room and have each student read her sentence aloud, without comment.

Facilitate a brief discussion using questions such as:

Q What sentence did you hear that got you interested in someone else’s writing?

Q What questions do you want to ask a classmate about his or her writing?

Explain that the students will continue to write drafts of personal narratives during the coming weeks.

Teacher noteThe intention in this activity is to hear one sentence from every student in the class. This lets the students hear what their classmates are writing and builds their accountability. After they underline their sentences, have them put their pencils away. Have them read their sentences promptly, one after another, without stopping to comment. In the discussion afterward, they are not expected to remember every sentence they heard.



EXTEnSIonRead More from Knots in My Yo-yo StringIf your students are interested, read and discuss other chapters from Knots in My Yo-yo String. Take time to discuss the way the author’s everyday experiences provided ideas for an entire book. Encourage the students to continue to think about interesting events in their own lives that they can write about.

ccc collaborative literacy being a writer

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