LexieDavis-LTC4231

LessonPlan–Writing

Concept:

Studentscanwriteinformationthattheyfindininformationaltextsintheirownwords.

DistrictLiteracyObjective:

CCSS:W.5.8Recallrelevantinformationfromexperiencesorgatherrelevantinformationfromprintand

digitalsources;summarizeorparaphraseinformationinnotesandfinishedwork,andprovidealistof

sources.

GradeLevel:5thgrade

PriorKnowledge:

Studentsarecurrentlyworkingonwritinginformationaltexts.Theyhavelearnedabouthow

informationalwritinglooksdifferentthanopinion/personalnarrativewriting.Thecurrentlessonsare

preparingstudentsforaresearchedinformationaltextthattheywillwrite.

PredictionsofStudents’Responses:

Ithinkstudentswillstrugglewiththis.IknowthatsometimesIstillstrugglewithparaphrasing.

Materials(seeAppendixA):

• WholeGroupArticle

• ArticlesforStudentChoice

• Sheetforstudentresponse

Procedure:

1. Callstudentstothecarpetandsaytothem“Yourteachertellsmethatyouhavebeenlearning

aboutinformationaltexts,andyouwillbedoingresearchforyourowninformationalwriting

soon.Today,wearegoingtolookatsomeinformationaltextsandworkonhowtoputthe

wordsfromthetextintoourownwords.”

2. PullupslotharticleontheSmartBoardandletthestudentsknowthatwearegoingtoread

throughthearticleandpulloutfactstogetherandthenputthosefactsinourownwords.

3. Readthroughthearticleoutloudandadheretoagradualreleasemodel:astheteacher,think

outloudandhighlightafactthatisimportant,andthenencouragestudentstoraisetheirhand

foranyfactstheywillwanttohighlight(totalof3factsfromthearticle).

• Whenarticleiscompleteandfirstfacthasbeenhighlightedbytheteacher,have

studentsturnandtalkaboutafactthattheythinkwouldbeimportanttohighlightto

putintheirownwords

• Encouragestudentstothenshareoutwhichfacttohighlight

4. Gobackthrougheachfactasaclassandwritetheminourownwordsasagroup–modelthe

firstonebyfirstthinkingthroughwhatthemostimportantpartofthefactis

• Firsthavestudentsturnandtalkandthenshareoutideasforparaphrasing.

5. Introducetheterm“paraphrasing”andquestionstudentsforaresponseonwhattheythinkthat

wordmeans.

6. Introducethreedifferentinformationaltextsforthestudentstochoosefromandexplainto

themthattheywillbegoingbacktotheirseatsandfindingthreefactsfromtheirarticletowrite

intheirownwords.

7. Ifstudentsfinishearly,givethemasecondarticletoworkfrom.

8. Collectarticlesandparaphrasesheets.

Assessment:

Studentswillbeassessedformativelythroughtheirparticipationinthewholegroupdiscussion.

Studentswillalsobeassessedthroughtheirperformanceontheparaphrasingpracticesheet.Thiswill

informwhetherornottocontinuepracticewithparaphrasing,andwhatfeaturestopayattentiontoif

paraphrasinginstructioncontinues.

AppendixA

InformationalPassages:

NewYorkBridges

Beekeeping

ArcticExploration

ParaphrasingWorksheet

SlothArticle

Reflection

Asthelastlessonplanofthesemestercomestoaclose,Iamfeelingquiteproudofmyself.

Sittinginclassonthefirstfewdaysastheseassignmentswerebeingintroduced,Iwasoverwhelmed.

Thethoughtofgettinginfrontofstudentsandcompletinglessonswasadistant,foreignconcepttome.

AsIhaveexperiencedtheclassroom,throughtheselessonsandothersthatmyhostteachershavegiven

metodo,myconfidenceintheclassroomhasskyrocketed.

Thisparticularlessonwentwell.Iwentbackto5thgradewiththesameteacherwhoIdidmy

guidedreadinglessonwith.WhenheandIcollaboratedoverwhatmylessonwouldbeaboutwesettled

ongivingthestudentspracticewithwritingfactsfrominformationaltextsintheirownwords.The

studentswereveryresponsiveandparticipatedfullyintheactivity.Ithinkthatthisisareflectionmore

soontheteacherandhisclassroommanagement:whichisquiteincrediblethanitisonmyabilityto

managetheclassasIteach.Thestudents,however,respectedmyopinionsandtreatedmeasthey

wouldtreattheirownteacher.

Oneofmybiggestworriesgoingintothislessonplanwasmyowncompetenceinwritingthings

inmyownwords.Istrugglegreatlywithwriting,soathoughthadoccurredtome:“whatifIcan’teven

writetheexampleinmyownwords?Iwon’tbeabletoteachthem!”Thoseworriesweresoonquelled

asIlookedoverthearticletwoorthreemoretimesbeforeIstartedthelesson.Ipickedoutaquotethat

Iwantedtofocusonandthoughtthroughdifferentwaystowriteitinmyownwords.Thestudentsdid

therestoftheworkinthewholegroupdiscussion.Thegradualreleasemodelwentwell.Ididthefirst

example,voicingmythoughtprocessandemphasizingwhatpointfromthesentenceIwasparaphrasing

thatIdidn’twantlostintranslation.Thestudentsfollowedsuit.Wehighlightedthreeotherfactsand

talkedthroughhowwewouldwordthoseinourpaper.

WhenIsentthestudentsofftoworkontheirown,IthinkthatImadetwomistakeshere.The

firstmistakeImadewastheselectionofinformationaltexts.IthinkthatIdidn’tprovideforverymuch

differentiationinreadinglevelinordertoserveallofthestudents’needs.Therewasonestudentwho

struggledwiththetext,andsheisaworkavoidernormally,soshespentthemajorityofthetimeinthe

bathroom.IcametohelpherandwithoutmakingitseemlikeIwasreadingitoutloudtoheron

purpose,Ireadtwoparagraphsoutloudandaskedheriftherewereanyfactsthatwereinthereshe

wantedtoparaphrase.Ithinkthishelpedher.Iwouldhateforreadingtobeabarrierforastudent’s

writingandthoughts.ThesecondmistakeImadewasonlyrequiringthestudentstocompleteonlythe

frontpageoftheparaphrasingworksheet.Ihadtwootherspacesontheback,ifstudentswantedto

completemorethantwo.Ishouldhaverequiredthreeandmadethefourthoneabonusoption.Ithink

thiswouldhavegiventhestudentsmorepracticeandmotivatedthemfurther.

SomemisconceptionsthatIsawwithparaphrasingalsocameup.Ihadafewstudentswho

highlightedopinionorflowerysectionsoftheinformationaltextandputthatintheirownwords.For

example,inthe“ArcticDisaster!”article,itgrabsthereader’sattentionatthebeginningbysaying

“ImaginedrivingadogsledacrossdangerousArcticice.Coldwindbitsatyourface.Yourfingersare

frozen.”Ihadacouplestudentshighlightthispartandrewriteit.Hereisanexampleoftheirrewrite:

“Thewindiscolditbreezesonyourfaceyourhandsareverycold.”Toaddressthis,Iwouldmakeit

moreexplicitinmyinstructionthatwearelookingforfacts.Imightevendoa“review”atthebeginning

toactivatepriorknowledgeofthedifferencebetweenfactsandopinions.Anothermisconceptionthat

arosewithoneortwostudentswasthegenreoftherewriting.Somestudentstooktheinformational

genreandtransformeditintoanarrativegenre.Sincestudentsweresofamiliarwithwritingina

storyteller’svoice,theyhaddifficultymimickingthewritingoftheauthorofthearticles.Toaddressthis,

Iwoulddoamentortextlessonplanwithaninformationaltextandgivethemmorepracticewithsmall

pieceswiththegenrebeforedoingtheresearchpaper.

Overall,Iamverysatisfiedwiththewaythislessonwent,andamexcitedtoapplywhatIhave

learnedtofuturelessons.